Top 15 Must-Do Activities in Wollongong, Australia

An hour south of Sydney, Wollongong is a coastal city rich in beaches, stunning natural landscapes, and opportunities for outings. The city’s location on a natural coastal plain is framed by the sandstone Illawara Escarpment, rising to several hundred meters just inland.

Several attractions on this list take full advantage of the expansive views from the escarpment, while the Grand Pacific Drive winds along the coastline and can leave visitors in awe.

In the summer, there are 17 surf beaches accessible in Wollongong, all featuring free parking along the foreshore. For those who find the Pacific waves overwhelming, the city offers a selection of saltwater pools along the seafront.

To diversify your experience, options include visiting museums, zoos, and an exceptional water park, or taking refuge in a Buddhist temple complex or a vibrant botanic garden.

1. Grand Pacific Drive

Wollongong is situated on a 140-kilometer coastal route, beginning in Sydney’s CBD and culminating in the picturesque Shoalhaven. This route traverses the Royal National Park (the world’s second-oldest national park) alongside cliffs, cinematic beaches, stretches of coastal rainforest, and numerous stops to exit the vehicle and admire the views.

One particularly breathtaking segment is the Sea Cliff Bridge (built in 2005), which spans nearly half a kilometer and contours along the sandstone cliff face. Visitors can walk or cycle on the parallel paths, and there are viewpoints along the cliff tops for capturing this remarkable manmade structure against its Pacific backdrop.

2. Wollongong Botanic Garden

Perched in the highest part of Wollongong, on the charming grounds of Gleniffer Brae Manor House, lies the city’s renowned botanic garden. This garden is situated along a creek that nourishes a small lake and features significant collections of both native and exotic plant species.

Among its features are a palm garden, rose garden, rainforest collection, dryland garden, succulent collection, and a garden dedicated to flowering trees and shrubs. The palm garden alone boasts over 800 rare and endangered species, while the rose garden showcases diverse varieties and cultivars, from Hybrid Tea to Floribunda.

The Towri Bush Tucker Garden provides insight into various plant species utilized in Aboriginal culture for sustenance, shelter, and medicinal purposes. Entry to the Wollongong Botanic Garden is free, and it includes a large children’s playground, along with an array of activities and events for the community and visitors, encompassing guided walks and cinema screenings.

3. Wollongong Harbour and Lighthouses

Among the most picturesque views along the coast is Wollongong Harbour, which was initially dredged and carved out for coal shipping from local mines in the 1840s. Now heritage-listed, the harbour serves as a departure point for fishing charters, blending natural beauty with manmade structures.

At the eastern end of the harbour’s entrance is the Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse, constructed in 1872 when coal shipping was booming, and decommissioned in 1974. Situated atop Flagstaff Hill to the south is the operational Wollongong Head Lighthouse (established in 1936), characterized by fluted walls and a range of 19 nautical miles.

In the 1880s, a concealed gun emplacement was established on the hill to safeguard the harbour. The three guns visible today are original 68-pounders, manufactured in 1861.

4. Nan Tien Temple

Located in Berkeley, a southern suburb of Wollongong, is the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. Nan Tien Temple is designed to resemble a traditional Chinese palace with flying eaves and was constructed using contemporary techniques in the early 1990s.

The complex is set within landscaped gardens on a tranquil hillside and includes two extensive prayer halls featuring Tibetan-style architecture, several meeting rooms, a museum, accommodation, and a restaurant. Serene Japanese-style gardens grace the courtyards.

Visitors can marvel at the architecture, enjoy the peaceful surroundings, and explore exhibitions. The temple also offers a variety of retreats and classes, encompassing mindful doodling, meditation, Buddhism, and Tai Chi.

5. Jamberoo Action Park

This water park, situated in Jamberoo, a short drive south of Wollongong, offers a multitude of attractions. Its setting takes advantage of the steep topography, utilizing the slopes for its range of gravity-fed rides.

The primary attractions at Jamberoo Action Park are numerous, but a striking feature is the colossal cone of Perfect Storm. This ride boasts exceptional production values for a water slide, immersing you in a giant vortex that’s enveloped in darkness, accented by special effects such as lightning flashes and thunder sounds.

Funnel Web, recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records for housing the largest spider sculpture, allows you to reach speeds of up to 30 km/h while on a four-person raft. There are also numerous activities for younger children at sites like Banjo’s Billabong, which features four stories of slides, climbing elements, water cannons, cranks, and valves.

6. Symbio Wildlife Park

Located atop the Illawarra Escarpment near Stanwell Park Beach, Symbio Wildlife Park is a family-operated zoo encompassing 16 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. This venue allows visitors to engage closely with typical Australian wildlife, including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and dingoes, as well as a variety of exotic species, such as red pandas, ring-tailed lemurs, meerkats, and even cheetahs.

A range of safe and humane interaction experiences are available, including purchasing animal feed for farm animals, feeding kangaroos and wallabies, or cuddling koalas. Additionally, there is a day-long schedule of presentations featuring meerkats, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, cheetahs, and, naturally, koalas.

7. Science Space

Serving as the principal science education center for New South Wales, this museum is part of a new generation where children can learn through involvement. It features over 100 unique and captivating exhibits covering topics from light and electricity to dinosaurs and nanotechnology.

A highlight of any visit is a presentation at “NSW’s best planetarium,” which boasts a cutting-edge 4K projection system capable of taking visitors on an expedition through the universe or diving into unseen ocean depths. Moreover, the Illawarra Coal Science Theatre provides engaging and occasionally explosive live science demonstrations.

8. North Wollongong Beach

Located next to Wollongong Harbour, this beach remains a favorite spot for swimming and surfing in the Pacific. Notably, this is the only beach patrolled by lifeguards year-round, and it offers various amenities for families.

Facilities include rock pools, picnic areas, cafes, and ample grassy spaces, with a playground conveniently located a short walk away in Stuart Park. Consistent with Wollongong’s standards, all amenities are well-maintained, and a multi-use track runs parallel to the beach.

To the south of the beach, the Continental Pool offers a saltwater swimming experience without the concern of ocean currents. This is part of a series of outdoor saltwater pools along the Wollongong coastline.

9. Port Kembla Beach

Approximately ten kilometers south of Wollongong lies Port Kembla Beach, a location distinguished even within Wollongong’s exceptional offerings. This beach is bordered by low cliffs adorned with vegetation, and at its southern edge, visitors can discover rock pools that appear during low tide.

Port Kembla Beach holds historical significance, having been a popular destination for surfers since the early 20th century. The local surf club was established in 1910, based at the prominent fore dune at the north end of the beach. Additionally, an Olympic-sized saltwater pool is located alongside the northern rocks, with fresh water pumped in daily.

By following the coastline to the headland, you will reach Breakwater Battery, constructed in 1939 to protect Port Kembla from submarine threats.

10. Minnamurra Rainforest Centre

Travel to the eastern edge of Budderoo National Park along Tourist Drive 9, where you will encounter a rare remnant of the primeval rainforest that once covered much of the Illawarra region. A newly updated visitor center, reopened in 2020, is nestled within a sandstone canyon, providing an opportunity to observe the diverse species thriving in this ecosystem.

This can be experienced via a 1.6-kilometer loop that meanders through the canyon along suspension bridges and elevated boardwalks. The walk typically takes about an hour, allowing for stops to appreciate the waterfalls, lush vegetation, and observe wildlife, including Australian water dragons, king parrots, swamp wallabies, and lyrebirds.

11. Wattamolla Beach

A hidden gem along the coast within the Royal National Park, Wattamolla Beach merits every minute of your travel time. Situated a few hundred meters inland between Martin Head and Providential Point, this cove features a golden sandy beach and a lagoon nourished by a waterfall.

The sandy expanse extends along a bar, providing plenty of space for visitors. Safe swimming is available in the lagoon’s tranquil waters, with ample shaded areas provided by cabbage tree palms for relaxation. The waterfall is seasonal, attracting visitors who hike up to enjoy the view overlooking the lagoon, beach, and the ocean beyond.

12. Scenic Lookouts

The Illawarra Escarpment, always visible on the western horizon, offers spectacular views down the slope, revealing Wollongong’s communities, the Pacific coastline, and the verdant forest in between. The escarpment features a series of lookouts cascading towards the coast: Starting in the north, just past the Sea Cliff Bridge, one can visit Bald Hill at Stanwell Tops and the Southern Gateway Centre Lookout, along with Sublime Point Lookout, both located at Bulli Tops.

Mount Keira, towering over Wollongong’s CBD at over 460 meters, is accessible via a 5.5-kilometer loop trail. Finally, Mount Kembla looms over the historic mining village of the same name, offering stunning panoramas of the coastline and Lake Illawarra.

13. Wollongong to Thirroul Bike Track

Beginning at Belmore Basin, close to Flagstaff Hill and its historical lighthouse, cyclists can embark on a scenic 15-kilometer ride north toward Thirroul along a designated track. This pathway runs parallel to the coastline, which undulates through a series of sandy bays, including Wollongong North Beach, Brighton Beach, Bulli Beach, and Sandon Point Beach.

Since the route is paved, it accommodates not only cyclists but also roller-skaters and skateboarders, making it family-friendly with minimal road crossings. Visitors can take their time enjoying the coastline while relishing continuous views of the imposing Illawarra Escarpment to the west. Numerous cafes and restaurants line the route, providing opportunities to take breaks for picnics, feeling the sand between your toes, or swimming in a saltwater pool.

14. Australian Motorlife Museum

Housing the second-largest motoring collection in Australia, this museum is located in the Illawarra tourism region, showcasing the evolution of consumer technology between 1880 and 1950. In addition to rare motorcars, the collection includes motorcycles, petrol pumps, radios, gramophones, typewriters, tools, telephones, lawnmowers, and much more.

Notable vehicles within the museum attract significant attention, including a 1904 Australian-built Innes and one of only two surviving motorcycles from Brisbane manufacturer David Spencer, dating back to 1906. The extensive collection of vintage items has made it possible for the museum to loan numerous artifacts for the production of Baz Luhrmann’s film The Great Gatsby (2013).

15. Illawarra Light Railway Museum

This museum operates a narrow-gauge and miniature railway while preserving the industrial history of Illawarra, along with the broader light railway heritage. Families with children fascinated by trains will find this an ideal excursion. The museum’s grounds feature railway artifacts from the region, such as a signal box, the entire Yallah station building, a fettlers’ shed, and a workshop for carriage restoration.

The museum maintains a substantial collection of steam and diesel locomotives, various passenger cars, and other rolling stock. Additionally, a diverse range of stationary engines, boilers, generators, compressors, pumps, and winches can be observed. The museum is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while operating days occur every second Sunday of the month.