Kiama BlowholeCredit: Destination NSW
Couple watching the water plume from the Kiama blowhole.
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
Marvel at the power of the ocean as it sprays up through the rocks in Kiama, less than two hours’ drive south of Sydney. Don’t plan on moving on too fast though, as there is plenty more to love about this laid-back coastal town beyond its famous blowhole. Here’s why you’ll be inspired to stay longer.
Uncover an energising coastal playground
Seek out the Kiama Blowhole’s lesser-known cousin, the Little Blowhole Kiama, just a 10-minute drive to the south. It might not be as big, but this impressive natural water cannon tends to be more consistent.
Pull on your walking boots and welcome the refreshing sea breeze as your constant companion on the Kiama Coast Walk, a 20km hike from the mouth of the Minnamurra River, south through Kiama to Werri Beach in the neighbouring town of Gerringong. Feel the ultimate sense of accomplishment by hiking the entire trail, taking in gentle hills, dramatic rock formations and panoramic ocean views, or get a taste on a shorter adventure — the route is conveniently divided into three sections.
Reward yourself with some quality beach time at Kiama’s Surf Beach, or get a buzz leaning how to surf with former big-wave surfer Rusty Moran at Gerringong Surf School. Or head to Gerroa, a few minutes down the road, where Surf Camp Australia offers lessons and multi-day camps.
Enjoy thrills and spills inland
Feel at one with the lush rainforest as you navigate gently swaying walkways 50m above the ground on the Treetop Walk at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventure, a 30-minute drive inland from Kiama. Or for a change of pace, feel the rush of adrenaline as you fly through the air on a zipline tour that whisks you from one treetop platform to another, 35m above the forest floor. You’ll also learn about the stunning rainforest from your guide along the way.
Get wet and wild at the family-run Jamberoo Action Park, just outside the pretty village of Jamberoo, a 10-minute drive west of Kiama. Exciting water slides include the Perfect Storm, a vortex ride that sucks you and three friends into a giant twister to experience zero gravity.
Prepare to give your walking shoes another workout in the lush Budderoo National Park. Get your bearings at the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, a 10-minute drive west of Jamberoo, then immerse in the beauty of the rainforest as you cross a suspension bridge and take an elevated walkway on the easy and shady 1.6km Rainforest Loop Walk. If you want to go further, continue on to the Falls Walk, which leads you to viewing platforms at the lower and upper Minnamurra Falls. Catch your breath as you soak up this serene slice of the South Coast.
When you can’t decide how to spend your day, leave your itinerary in the capable hands of South Coast Experiences, which can arrange bespoke adventures such as romantic beach picnics, art and floral art workshops, fishing charters, wellness workshops, pottery classes, yoga classes and more.
Surf Camp Australia, Gerroa Credit: Destination NSW
Surf Camp Australia is Australia's original provider of overnight learn to surf camps and operating since 1999.The Surf Camp is located a short walk from Australia's best learn to surf beach, two hours from Sydney at Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa, New South Wales.
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
Surf Camp Australia, Gerroa Credit: Destination NSW
Surf Camp Australia is Australia's original provider of overnight learn to surf camps and operating since 1999.The Surf Camp is located a short walk from Australia's best learn to surf beach, two hours from Sydney at Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa, New South Wales.
Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, Knights Hill Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the scenic views from Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, Knights Hill.
#newsouthwales #feelnsw
Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, Knights Hill Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the scenic views from Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, Knights Hill.
Delight in seaside dining
Drink in the sweeping coastal views at the Diggies Kiama café in Kiama, along with an energising coffee or a refreshing cocktail in this buzzy, light-filled venue just steps from the town’s famous blowhole. Enjoy more serene sea views from your table as you savour the freshness of the produce served at Silica opposite Surf Beach, much of which is grown on a community farm. Or order takeaway favourites from the restaurant’s to-go menu to enjoy alfresco with the sand between your toes.
Savour the moreish Middle Eastern offerings at Miss Arda, a casual dining destination where dishes like the sumac-crusted calamari and prawn-and-chorizo dumplings are perfect for sharing with friends. Pair your meal with zesty cocktails, topped off with a decadent serving of kanafeh, a sweet, spun pastry dessert. And relish the simple pleasure of sinking your teeth into a hand-crafted burger at The Hungry Monkey, a casual local dining institution which has expanded to the nearby towns of Berry, Bowral and Thirroul.
Trace local produce to the source at Buena Vista Farm, outside of Gerringong, and learn all about the small-scale, sustainable farming systems that are used to produce eggs, dairy, coffee, goat’s milk and more. Or roll up your sleeves and learn a new skill on your trip during a workshop on cheesemaking, sourdough baking, fermenting and more.
Sip the Shoalhaven Coast
Embrace Kiama’s location at the northern gateway to the thriving Shoalhaven Coast wine region, with several vineyards and cellar doors within easy reach. Take your first sip at Crooked River Wines in Gerringong, a 10-minute drive south of Kiama. Soak up the outstanding views as well as award-winning wines grown in the rich volcanic soil of the area at its cellar door. Make a day of it and enjoy a sumptuous lunch at its restaurant overlooking the vineyard, and perhaps also a night of it too, with a stay at the elegant Willowvale Estate House.
Enjoy award-winning local semillon at Coolangatta Estate, a 30-minute drive south of Kiama, where you can savour wine tasting experiences with grazing boards, and a restaurant. You can also stay at the historic estate in convict-built (and lovingly restored) buildings, including the old dairy and blacksmith’s shop, all just a stroll from the cellar door.
Gaze out over the Pacific Ocean as you sip creative cocktails, craft beer and local wine from your elevated perch at The Hill Bar & Kitchen in Gerringong, which offers a daily happy hour from 3pm to 5pm. Stay on for a casual dinner, or move on to sister venue Gather by the Hill for an Asian-inspired feast.
Sleep in comfort and style
Uncover a new way to connect with Kiama at Cicada Luxury Camping, tucked up in the lush hills behind the town. Opened in 2022, this stylish glamping stay offers the choice of cosying up in a wheelchair-accessible bell tent, with a personal fire pit and a shared bathroom and kitchen in easy reach. Or treat yourself to a stay in a more spacious safari tent, which also comes with a fire pit as well as an ensuite bathroom, kitchenette and an inviting outdoor bathtub. Slide in and soak away your worries as you take in the sweeping valley views.
Delight in the easy access to Surf Beach from central boutique hotel Nova Kiama. Choose from a range of room configurations from queen and family rooms to executive suites with kitchens. Take a refreshing dip in the swimming pool, work up a sweat in the gym, and enjoy the convenience of purchasing coffee and snacks from a converted VW Kombi parked in the lobby.
Treat yourself to a luxurious sojourn at Dovecote, a stunning self-catering retreat rising above the lush green paddock of an oceanfront property between Kiama and Gerringong. Admire the bold, architectural angles of the main house, The Headland, with four bedrooms, an indoor wood-burning fireplace, enclosed courtyard with fire pit, swimming pool, gym and private beach access. Or get a little cosier in The Range, the equally photogenic two-bedroom stay also located on the property.
Bring your favourite people together at Soul of Gerringong, a pair of bespoke guesthouses thoughtfully designed by builder and interior design duo Ben and Simone Mathews. Choose from the Soul Farmhouse (sleeping up to 16 guests in a farmhouse, barn and cabana) and the Soul Cottage (sleeping up to seven). Both offer light-filled, open-plan, white-timbered luxury, and the option of in-house services including grazing tables, a pop-up bar, spa treatments, a personal trainer and an outdoor cinema.
Dovecote, Gerringong Credit: @dovecote @alexsprichard
Dining room at The Headland, Dovecote.
#feelnsw
Dovecote, Gerringong Credit: @dovecote @alexsprichard
Dining room at The Headland, Dovecote.
Buena Vista Farm, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Women enjoying a day learning about sustainable agriculture at Buena Vista Farm , Gerringong.
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
Buena Vista Farm, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Women enjoying a day learning about sustainable agriculture at Buena Vista Farm , Gerringong.
More Inspirational Stories
Look At Me Now Headland, Emerald BeachCredit: Destination NSW
See wildlife in a whole new way in New South Wales.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
NSW’s animals are as welcoming as its locals. From kangaroos to snoozing koalas — and everything furry or finned in between — Australia’s wild animals are as unforgettable as the land they call home. Here’s where to find these incredible creatures in their natural habitat across New South Wales.
See kangaroos by the sea
Thrill to the sight of kangaroos, one of Australia’s most iconic native animals, in the wild all across Country NSW. Keep an eye out for eastern grey kangaroos at beautiful Diamond Head Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park on the Barrington Coast, a 3.5-hour drive north of Sydney. Let the unforgettable sight of a mob of ’roos backdropped by the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean put a spring in your step as you stroll along the 1.6km loop trail at the Look At Me Now Headland in the Moonee Beach Nature Reserve, at Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast. And refresh with a dip in the ocean as curious eastern greys look on from grassy clearings at Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach in Murramarang National Park, a four-hour drive from Sydney on the spectacular NSW South Coast.
Gaze up at koalas
Discover the eucalypt forests around eastern NSW and you may well spot a koala snoozing among the gum-trees. Marvel at these tree-dwelling marsupials from viewing platforms in the stunning bushland at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, less than an hour’s drive from Newcastle, or three hours north of Sydney. Then settle into your four-star glamping tent, studio room or deluxe suite at the sanctuary for a night among these iconic creatures. Head to Guula Ngurra National Park, an easy two-hour drive south of Sydney in the Southern Highlands, to hike through some of the 3,358 hectares of protected koala habitat in the recently created park (Guula Ngurra means “Koala Country” in the local Gundungurra Aboriginal language). Or hone your spotting skills at Narrandera Koala Reserve, around an hour’s drive from the regional town of Griffith in the Riverina region in the state’s southwest, where more than 200 koalas live among river red gums.
Dive in with wild dolphins
Come fin to fin with wild dolphins with Dolphin Swim Australia in Port Stephens, just an hour’s drive north of Newcastle or three hours from Sydney. Feel a surge of adrenaline as a catamaran tows you through the ocean among these playful creatures. Prefer to stay dry? See Port Stephens’s resident pod of bottlenose dolphins, many of them so friendly that the locals know them by name, on an outing with Imagine Cruises. Or head south for close encounters with dolphins in sheltered Jervis Bay, on the NSW South Coast, with Dolphin Watch Cruises Jervis Bay and Jervis Bay Wild.
Shoal Bay, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Dolphins swimming in Shoal Bay, Port Stephens.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Shoal Bay, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Dolphins swimming in Shoal Bay, Port Stephens.
Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.
#ilovesydney
Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.
Let whales stir your spirit
Marvel at the majesty of humpback whales as they travel along the New South Wales coastline from May to November each year. Embrace the sublime as you witness some of the 40,000 humpback and southern right whales that make their way along on the ‘Humpback Highway’ from Antarctica to the warm waters of their breeding grounds in the north. Clamber aboard a boat for an unforgettable day of whale watching in Sydney, join a cruise from seaside towns or find the perfect vantage point on land to see these magnificent creatures leap from the water all along the NSW coastline.
Meet a Tasmanian devil
Get up close with free-roaming Tasmanian devils without leaving mainland Australia at Aussie Ark’s wildlife sanctuary in the rugged Barrington Tops, a five-hour drive northeast of Sydney. Feel yourself moved by the stories you’ll hear on Aussie Ark’s 2.5-hour guided Devils in the Wild tour — the team behind this conservation initiative is breeding a wild population of the endangered carnivores to ensure their survival. And be astonished as you see Tasmanian devils thriving in the wild and, if you visit in breeding season, dote on super-cute devil joeys exploring their surroundings.
Play with seals
Come alive with a sense of joy at Montague Island Nature Reserve, a revered wildlife destination that’s home to little penguins, a huge colony of Australian fur seals and 90 types of birds just 9km off the town of Narooma, in the South Coast’s Eurobodalla region. Be delighted by their playfulness as you discover why friendly fur seals are called the puppies of the sea on a seal snorkel with Narooma Charters. Or delight to the sight of penguins waddling back to their nests after a day of fishing on a sunset tour with Montague Island Discovery Tours.
Montague Island Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
Be immersed in wildlife experiences off Montague Island.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Montague Island Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
Be immersed in wildlife experiences off Montague Island.
Be captivated by a platypus
Be rewarded for your patience when you spot a platypus in the wild: while platypus inhabit a number of regions in NSW, these shy little icons can be very tricky to find. Increase your chances by visiting Bombala, about an hour’s drive from Cooma in the Snowy Mountains — it’s known as ‘Platypus Country’ because a large number of these mysterious monotremes (egg-laying mammals) live there. Practise mindfulness at the Bombala Platypus Reserve, 4.5km outside of town, where a viewing platform over the river makes spotting them easier. Or try a guided Platypus Walk with Vision Walks Eco-Tours near Byron Bay, on the far North Coast.
Bliss out with turtles
Discover the underwater wonderlands of the North Coast at Cook Island, less than 1km offshore from Fingal Head, just south of Tweed Heads on the far North Coast of New South Wales, to encounter astonishing numbers of green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles. Deepen your respect for the incredible beauty of the underwater world on a memorable snorkelling tour with local operators such as Watersports Guru or Cooly Eco Adventures.
Take off to an island of seabirds
Look at the skies with awe as hundreds of thousands of seabirds wheel above you on Lord Howe Island, 700km northeast of Sydney in the Pacific Ocean. Fill your diary with sightings of the 130-odd permanent and migratory bird species found on the country’s premier bird-watching destination. Come in winter to see providence petrels circle in spectacular courtship rituals during their breeding season, while shearwaters return in awe-inspiring flocks at dusk each day from spring to late autumn (September to May).