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

Ride 16

Bermagui to Cobargo

Distance 43 kms, medium grade, some hills

Start: Bermagui

If you enjoy small country towns, then include Cobargo on your itinerary.

Cobargo is popular with a number of resident artists of all types—there are galleries, a pottery shop, leather goods, and specialty shops such as one specialising in handmade brooms. There’s a variety of other shops too.

Cobargo was settled in the 1830s. Its first industry was to provide wattle bark for the Sydney tanneries. Dairying soon followed, and the town even had its own specialised butter factory.

Cobargo today

Today, Cobargo is popular with artists. It holds a folk festival each February, and country fairs and country music events.

There are cafes in Cobargo catering for all tastes. There is a train restaurant—one of the old red rattlers converted to a restaurant. Look around for the cafe with the atmosphere that most appeals to you.

But that’s not getting you to Cobargo ...

This ride starts at Bermagui.

The scenic route

You can make this ride more scenic and interesting by combining it with Ride 13 - the ride through the spotted gum forest and on to the picnic area. From the picnic area, continue on to the main road, and turn right. That’s the Bermagui–Cobargo Road.

If you want to go straight to Cobargo, take Wallaga Lake Road out of Bermagui (the road to Tilba) for about four kilometres. Turn left at the junction (this is well sign posted). Cobargo is 17 kilometres further on.

Cobargo Road

Along the way, you will pass through the Bermagui State Forest for about three kilometres, but you won’t see much of the forest, except from a distance. But this road does provide riders with a very pleasant ride through the countryside.

Lavender farm

About eight kilometres along the road, there is a lavender farm (the Maryvale Lavender Farm) on your left. That is usually open seven days for sales of lavender, oils, soaps and handcrafted items.

Through the countryside again beyond the lavender farm, and soon you will see Cobargo.

Cobargo

Allow at least a couple of hours to see the town properly—there is plenty tucked away from the main road. Even visiting every shop in the main street will occupy a lot of your time.

Return to Bermagui the same way that you came—allow about one and a half hours cycling back to Bermagui.

Map for Ride 16.