Wollongong by train: Nan Tien Temple, two lighthouses and the Blue Mile

1. Nan Tien Temple~1 h 15 min at the stop

A huge Buddhist temple complex on a hill above the motorway: the main shrine with thousands of small Buddha figures, gardens, lotus ponds and views across the Illawarra. Wander, watch a ceremony or light incense.

Worth knowing: Nan Tien is billed as the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere and is State Heritage listed.

Tip: Open Tue–Sun and public holidays 9am–5pm, closed Monday; free entry, last admission 4:30pm. Cover shoulders and knees, no thongs; remove shoes and hats before entering shrines. No meat or fish on the grounds.

↓ walk · 3 min · 0.2 km

2. Dew Drop Inn Tea House~30 min at the stop

The temple's vegetarian tea house: Chinese teas (lotus, cumquat), coffee and light dishes such as steamed dumplings, spring rolls and siu mai. A calm pause after the shrines.

Tip: Tue–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat, Sun and public holidays 9:30am–4:30pm. Cards accepted. Chinese tea sets and chopsticks on sale if you want a souvenir.

↓ train · 40 min · 6 km

3. Crown Street Mall & Friday Produce Market~40 min at the stop

Wollongong's pedestrian main street with shops and cafés. On Fridays it hosts a produce market with fruit, baked goods, cheese and local food, handy for a beach picnic.

Tip: Produce Market Fridays 8am–3pm, free entry; on Thursdays 5–9pm the same mall hosts the Eat Street night market. Travel time includes the walk to Unanderra station and the train to Wollongong.

↓ walk · 5 min · 0.4 km

4. Wollongong Art Gallery~40 min at the stop

The city's art gallery with changing exhibitions of contemporary Australian art and a permanent collection. Compact enough for 30–40 minutes, and free.

Tip: Tue–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun noon–4pm, closed Mondays and public holidays; free. The free Gong Shuttle stop Burelli Street Arts Precinct is 200 m away.

↓ walk · 16 min · 1.3 km

5. Levendi Fish & Chippery, Wollongong Harbour~50 min at the stop

A family-run kiosk right on Belmore Basin, trading since 2006. Order the classic fish and chips and eat on a bench by the water, watching the fishing boats and pelicans.

Tip: Open 364 days a year (closed 25 December): 7am–5pm in winter and 7am–7pm in summer, may close early in bad weather. The gulls are bold, so keep an eye on your chips.

↓ walk · 5 min · 0.35 km

6. Breakwater Lighthouse & Flagstaff Hill~40 min at the stop

The little white lighthouse on the harbour breakwater and, behind it, the working lighthouse on Flagstaff Point. Climb the grassy hill for views north along the coast and back to the city under Mount Keira.

Worth knowing: The breakwater lighthouse is a prefabricated structure commissioned in 1872. It was replaced by the larger headland light in the 1930s and is now lit only on special occasions.

Tip: The lighthouses are not open inside; walking around them is free. The point is windy, so stay back from the cliff edges.

↓ walk · 18 min · 1.4 km

7. Blue Mile, Continental Pool & North Wollongong Beach~1 h at the stop

From the lighthouses follow the Blue Mile foreshore path past the Continental Pool to North Beach. Swim, or just sit on the sand by the old bathers' pavilion.

Tip: North Wollongong Beach is patrolled all year: swim only between the red and yellow flags; in October the water is still cool. The Continental Pool is also open year-round with shorter hours in the cooler months. Lifeguards may close the beach for dangerous surf or lightning.

↓ walk · 8 min · 0.6 km

8. Stuart Park Playground~45 min at the stop

One of the region's most popular playgrounds: the 8.6 m Sky Tower with three giant tube slides, two flying foxes, swings and a cubby house, plus the All Ages All Abilities play space.

Tip: Free and open all day, entry from George Hanley Drive. North Wollongong station, for trains back to Sydney, is about a 10-minute walk.