Best of Wollongong
Grand Pacific Drive: The Coastal Road from Wollongong to the Royal National Park
The Grand Pacific Drive is the scenic coastal road connecting Sydney's Royal National Park to Wollongong, and it ranks among the most celebrated short drives in New South Wales. The route passes through the Sea Cliff Bridge, a cantilevered bridge that curves around a coastal headland south of Coalcliff, offering an unobstructed view over the Tasman Sea. Further south, the historic towns of Stanwell Park, Thirroul and Austinmer have beaches, cafes and pubs popular with day-trippers from both Sydney and Wollongong. The drive is approximately 140 kilometres if started from Sydney, or around 50 kilometres from Wollongong city to the northern entry at Helensburgh. It is a popular motorcycle route and particularly rewarding in clear weather.
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Sea Cliff Bridge
The iconic cantilevered bridge linking Coalcliff and Clifton along the Sea Cliff Drive, the most photographed road feature on the NSW South Coast.
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Bald Hill Lookout, Sublime Point
A spectacular lookout above the Sea Cliff Bridge at Stanwell Tops, with one of Australia's most dramatic ocean views and a popular hang-gliding launch site.
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Stanwell Park Beach
A sheltered south-facing beach below the Bald Hill lookout, popular with swimmers, surfers and hang-glider spectators on weekends.
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Coalcliff Heritage Walk
A short village walk through the old coal-mining town of Coalcliff, with heritage mine infrastructure and the start of the Bald Hill coastal track.
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Austinmer Beach
A quiet, picturesque beach with ocean pools and a small village of cafes, 15 minutes north of Wollongong, a recommended stop on the Grand Pacific Drive.
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