18 great bike rides in the Narooma - Tilba - Bermagui area of the New South Wales Far South Coast

About Bodalla

Bodalla is a small town. It was established in the 1870s by Thomas Sutcliffe Mort (of Goldsborough Mort fame) who introduced refrigeration to the transportation of fresh foods to the larger centres of Sydney and beyond. He established the Bodalla Cheese factory. The name is still well known, although Bodalla cheese is no longer made here. Mort ran a dairy on about 5000 hectares, but that original property was progressively subdivided and reduced to individual farms.

Despite the original cheese factory now closed, dairying continues in the region. The Bodalla Dairy Shed is now open for refreshments. The Bodalla Bakery serves a good range of pastries and breads. Enjoy a tea or a coffee on the verandah after your ride in the area.

There are some buildings of historic interest in the town. The All Saints Anglican Church—a large stone church on the northern side of the town—is listed on the National Trust register. The church was erected by the Morts as a monument to Thomas Sutcliffe Mort and his wife.

On the southern side of Bodalla, there is another historic church, a shingle-walled building that was erected in the mid-1880s.

The hotel in the town was built in the mid-1870s.

There’s more to Bodalla than one would expect by just driving quickly through the town. In addition to the outer lying farming communities and residential developments, in the town there is a restaurant, the Postmasters Gallery (at the site of the former post office), and one or two craft shops as well as other specialty shops.

There is a road from Bodalla to the coast, and a couple of rides start from the village opposite the police station.

Two great rides start from Bodalla.

Ride 17: Nerrigundah and Comans Mine

Ride 18: Reedy Creek and Dignams Creek