Kiama

Blessed with a stunning coastline of rugged headlands, squeaky-clean beaches, and lush pasturelands, Kiama’s rustic charm is undeniable. Abundant in natural beauty, this humble abode is a fantastic destination to base yourself if you wish to explore many of the Illawarra region’s most stunning natural attractions.

Kiama is also perfectly positioned to explore the glorious hills and plateaus of the Southern Highlands, with gorgeous countryside visible from the moment you step outside the town’s borders. Drive inland, and the towering cliffs of the Illawarra Escarpment are ever-present, running parallel to the coast for a considerable distance in either direction, creating a moody atmosphere. Scenic drives are par for the course around these parts, with every country road up into the highlands offering up spectacular scenery.

As you explore, you’ll find many quaint country towns hidden within the valleys and high plains of the region. If you had to pick just one to visit, Berry would be an excellent choice. With boutique shopping, arts & crafts, cafés, lolly shops and antiques on offer, you’ll be pleased to know that Berry does it all in country style, so be sure to take a day trip to this historic charmer.

With so many amazing pockets of paradise to be found, deciding exactly what to do in this sprawling countryside can be a little daunting. Fortunately, the following free things to see and do in Kiama and the greater Illawarra region make the decision a little easier, with Mother Nature pulling out all the stops. If you love a scenic drive, the following string of awe-inspiring destinations will make the journey even more worthwhile.

At the top of a stunning list of things to do, one of Kiama’s most popular attractions is also the most accessible. Situated moments from the heart of the town’s centre, the Kiama Blowhole is arguably Australia’s best — for many reasons. Firstly, the blowhole itself is enormous, with a large underwater cavern harnessing the power of the predominant south-east swells of the Pacific Ocean. Given favourable conditions, visitors to the viewing platforms experience explosive torrents of water shooting high into the air.

Adding to the experience, the treeless headland affords expansive views both up and down the coastline, with large grassy areas, a kids’ playground, a tidal swimming pool, a visitor centre and even its very own pint-sized lighthouse within a short walk of the blowhole.

You’ll also find the aptly named Little Blowhole only a short drive away, which some people actually prefer to the much larger Kiama Blowhole. Unlike its big brother, you can get as close as you like to Little Blowhole, although not too close, as you’ll soon discover it packs a punch. In the right conditions, Little Blowhole belts out a high-flung stream of water. You’ll find the crowd numbers much lower here too. Should this be of interest, Little Blowhole lies approximately two kilometres south of Kiama Blowhole in Tingira Crescent.

If you have a few days to choose from, be sure to check when conditions will be most favourable. A great website to check sea swell is Seabreeze (second graph down for wave height and direction). Pick a day when the swell is up and running roughly in the south-east direction for Kiama Blowhole, and north-east for Little Blowhole.

One of the most beautiful attractions you’ll find on the high plains of the Southern Highlands is Fitzroy Falls. Flowing year-round, Fitzroy Falls gush over a precipice that is over eighty metres tall.

Upon arrival, entry is via the tourist information centre, so be mindful that their trading hours are 9 am – 5 pm daily. Shortly into the walk, you’ll be presented with two tracks to take: the East Rim Track and the West Rim Track. The attractions mentioned below are all along the West Rim Track. If you wish to immerse yourself in nature, the East Rim Track might appeal — but know that it does not offer views of the falls.

Getting to the falls is very easy, with Fitzroy Falls Lookout only a short stroll along the West Rim Track. For those happy to extend the walk, you’ll find more to do here with a series of lookouts spread along the ridgeline. Each vantage point along the trail offers a different perspective of the falls, with a superb panorama coming into view after a 300-metre stroll. From this point, continue along the track to enjoy the seasonal Twin Falls, The Grotto (and its secluded waterfall) and finally Starkeys Lookout where the second cascade of Lady Hordern Falls comes into view.

Tip: Despite the ambiguous signage, if you have a New South Wales National Parks — Multi Parks Pass for your car, car-parking (and entry) is free.

If you’re staying in Kiama, there’s a great lookout only a short drive out of town that’s well worth the effort. Saddleback Mountain Lookout affords impressive views of the Shoalhaven region, stretching as far as the eye can see along the coastline. It’s a remarkable view, and from this lofty vantage point, you’ll easily be able to pick out various landmarks — including Kiama.

Driving up to the lookout is almost as good as the lookout itself, with lush pasturelands, stacked-stone fencing, and ocean views among the highlights. For such a short drive, it sure packs a lot in.

There are three lookouts at the top of Saddleback Mountain Lookout, signposted as A, B and C. ‘A’ lookout is north-facing, and easily the most captivating. The good news is it’s also the closest to the carpark, so you’ll probably be satisfied with just seeing this lookout. ‘B’ isn’t worth writing about, with ‘C’ worth a look if you have time.

Minnamurra Falls is a beautiful pocket of rainforest that is highly rated by all who visit. It’s a remnant of what many pockets of the Illawarra region once looked like, with dense sub-tropical rainforest a feast for the senses. Feeling miles away from civilisation, it’s quite remarkable that rainforest of this calibre could be so close to Sydney.

Minnamurra is also one of the best places to see the enigmatic Lyrebird in the wild. Usually, these birds are quite elusive, and while not tame, you’ll find the ones here are somewhat used to people. Should you wish to get a photo of one of these curious birds, the morning hours before the crowds arrive will be your best bet.

Within the forest, you’ll also come across a 1000-year-old fig tree, which is quite a sight to behold and worthy of the trip in itself.

Accessing the sights of Minnamurra Rainforest is via a loop trail that leads visitors on a casual walk along the Minnamurra River. National Parks has done a sensational job of providing boardwalks, swing bridges and well-constructed trails through this fantastic forest, which makes the overall experience quite memorable.

Midway through the loop walk, the trail kicks up a notch, leaving the river to ascend to Minnamurra Falls. It’s fairly steep and long, but the well-constructed trail makes short work of it. Should this be too steep, simply turn back the way you came when the incline starts and savour the impressive river scenery once more back to the starting point.

If a scenic coast drive is on the agenda, or perhaps if you’re looking for a much more stimulating route to or from Sydney — Bald Hill Lookout at Stanwell Tops is a fantastic detour. It’s an epic lookout, perched high above the beaches below, with views as far as the eye can see. Get here on the weekend, and if the wind is blowing sufficiently, you may be lucky enough to witness paragliders and hang-gliders using Bald Hill as a launch pad.

Facilities are excellent here too. You’ll find an ice cream truck serving hot dogs and ice creams, as well as a permanent café — making Bald Hill a great place to chill out with a bite to eat. Overall, the entire stretch of coastline surrounding the lookout is remarkable, with Bald Hill a great destination from Kiama.

As a side note, Sydney can be accessed by heading north from Bald Hill Lookout through the Royal National Park. It’s a very scenic alternative to the highway, with winding roads and a variety of forest types to pass through. At the Sydney end of the park, you’ll find a beautiful waterside glade called Audley, which would have to be one of the country’s best picnic spots.

If you’d like to stop for a night or two and explore this national park further, Wattamolla is a brilliant waterhole in summer. The seaside town of Bundeena is an excellent option for accommodation, as is the riverside Bonnie Vale campground. Note: With some tight turns and steep ascents/descents, people towing large caravans will need to be careful driving through this national park.

Adding to the Bald Hill experience, you’ll drive over the Sea Cliff Bridge if coming from the south as you make your way to the aforementioned lookout. In fact, you can see the Sea Cliff Bridge from Bald Hill.

It’s all over quite quickly, but driving along this bridge as it extends out over the sea from the shore, twisting and turning around the cliff-faces, is very memorable and an experience you’ll not forget in a hurry.

For those looking to explore this magnificent structure a while longer, walking across the bridge is highly atmospheric, with grand views of towering cliffs, ocean vistas, and sea spray, culminating in a highly enjoyable experience. At only 1.5 kilometres return, it’s worth parking the car to fully appreciate the towering cliffs of Coalcliff, which historically were mined for, you guessed it — large deposits of coal. Today, the cliff-faces still bear the scars of this mining.

While there is no designated carpark, there is limited parking at either end of the bridge. We suggest parking at the northern end of the bridge in the side street of Paterson Road. This will give you access to both the walkway of the Sea Cliff Bridge and a great rock pool to explore, only a short walk away.

Approximately halfway along Paterson Road, you’ll come to Leeder Park, which has access down to the Coalcliff Rock Pools. On a hot day, the pools can be just the ticket you need to cool off. Even if the weather isn’t warm enough, it’s still quite special, with moody views of the towering cliffline above proving highly immersive.

If you’re the type of person who likes to check out everything a region has to offer, Kangaroo Valley will be sure to please. This small town is nestled between two large mountain regions and is super lush and green year-round. You’ll find a few cafés and stores along the main street, with an overall rustic charm that is worth stopping for. The main road through town also passes over Hampden Bridge, which is, in fact, Australia’s oldest suspension bridge — built in 1898.

While Kangaroo Valley does have kangaroos, these days they’re not in the numbers that its name would suggest. Although neither well known nor widely advertised, Kangaroo Valley is one of the best places in Australia to see wombats — among the country’s most endearing and much-loved native marsupials. If seeing wombats in the wild is on your to-do list, you’ll find a dozen or two munching on the lush grasses of Bendeela Recreation Area every morning and evening, with the odd wombat even out during the day. You’ll find signage to Bendeela Recreation Area off Moss Vale Road, 400m north of Hampden Bridge.

Finally, there’s an epic lookout worth tracking down on the coast side of Kangaroo Valley called Cambewarra Lookout. You’ll inevitably drive past the turnoff to Cambewarra Lookout during your visit, with the lookout only a short detour off the main road into Kangaroo Valley. The views here span for miles out to the coast, with a quaint tea house sharing the same view. Overall, Kangaroo Valley is a great destination to add to your day trip itinerary, as you meander through this stunning part of New South Wales.