25 Things To Do In Wollongong & the Illawarra

There are plenty of fun things to do in Wollongong, so many in fact that we think the Illawarra region is possibly the most underrated coastal areas in New South Wales.

Wollongong is NSW’s third largest city and often not given the attention it deserves, but that’s exactly what makes it so great. Along with some glorious beaches, there are things to do in Wollongong to keep you entertained for a day, a week or longer.

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What is Wollongong Known For?

Affectionately known as “The Gong” to locals, Wollongong is famous for having the best of both worlds, where the dramatic green cliffs of the Illawarra Escarpment practically drop straight into gorgeous surf beaches. It used to be known mostly as an industrial steel town, but these days it has transformed into a relaxed coastal city bursting with great food, local breweries, and iconic lighthouses. It is also the home base for the world-famous Grand Pacific Drive and the spectacular Sea Cliff Bridge, making it the perfect starting point for a classic coastal road trip.

Where is the Illawarra?

The Illawarra is a stunning slice of the New South Wales coast that stretches from the southern edge of the Royal National Park down towards Kiama. If you are wondering where Wollongong is exactly, it sits right in the heart of the region, just 90 minutes south of Sydney.

The drive is very much part of the charm of this day out; if you choose to take the coast road through the Royal National Park, past Sublime Point and give the freeway a miss, you will want to stop repeatedly to take in the view.

Head out of the city via the Princes Highway and turn off at the Royal National Park and make your way south to the Grand Pacific Drive, one of the Southern Hemisphere’s best drives.

Follow the Grand Pacific Drive to the Sea Cliff Bridge – the coastline here is hard to beat, with surf beaches dotted all along the route.

If you have more than a day to explore, you could opt to pop into Symbio Wildlife Park to meet the koalas and kangaroos and meerkats, it’s one of Sydney’s best wildlife parks or visit the Hindu Temple before making your way to the coast and Bald Hill Lookout at Stanwell Park.

Wollongong is located on Dharawal Country, and the name comes from the Aboriginal word woolyungah, meaning five islands. However, it’s a notoriously tricky name to get right! Whether you spell it Wollongong, Woolongong, or Wolongong—or even get turned around looking for the ‘Illawara’ coast—this spectacular region is well worth learning how to pronounce.

Our favourite things to do in Wollongong this weekend

Close enough for a day trip and a great base for visitors wanting to explore the Illawarra Region, we think Wollongong has buckets of beauty and plenty to do when you want a break from the outdoors or the weather becomes uncooperative.

Wollongong quick picks

Not sure where to start? Here are our top picks by type.

• Free things to do: Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong street art, the Flagstaff Hill lighthouses walk, Wollongong Botanic Gardens, and Robertson’s Lookout.
• For families with kids: Jamberoo Action Park, Science Space, the Illawarra Light Railway Museum, and a splash at Towradgi Rock Pool.
• For couples: the Sea Cliff Bridge drive, an afternoon at the CBD breweries, and sunset at Boonerah Point on Lake Illawarra.
• Something a bit different: skydiving over the coast, the Illawarra Fly treetop walk, and snorkelling with the marine life at Bass Point.

Eat Fish n Chips at Wollongong Harbour

Every harbour visit deserves to be celebrated with some fish and chips. Diggies Cafe which is right on the beach at North Wollongong, is our go to when we are visiting but the local fish market, Harbourside Fish Market and Cafe, on Flinders Street just a couple of streets back from the beach is a good option for a picnic feast.

Visit the town’s 2 Lighthouses

There are two lighthouses in view of each other in Wollongong, The first, known as the Wollongong Breakwater or Wollongong Harbour Lighthouse, opened in 1871 and was heritage listed in 2002. It is no longer operational.

The second lighthouse on Wollongong Heads is known as Flagstaff Lighthouse. It’s claim to fame is being the first lighthouse in NSW to install fully automatic flashing lights.

These days, two lighthouses may seem like overkill. However, they both were important in the time before they introduced sophisticated ship navigation tools.

While you can’t go inside either of these lighthouses, there is a walking track with interesting information boards and the views from Flagstaff Hill are wonderful. It’s a brilliant spot for sunrise photography.

Where: Flagstaff Hill Wollongong
When: Anytime but lovely at sunrise and early morning

Nan Tien Temple

It surprises many people to find one of the largest Buddhist temples in the Southern Hemisphere sits in Berkeley in suburban Wollongong. Nan Tien is a Taiwanese Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order and is open to the public.

Built in 1995, the temple public dining hall offers affordable hearty vegetarian meals. There is also a tearoom with snacks and, of course, tea!

Note: No shorts, singlets or thongs. Please remove shoes and hats before entering the shrines.

Where:180 Berkeley Road Berkeley
When: 9am-5pm Tuesday to Sunday
Cost: Entry is free

Visit Jamberoo Action Park

A local favourite for many years, Jamberoo has done a pretty epic renovation during the lockdown and has a bunch of great new waterslides and rides to get the adrenaline up!

Kids of all ages will love the water slides at this adventure and water park.

There is also mini golf, a train ride and chair lift with great views over the area for non swimmers.

Where: 1215 Jamberoo Rd, Jamberoo
When: Sept-Summer – weekends and school holidays – Check dates here

Enjoy North Wollongong Beach

North Wollongong Beach is a real crowd pleaser with decent surf, great rock pools, and excellent facilities. You will find everything you need for a perfect day at the beach, from beach side bbqs to a good amount of parking, cafes serving excellent coffee and lifeguards year round.

Take the 1km walk along the waterfront path to Wollongong Harbour and check out the lighthouses.

Go On A Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk

At the Illawarra Fly you can choose between a gentle stroll above the treetops on their suspension bridges, or brave the flying fox, either way you will be treated to fantastic views.

Where: 182 Knights Hill Rd, Knights Hill (Just off Jamberoo Mountain Road, near the famous Robertson Pie Shop)
When: 10am–5pm Thursday to Sunday (Last entry at 4pm. Open daily during NSW school holidays)
Cost: Ticketed entry (Check online for current pricing and package deals)

Explore Towradgi Rock Pool

The Towradgi rock pool was renovated in 2020 and offers both a 50m main pool and a toddlers pool right with infinity style view to the north and south.

Grab some fish and chips and head down to the beach for a lunch time swim. Fishnets Takeaway on Pioneer Road East Corrimal is a local favourite.

Where: Lot 113 Towradgi Rd, Towradgi
When: 24 hours

Hike Illawarra Escarpment

There are some fantastic walks in Wollongong, hiking any of those overlooking the escarpment reward with epic views of the region’s beaches. This is no quick stroll, at 17km this is one for the committed among you.

Where: Stanwell Park Station
When: Daylight hours

Walk around Wollongong Botanic Gardens

A brand new wellness trail designed to get you to slow down and enjoy your surroundings is just one attraction in Wollongong Botanic Gardens. You can also learn more about local bush tucker at the Towri Bush Tucker Garden where you will find mostly plants native to the Illawarra and learn how they are used by indigenous people.

Kids will enjoy the all ability playground, insect hotels and duck pond complete with lily pads. Before you leave, check out the two outdoor libraries, Japanese bridge and pop into the Japanese tea house for refreshments.

Where: 40 Murphys Ave, Keiraville 
When: 7am-5pm seven days

Go Skydiving

Wollongong is a popular spot to sky dive – don’t worry you can jump tandem with an instructor so you don’t have to worry about how it all works and can just enjoy the ride.

With beaches as far as the eye can see, don’t forget to open your eyes once you stop screaming that is!

Where: Wollongong with Skydive Australia
When: Available seven days

Wollongong Art Gallery

Over the last year we have visited several regional galleries and are continually surprised with the richness on offer at these smaller collections.

Don’t miss the works depicting Wollongong in the early days from in Colonial and Early Art collection.

Science Space

Science Space is the only dedicated immersive science experience in NSW 90 interactive exhibits mainly targeted at kids and families.

There is also a planetarium – offers a range of experiences designed to engage kids aged 3 years and up.

Where: Innovation Campus, 60 Squires Way, North Wollongong
When: 10am-4pm six days – closed Wednesdays.

Hunt down the Wollongong Street Art

Thanks to a few large-scale street art festivals, Wollongong is home to a ton of fantastic murals painted by both international and Australian street artists

Where: Stroll the CBD or follow this map
When: Anytime

Brewery in Wollongong

With three breweries in the CBD, we recommend beer lovers take themselves on a bit of a brewery tour.

• Five Barrels – A dozen beers to choose from and on our visit they had chicken wings!
• Illawarra Brewing – Enjoy the burger truck and five beer styles to work your way through
• Dusty Lizard Brewing – Nine beers and one cider on tap and happy hour from 3-6pm Thursday & Friday

Discover Sydney Breweries here

Robertson’s lookout

This lookout at Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area sits on top of Mount Keira is the best way to get a bird’s-eye view. The path is wheelchair accessible and there are picnic tables if you want to BYO lunch.

Where: Robertson Lookout Mount Keira
When: 7am -7pm

Discover the beauty of Lake Illawarra

Lake Illawarra is a water lovers playground, there is no end to the fun you can have here. The lake covers 33 square kilometre. Rent a kayak, drop a fishing line, cycle the lake’s foreshore, or hunt down artworks on the Sculpture Trail.

There are plenty of places to access the lake. If you have children, the Kanahooka Playground is a top spot. Boonerah Point Park is another top spot with its wooden jetty that looks particularly lovely at sunset.

Where: Lakeside Drive Kanahooka
When: Anytime

Explore Bass Point and Bushrangers Bay

Home to six shipwrecks, the oldest dating back to 1879, Bass Point offers 72 hectares of pristine waters that attract an astounding amount of marine life. Among the creatures you can meet here are weedy sea dragons, stingrays, eastern blue devils, gropers, and even giant cuttlefish.

You can join guided diving and snorkelling tours if you are new to it. If you prefer to stay out of the water, you could join an eco cruise and explore the bay as well as Five Islands.

Where: Bass Point Tourist Rd, Shell Cove 
When: Daylight hours

Hike the Mount Keira Ring Track

The Mount Keira Ring Track is a 5.5km loop track that starts and ends at Byarong Park picnic area. There are quite a lot of stairs and rough sections, but it’s not difficult if you have average fitness and can manage some steep sections.

We have included more details in our article on walks in Wollongong.

Where: Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area
When: 7am-7pm daily

Visit the Bulli Village Market

With everything from organic vegies to fresh independent fashion designers this popular market returns this spring. There is live music and plenty of street food vendors. This is a great stop for market lovers. Find more Illawarra markets here

Where: The Showground, Grevillea Park Road, Bulli
When: 9am-2pm 2nd Sunday of every month

Illawarra Rhododendron Garden and Rainforest

With stunning Rhododendrons along with azaleas, camellias and daffodils, this is a lovely garden year round. Wander along the paths that lead you through nine hectares of rainforest and a large pond with waterlilies and ducks, a lovely spot to relax for a while.

The site is managed by volunteers and there is a $5 entry fee to help with costs of maintenance.

Where: Parrish Ave, Mount Pleasant 
When: 10am-5pm Tue, Sat and Sunday

Port Kembla Lookout Hill 60

Along with a great view, Hill 60 is a fabulous place to spot whales as they make their way north for the winter.

Alternatively, join a 2 hour whale watching cruise from Shellharbour.

Where: Military Rd, Port Kembla 
When: 7am-9pm

Check out Airshows Downunder Shellharbour

Australia’s largest annual regional airshow pulls enormous crowds to the area, and it has recently been rebranded from its old name, Wings Over the Illawarra.

It’s an incredible weekend packed with world-class aerobatics, historic warbirds, and fast jets pulling off show-stopping stunts against the backdrop of the escarpment. There are also classic car exhibits, plenty of family entertainment, and helicopter joy flights if you want to get up in the air yourself!

Where: Shellharbour Airport, Airport Rd, Albion Park Rail NSW
When: Held annually in May (Check their website for exact weekend dates and ticket releases)

Illawarra Light Railway Museum

This volunteers run heritage rail museum is a fun day out for families. Check their website to see what is on before visiting. They have regular family days when you can enjoy both diesel & miniature train rides.

Where: 48A Tongarra Rd, Albion Park Rail
When: Usually 10am-2pm on Sundays (extra days in the school holidays) Check the website for dates

The Australian Motorlife Museum

If there is a motoring enthusiast in the family, then they have likely heard of this fabulous collection of motor memorabilia. The collection includes the trophies and motorcycles of Wayne Gardner and the NRMA Heritage display.

There is also an extensive research library, so if you have been tinkering away trying to fix a vintage car they just might have the manual you need!

Where: Integral Energy Recreation Park, 94 Darkes Road, Kembla Grange
When: 9.30am 4.30pm daily, Closed over Christmas and New Year
Cost: Adult: $20 Seniors: $15 Child: 6-16 yrs: $5.00

Visit one of the Illawarra Dams

There are four dams within a short drive of Wollongong, Cataract, Avon, Nepean and Cordeaux Dams. All were built in the early 1900s with Cataract being the first and at one time the 4th largest in the world!

Each provides well set up picnic areas and all the dams offer beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. While Cataract Dam is graced with castle style dam gates, both Avon and Cordeaux have Egyptian inspired architecture that were inspired by the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb during the period they were built.

Where: Cataract Dam is off Appin Road, Cordeaux dam is off Picton Road.
When: 10am to 5pm daily

Want more

• Head a little further south and check out the Kiama, it’s Blowholes and Minnamurra Rainforest centre with its pretty waterfalls.
• Check out a list of walks in Wollongong and the Illawarra.
• Plan a visit to the Southern Highlands on the way home

Main image credit: Destination NSW

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