Near the southern end of the national park, you can choose to continue your Sydney sightseeing out of the city, and into the Illawarra region, on the Princes Highway or the Southern Freeway.
The region takes its name from the Illawarra Escarpment which runs south from Sydney and marks the start of the New South Wales South Coast.
Taking the freeway to Wollongong in the Illawarra region means you bypass the towns along the coast, and there are some pretty scenic twisting seaside roads that fall sharply to the Pacific on your left as you drive through Lawrence Hargrave Drive, now part of the coastal Grand Pacific Drive, to Stanwell Park and on to Bulli.
The seaside city of Wollongong, which you can reach through the highway or freeway, has the reputation of being pretty much an industrial town but don't miss taking a detour through North Beach where grassy parks and a stretch of beaches await you. As well, there's a fine seafood restaurant in the park (or, at least, there was one the last time I was there).
Some places to visit
Here are some places to visit on your sightseeing trip south:
- The Nan Tien Pagoda which is part of the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. Located just south of Wollongong.
- The small coastal town of Kiama, well-known for its blowhole, a geyser of water spurting out of the sea.
- The Seven Mile Beach National Park with its seven miles of white beach.
- Shoalhaven Heads, at the mouth of the Shoalhaven River.
- Jervis Bay, past Nowra, for fishing, sailing, and other water-based activities, plus the peace and quiet of country and the bush.
You may not want to return to Sydney by nightfall (there are hotels and motels in the area as well as caravan parks and camp grounds) but if you do, it will have been a really worthwhile day.
But if you wanted to go west instead...
South of Sydney > Page 1, 2
