If you fancy some serious fishing, contact OB1 Charters, Marina, Beach Road, Batemans Bay (tel. 1800/641 065 in Australia, 02/4471 2738, or 0416/241 586 mobile). The company runs full-day game-fishing trips and morning snapper-fishing trips (afternoon snapper trips in summer, too). Expect to encounter black marlin, blue marlin, giant kingfish, mako sharks, albacore tuna, yellowfin tuna, and blue tuna from November through June. The trip includes all tackle, bait, and afternoon and morning tea, but you must provide your own lunch. It costs A$900 (US$720/UK£360) to hire the six-person boat for the day; if there are just a couple of you, the charter company may be able to fill the rest of the boat if you make reservations far enough in advance. Trips to catch snapper (a nice-tasting fish, which is not the same as red snapper) include all gear, bait, and morning or afternoon tea for A$80 (US$64/UK£32) per person; these last about 6 hours.

A river cruise on MV Merinda, Innes Boatshed, Orient Street, Batemans Bay (tel. 02/4472 4052; fax 02/4472 4754), is a pleasant experience. The 3-hour cruise leaves at 11:30am daily and travels inland past townships, forests, and farmland. It costs A$22 (US$18/UK£9) for adults, A$11 (US$8.80/UK£4.40) for children, and A$50 (US$40/UK£20) for families; a fish-and-chips lunch is A$6 (US$4.80/UK£2.40) extra, and a seafood basket for two is A$12 (US$9.60/UK£4.80).