Personal tools
You are here: Home → Regions → Australia → NSW Regions → Illawarra

REGION: Illawarra

continental-pool-wollongong-illawarra.jpg

The Illawarra the name is an adaptation of an Aboriginal word meaning between the high place and the sea, has Wollongong as its centre and is flanked by the Tasman Sea shores and the Illawarra Escarpment. The area is ideal for watersports and outdoor activities such as surfing at North Beach, hang gliding at Stanwell Park, fishing at Lake Illawarra and swimming at any one of the seventeen patrolled surf beaches.

The spectacular shoreline is interrupted by rocky headlands, which provide panoramic views and sheltered beaches. There are also attractions away from the water, including Minnamurra Falls and the nearby Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, located in Budderoo NP, which has won many tourist awards and is definitely worthwhile visiting. The Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere, attracts visitors from around the world.

The unspoilt bushland and rural scenery of Kangaroo Valley is breathtakingly beautiful. Some of the very best waterfalls in Australia are found in the national parks and reserves of the Illawarra, such as the 80m-high Fitzroy Falls.

Most popular photos

Tourist info

Tourism Wollongong Visitors Centre

  • Ph: (02) 4227 5545 or 1800 240 737
 

Parks/Reserves

latest stories

Holiday Ideas Around Kiama & Shell Harbour, South Coast NSW

Werri Beach, Nr Kiama. Image: Tourism NSW and Mike Newling admin | 2009-02-01 | Only a few hours drive south from Sydney, visitors staying in accommodation on the South Coast of NSW can find a charming strip of pristine coastline offering the sandy coves around Kiama to the surfing beaches of Shoalhaven. | read more

 

latest business reviews

No business reviews added as yet.

Most popular photos

Main Attractions

Best Kept Secret

  • Wollongong Harbour is a major fishing port offering charters for game and offshore fishing as well as seasonal whale-watching.

Walks and Hikes

  • Walk the Sea Cliff Bridge, a dramatic start to the Grand Pacific Drive. Admire the panoramic view from Bald Hill Lookout at Stanwell Tops or Walk around Mt Keira on a 5.5-km trail that passes through rainforest and eucalypt forest.

Sports and Activities

  • Have a dip in an ocean pool at Austinmer or ride a bike along one of the Illawarra’s purpose-built tracks.

Local Produce

  • Enjoy a locally brewed beer at Five Islands Brewery in Wollongong.

Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong

  • The largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere.

Museums

  • The Illawarra Light Railway Museum at Albion Park.

editors picks

Holiday Ideas Around Kiama & Shell Harbour, South Coast NSW

Werri Beach, Nr Kiama. Image: Tourism NSW and Mike Newling admin | 2009-02-01 | Only a few hours drive south from Sydney, visitors staying in accommodation on the South Coast of NSW can find a charming strip of pristine coastline offering the sandy coves around Kiama to the surfing beaches of Shoalhaven. | read more

 

 
Powered by Plone CMS, the Open Source Content Management System

This site conforms to the following standards: