- Duration
- 1 day, ~240 km by car (≈ 6 h 52 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- With kids
- Transport
- drive, walk
- Start
- Symbio Wildlife Park
- Finish
- Kiama Harbour: swim and playground
- Pace
- moderate pace
- Best time
- year-round; leave before 9 am
- Budget per adult
- A$49 adult / A$32 child aged 3 to 15 (Symbio, online)Prices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
This is a drive down the Grand Pacific Drive. A train reaches Wollongong, and the parks and Kiama are easier by car.
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
1. Symbio Wildlife Park~2 h 30 min at the stop
A family-scale wildlife park near Helensburgh: koalas, hand-feedable kangaroos and meerkats. Compact enough to cover in two hours without meltdowns.
Worth knowing: Symbio grew from a small private menagerie into a koala and kangaroo park on the Illawarra escarpment, about an hour south of the CBD.
Tip: Open daily 9:30am to 5pm. Online adult tickets are A$49 instead of A$52 at the gate, child (3–15) A$32 instead of A$35, under-3s free. Hand-feeding the kangaroos is included in entry.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 8 min · 5 km
2. Bald Hill Lookout (hang-gliders)~20 min at the stop
The clifftop above Stanwell Park where hang-gliders and paragliders launch. A show for the kids, and an endless coastal panorama for the adults.
Tip: The lookout is the launch ramp. Stay behind the fence. A still day means no hang-gliders.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 10 min · 5 km
3. Sea Cliff Bridge: 665 m over the ocean~30 min at the stop
A curving bridge cantilevered over the water along the cliff. A footpath runs its length. Park and walk it rather than just driving across.
Tip: The northern car park fills first. There are bays at the southern end too.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 50 min · 58 km
4. Kiama Blowhole (plumes to 30 m)~40 min at the stop
A hole in the basalt headland through which the ocean fires spray up to 30 metres. The 1887 lighthouse and viewing paths sit alongside.
Tip: The blowhole is strongest in a south-easterly swell and can stay quiet on a calm day. The opening is only 2.5 m wide, and there are fenced viewing platforms at several levels. Toilets at the blowhole are always open.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 14 min · 1.1 km
5. Kiama Harbour: swim and playground~1 h 30 min at the stop
A sheltered harbour with a playground, grassy lawns and calm-water swimming: a calm wind-down before the drive home.
Tip: The blowhole wants a real swell, and only from behind the fence. The harbour next to the playground is the calm swim. Lunch is at Penny Whistlers, 5/31 Shoalhaven Street: Sunday to Wednesday 7:00 to 16:00, Thursday to Saturday from 7:00 through a late dinner.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.