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{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type        = town
| name        = Merimbula
| state       = NSW
| image       =
| caption     = 
| coordinates = {{coord|36|53|53|S|149|54|04|E|display=inline,title}}
| pop         = 3,821
| pop_year    = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=Census>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL12586|name=Merimbula (Suburbs and Localities) |accessdate=16 March 2024|quick=on}}</ref>
| elevation   = 11
| postcode    = 2548
| dist1       = 448
| dir1        = S
| location1   = Sydney
| dist2       = 580
| dir2        = ENE
| location2   = Melbourne
| dist3       = 240
| dir3        = SE
| location3   = Canberra
| dist4       = 32
| dir4        = SE
| dist5       = 27
| dir5        = N
| location5   = [[Eden, New South Wales|Eden]]
| location4= [[Bega, New South Wales|Bega]]
| lga         = [[Bega Valley Shire]]
| county = [[Auckland County|Auckland]]
| stategov    = [[Electoral district of Bega|Bega]]
| fedgov      = [[Division of Eden-Monaro|Eden-Monaro]]
| maxtemp     = 20.8
| mintemp     = 9.9
| rainfall    = 770.0
}}
[[File:Merimbula Sound.jpg|thumb|Merimbula Bar and Main beach]]
'''Merimbula''' {{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|r|ɪ|m|b|j|ə|l|ə}}<ref>Macquarie Dictionary (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. {{ISBN|1-876429-14-3}}</ref> is a town on the Merimbula Lake, located on the Far [[South Coast (New South Wales)|South Coast]] or [[Sapphire Coast]] of [[New South Wales]], Australia. At the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the population was 3,821.<ref name=Census/>

The population within 10&nbsp;km of the Merimbula Post office is over 18,000 people. The [[satellite town]] of [[Tura Beach]] lies within the 10&nbsp;km population radius.<ref name="visitNSW">{{cite web|url=http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/south-coast/merimbula-and-sapphire-coast/merimbula|title=Merimbula|publisher=Visit NSW|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref>

==Early history==
Merimbula Point is an area of [[palaeontological]] significance, regularly studied by the School of [[Earth sciences|Earth Sciences]] at the [[Australian National University]]. Several previously unknown species have been found in the ancient sedimentary rocks there, including ''Merimbulaspis'' and ''Pambulaspis''.<ref name=Murphy>{{cite news|last=Les Murphy|first=Story|title=Earliest evidence of land life found on our shores|url=http://www.merimbulanewsonline.com.au/news/local/news/general/earliest-evidence-of-land-life-found-on-our-shores/1561871.aspx|access-date=8 June 2012|newspaper=Meribula News Online|date=8 July 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302215242/http://www.merimbulanewsonline.com.au/news/local/news/general/earliest-evidence-of-land-life-found-on-our-shores/1561871.aspx|archive-date=2 March 2012}}</ref><ref name=Young>{{cite journal|last=Young, Burrow, Long, Turner, Choo|title=Devonian macrovertebrate assemblages and biogeography of East Gondwana (Australasia, Antarctica)|journal=[[Palaeoworld]]|date=March 2010|volume=19|issue=1–2|pages=55–74|doi=10.1016/j.palwor.2009.11.005}}</ref>


==Education==
Merimbula has one primary school; Merimbula Public School. However, the town does not have a high school. Children from Merimbula have to travel to either [[Bega, New South Wales|Bega]] or [[Eden, New South Wales|Eden]] to attend public high school, or attend private schools in the surrounding areas, including [[Pambula Beach, New South Wales|Pambula Beach]], Eden and Bega.



==Transport==
Merimbula is one of only a few towns on the [[South Coast (New South Wales)|South Coast of NSW]] to have its own airport, [[Merimbula Airport]]. There are daily flights services by [[QantasLink]] and [[Rex Airlines]], from [[Sydney]] and [[Melbourne]] to Merimbula. Flights from Sydney often stop in [[Moruya, New South Wales|Moruya]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merimbulaairport.com.au/Pages/flightinfo.aspx|title=Flight Information|publisher=Merimbula Airport|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref>

Situated just off the [[Highway 1 (Australia)|national highway 1]], the [[Princes Highway]], Merimbula is nearly the same distance to both [[Sydney]] and [[Melbourne]], with both trips taking between five and seven hours to drive. It is approximately three hours drive to Australia's capital [[Canberra]].

Merimbula is serviced by many interstate and intrastate road coach services, and connects with rail services at many interchanges.

Local commuter passenger bus services operate six days per week to all urban areas and some regional centres within the council area.

==Sport==
Merimbula has a green oval and two [[soccer]] Fields on the Berrambool Oval. The oval is used, depending on the time of year, for [[cricket]] (summer period) and [[Australian Football]] (winter period). The Merimbula Diggers compete in [[AFL Sapphire Coast]] and are one of the competition's most successful clubs. There are additional sporting facilities located within the Merimbula urban area. The [[Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs]] are based in nearby Pambula and compete in the [[Group 16 Rugby League]] Premiership. Merimbula's soccer club is the Merimbula Grasshoppers which hosts men, women and junior sides. The Merimbula Knights Cricket Club are a club in the Far South Coast Cricket Association. Other sporting clubs include the Merimbula Basket Ball Club, Merimbula Big Game and Lakes Angling Club, and Merimbula Netball Association. 

There are five [[golf courses]] within a one-hour drive from Merimbula, including Pambula Merimbula GC, Tura Beach Country Club, Eden Gardens Country Club and Bermagui Country Club.

==Climate==
Merimbula has an [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'') with mild to warm summers and cool, windy, drier winters. Extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|44.2|C}} to {{convert|-2.0|C}} and the average annual rainfall is {{convert|770.0|mm|1}}. Typical of the New South Wales coastline, the relatively dry winters and springs are attributed to the [[Southeast Australian foehn|foehn effect]].<ref>Sharples, J.J. Mills, G.A., McRae, R.H.D., Weber, R.O. (2010) ''Elevated fire danger conditions associated with foehn-like winds in southeastern Australia. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology''.</ref> 

Its relatively low annual rainfall owes to its south-western location, which in turn exposes it to cold southerly airmasses off the [[Bass Strait]] that rarely affect areas further north on the coast; as shown by its extreme minimum temperatures in the summer, most notably a reading of {{convert|3.9|C}} in December 2019. Its climate more closely resembles those in [[East Gippsland]] than elsewhere on the New South Wales coastline, with its distinctly cooler summers and lower dew points. 
{{Weather box
|location           = Merimbula Airport AWS (1998–2022); 2 m AMSL; 36.91° S, 149.90° E
|metric first       = Yes
|single line        = Yes
|rain colour        = green
|Jan record high C  = 44.2
|Feb record high C  = 41.3
|Mar record high C  = 38.1
|Apr record high C  = 36.1
|May record high C  = 27.7
|Jun record high C  = 23.0
|Jul record high C  = 26.2
|Aug record high C  = 29.0
|Sep record high C  = 34.5
|Oct record high C  = 37.0
|Nov record high C  = 40.0
|Dec record high C  = 42.0
|year record high C = 44.2
|Jan high C         = 24.9
|Feb high C         = 24.7
|Mar high C         = 23.6
|Apr high C         = 21.7
|May high C         = 19.2
|Jun high C         = 16.9
|Jul high C         = 16.7
|Aug high C         = 17.3
|Sep high C         = 19.4
|Oct high C         = 20.7
|Nov high C         = 21.7
|Dec high C         = 23.3
|year high C        = 20.8
|Jan low C          = 15.5
|Feb low C          = 15.3
|Mar low C          = 13.7
|Apr low C          = 10.9
|May low C          = 7.6
|Jun low C          = 5.6
|Jul low C          = 4.2
|Aug low C          = 4.8
|Sep low C          = 6.8
|Oct low C          = 9.1
|Nov low C          = 11.9
|Dec low C          = 13.8
|year low C         = 9.9
|Jan record low C   = 7.0
|Feb record low C   = 7.8
|Mar record low C   = 5.7
|Apr record low C   = 4.0
|May record low C   = -2.0
|Jun record low C   = -1.0
|Jul record low C   = -2.0
|Aug record low C   = -1.3
|Sep record low C   = 0.0
|Oct record low C   = 2.0
|Nov record low C   = 2.0
|Dec record low C   = 3.9
|year record low C  = -2.0
|Jan rain mm        = 66.8
|Feb rain mm        = 85.5
|Mar rain mm        = 92.3
|Apr rain mm        = 65.2
|May rain mm        = 56.2
|Jun rain mm        = 70.9
|Jul rain mm        = 49.6
|Aug rain mm        = 45.1
|Sep rain mm        = 41.6
|Oct rain mm        = 61.3
|Nov rain mm        = 78.7
|Dec rain mm        = 66.2
|year rain mm       = 770.0
|Jan rain days      = 7.1
|Feb rain days      = 6.1
|Mar rain days      = 6.5
|Apr rain days      = 5.7
|May rain days      = 4.3
|Jun rain days      = 5.4
|Jul rain days      = 4.1
|Aug rain days      = 4.8
|Sep rain days      = 5.6
|Oct rain days      = 7.9
|Nov rain days      = 7.8
|Dec rain days      = 7.1
|year rain days     = 72.4
|unit rain days     = 1.0mm
|humidity colour    = green
|Jan afthumidity    = 65
|Feb afthumidity    = 64
|Mar afthumidity    = 62
|Apr afthumidity    = 61
|May afthumidity    = 60
|Jun afthumidity    = 60
|Jul afthumidity    = 58
|Aug afthumidity    = 55
|Sep afthumidity    = 58
|Oct afthumidity    = 61
|Nov afthumidity    = 65
|Dec afthumidity    = 63
|year afthumidity   = 61
|Jan dew point C = 15.4
|Feb dew point C = 15.5
|Mar dew point C = 14.3
|Apr dew point C = 11.8
|May dew point C = 9.2
|Jun dew point C = 7.2
|Jul dew point C = 6.2
|Aug dew point C = 6.1
|Sep dew point C = 8.1
|Oct dew point C = 9.6
|Nov dew point C = 12.2
|Dec dew point C = 13.4
|source 1 = [[Bureau of Meteorology (Australia)|Bureau of Meteorology]]<ref>{{BoM Aust stats|site_ref=cw_069147_All|site_name=Merimbula Airport AWS|access-date=5 July 2022|date=July 2022}}</ref>
|date=July 2022}}

==Events==
[[File:CountryTown0007.jpg|thumb|View of town]]
[[Image:Merimbulaboardwalk1.2.jpg|right|thumb|Merimbula's boardwalk]]
Merimbula hosts two annual Orchid Shows, both held in Twyfold Hall opposite the Tourist Information Centre. The winter Orchid Show is in late August, and the Australian Native Orchid Show is in early November. The annual [http://merimbulajazz.org.au/ Jazz Festival] is held on the Queen's Birthday weekend early in June. A much smaller Country Music Festival is held in the Merimbula-Imlay Bowling Club around the beginning of November each year. The Pambula Merimbula Golf Club hosts one of the country's bigger Weeks of Golf attracting over 900 golfers during October.

Merimbula has a [[windsurfing]] and [[Kite boarding|kiteboarding]] festival, the Merimbula Classic. This is held in late November each year.

==Economy==
Merimbula is largely a tourist town, with the bulk of the town's earnings coming from [[tourism]]. There is a wide range of holiday accommodation in the area including motels, self-contained units and holiday houses for rent. Merimbula is known for its good beaches and locally produced oysters.

==Attractions==
Merimbula has six main [[beaches]]—Main Beach (or Merimbula Beach), Mitchies Jetty, Bar Beach, Spencer Park Beach, Middle Beach and Short Point. Main Beach and Short Point are considered to be the best beaches for [[surfing]], whilst Bar Beach is used for [[snorkeling]].<ref name="visitNSW" /> Other activities include [[whale watching]], [[fishing]], [[kitesurfing]] and [[boating]]. Middle Beach is more suited to [[fishing]], and [[whale watching]] in season. With a decent percentage of the population being retirees, [[golf]] and [[lawn bowls]] are popular as well. Merimbula has [[scuba diving]], with the [[sponge]] gardens at Yellow Rock and the ''[[List of Empire ships (G)|Empire Gladstone]]'' [[shipwreck|wreck]] off nearby Haycock Point's popular dives.

Merimbula is close to [[Bournda National Park]], [[South East Forest National Park]] and the northern end of [[Beowa National Park]]. A coastal walk running through Bournda National Park from [[Tathra, New South Wales|Tathra]] to [[Tura Beach]] just north of Merimbula takes in [[coastal]] scenery. [[Southern right whale]]s<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twTH4z299Jk|title = - YouTube|website = [[YouTube]]}}</ref> (less frequent) and [[humpback whale]]s are big feature in the areas.

It is also a short drive to other scenic places in the area such as [[Tathra, New South Wales|Tathra]], [[Eden, New South Wales|Eden]] and [[Bermagui, New South Wales|Bermagui]].

Merimbula offers a range of activities from [[standup paddleboarding]] and [[kayaking]], to some of the best [[surfing]] on the [[South Coast (New South Wales)|Far South Coast]]. [[Magic Mountain, Merimbula|Magic Mountain]], Merimbula's own [[theme park]] has a roller coaster and one of the best [[toboggan]] slopes in [[New South Wales]].

The Merimbula Wharf offers its own [[aquarium]] full of some of the common sea creatures on the [[Sapphire Coast]]. It is also a popular [[restaurant]] for tourists as well as locals.

The Aquarium is a has a wide variety of marine life, 'from [[sharks]] to [[shrimp]], [[octopus]] to [[tropical fish]], it's all in the living theatre of the deep!’, according to [[TripAdvisor]]. It has 25 tanks of aquatic life.

There are many restaurants and eateries in Merimbula, including one small bar.

10 kilometres to the west of Merimbula along the Princes Highway towards Bega, Potoroo Palace Wildlife Sanctuary is located.<ref name=SEN>{{cite news|last=South East News Blog|title=Coast move to save endangered birds|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/13/2981634.htm?site=southeastnsw&section=news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111220413/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/13/2981634.htm?site=southeastnsw&section=news|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 November 2012|access-date=8 June 2012|date=13 August 2010}}</ref> This [[nature park]] has a collection of native species with some hands on opportunities for the children. It also [[animal welfare|cares]] for injured or orphaned animals.

==Heritage listings==
Merimbula has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* Monaro Street: [[Courunga]]<ref name=nswshr-235>{{cite NSW SHR|5045262|Courunga|hr=00235|fn=S90/02147 & HC 32026|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Merimbula, New South Wales}}
{{Wikivoyage|Merimbula}}
* [http://www.escapetomerimbula.com.au/ Merimbula Tourism and Merimbula Visitor Information Centre]

{{South Coast (New South Wales)}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Bega Valley Shire]]
[[Category:Coastal towns in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Towns in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Towns in the South Coast (New South Wales)]]