Wollongong and Surrounds
About adventures in Wollongong
The spectacular coastal escarpment and the bounty of beautiful beaches make Wollongong an idyllic destination for outdoor adventure and fun. Less than two hours by train south of Sydney, Wollongong is NSW’s third-largest city and home to the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere, Nan Tien Temple.
Exhilarating things to do include skydiving, hang-gliding and paragliding above the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean with splendid views of the coast. Surfing, water skiing, sailing and fishing are popular, too. Or just relax and soak up the sun on one of the gorgeous sandy beaches along the Wollongong coast.
You can also ride a bike along 60 km of cycle paths or walk around Mount Keira on a 5.5 km trail that passes through rainforest. After all the outdoor activities, the city offers plenty of places to stay and a range of quality cafés and restaurants.
The Grand Pacific Drive is delightful road trip from Sydney to Wollongong and farther south. You can stop off at Symbio Wildlife Park and pat koalas. The 138 km touring route weaves through Australia’s oldest national park before reaching Stanwell Park’s Bald Hill, an acclaimed hang-gliding spot.
From there you’ll travel to the Sea Cliff Bridge, a marvel of engineering winding along the cliff face. You can take a tour of the Grand Pacific Drive with the likes of Cliff to Coast Sports Car Drives, Just Cruisin’ and Trike Trips.
Small coastal villages such as Stanwell Park and Thirroul have excellent surfing beaches. Thirroul is where the famous English writer D. H. Lawrence lived in 1922 and wrote much of his novel Kangaroo.
By the beach in Wollongong, savour local craft beers at the Illawarra Brewery. Farther south Lake Illawarra offers a choice of sailing, water skiing, canoeing and fishing.