Wallaga Lake

Wallaga Lake is the largest estuarine lake in southern New South Wales, Australia, located between Bermagui and Tilba Tilba.

It has a surface area of 7.8 km2 and a catchment area of 280 km2. The lake holds significant historical and cultural importance for the Yuin people, the original custodians of the land. The lake is home to the black duck, a totem connected with the elder, Umbarra. The Wallaga Lake Aboriginal Station, established in 1891, was an Aboriginal reserve near the lake. In 2006, the lake was handed over to the Yuin people for joint management with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The island, Merriman's Island or Umbarra, is an Aboriginal place and not open to the public. Aboriginal people can fish on the lake without a permit, and a cultural fishing permit has been negotiated to continue this traditional practice. Wallaga Lake is also a popular destination for recreational activities such as fishing, sailing, bushwalking, and birdwatching.