The Ultimate Kiama NSW Day Trip (2023 Edition)

A day trip to Kiama NSW should be high on your to do list. Kiama is well known to Sydneysiders. So it’s a popular holiday destination for Sydney locals. Plus, with its relatively close proximity, it makes for a great location for a weekend trip. When people think of Kiama, one of the first things that come to mind is the famous Kiama Blowhole. Although it’s a fantastic attraction that deserves to be visited, our guide will unearth lesser known natural wonders that are off the usual Kiama tourist trail.

Besides, when we think about travel in general, it’s all too common to prioritise travelling to faraway places. So you miss exploring your own backyard. It’s true that sadly tourists often see more of Australia than locals do. Kiama NSW is a classic example. It’s so close to Sydney that many people assume that they’ll visit sometime in the future. But they never do!

Because of the mentality that it’s not going anywhere and there will always be time to see Australia if you live here. So we’ll jet off to Europe and Asia before travelling our own beautiful countryside. Hopefully this guide can help to budge that mentality and encourage you to travel domestically.

Kiama NSW: Day Trip Guide

With current international travel restrictions in 2020, now is the perfect time to explore your own backyard. Plus, the coastal and regional areas of NSW have been doing it really tough since the devastating bush fires of 2019-2020. So go visit Kiama NSW. If you’re short on time or money, you could just make it a day trip and save on a night’s accommodation. For international travellers, we’ll detail accommodation options later in this guide.

We checked out Kiama on a longer South Coast NSW trip after a weekend in the Southern Highlands. This guide will detail a full day trip itinerary from Sydney if you have only a day to visit Kiama and its surrounds.

If Kiama is too far to travel, have a look at our Northern Illawarra Day Trip Guide instead or check out our Top 10 Waterfalls in Sydney list.

This guide will not only cover the main tourist attractions of the area. But we reveal some of the area’s best kept secrets and hidden gems to explore!

Other Highlights in Kiama NSW

• Berry Donut Van
• Seven Mile Beach
• Werri Beach
• Gerringong Boat Harbour Rock Pool
• Little Blow Hole
• Kiama Blowhole
• Kiama Rock Pool
• Cathedral Rocks
• Bombo Headland Quarry

Kiama NSW Day Trip Itinerary

The drive from Sydney to Kiama is a solid 1 hour 45 mins – 2 hours. So make sure to leave Sydney around 6-7am. After that drive, you’ll definitely need some fuel. Of course, we’re talking about fuel for your belly! For a morning tea stop, we highly recommend driving an extra 20 minutes past Kiama. So your first stop of the day will actually be in the historic town of Berry to visit the famous Berry Donut Van. Alas, your fuel will be in the form coffee or tea and a nice sweet treat. See more details below!

But first, Berry itself is a quaint town worth visiting. It’s located in the Shoalhaven region 145km south of Sydney. As part of the Shoalhaven Coast wine region, you’re bound to find fantastic local vineyards, restaurants and markets. The town also has many heritage listed buildings on the NSW Heritage Register, making it a charming place to visit. But we won’t go into too much further detail. The purpose of this guide is to help you visit the natural attractions in and around Kiama. So for more information on Berry, head here.

1. Berry Donut Van

The Berry Donut Van is very much an institution. Their original cinnamon donuts are second to none! You would be a fool not to try them. Just be warned, that they’re served HOT! So be prepared to burn your mouth if you dive in too quickly. But once they’re at the optimal warm temperature, sink your teeth into the crisp and sugary outer layer. You’ll then penetrate into the soft and fluffy dough interior. It’s such a delight. 

For optimal planning, we recommend getting to the Donut Van first thing to avoid the long queues which can start mid-late morning. We had to wait 50 minutes for our donuts around midday! The Donut Van opens 8:30am daily. So plan your Sydney departure time to arrive in Berry around 8:30am.

Berry

Once you’ve ordered your hot beverage and cinnamon donuts, we recommend enjoying your breakfast or morning tea by exploring the town. Walk around Queen Street, Albert Street and Old Creamery Lane to get a feel of the charming town. With the pristine and stylish heritage listed buildings, you’ll feel far away from Sydney.

The town exuberates a historic feel, similar to other older regional towns throughout NSW. The buildings provide insight and a glimpse into the past. Perhaps you’ll visit Berry on a separate trip as there’s much to see and enjoy. But for now, let’s dive into the natural attraction in and around Kiama NSW! First stop is the beach!

SIDE NOTE: By the way, yes we agree that it’s a little early for donuts. But they’re best to eat when they’re warm. So spoil yourself today with an early donut! In regards to price, they’re around $2.20AUD ($1.50USD) each or slightly cheaper when bought in bulk! But we couldn’t bring ourselves to order the six pack. We thought two donuts each was just the right amount as we had already had breakfast.

Seven Mile Beach National Park

A very long and beautiful beach: Now that you’re fuelled with sugar and caffeine, time to exercise! Seven Mile Beach in Gerroa is one of our favourite beaches on the Shoalhaven Coast. True to its name, the beach is 12km long stretching north from Gerroa to Shoalhaven Heads. The sand is not quite as white as the white sand beaches of Jervis Bay further south. But it’s still an outstanding stretch of coastline.

2. Sand Track Walk (South)

• Type: Loop
• Distance: 4km
• Time: 1 hour
• Accumulated elevation gain: None
• Difficulty: Grade 3
• Trailhead: Seven Mile Beach Picnic Area

As graded by NSW National Parks using the Australian Walking Track Grading System.

There are basically two defined trails on this beach. There is the Sand Track Walk, both north and south options. Feel free to combine them if you have time. We chose to just do the Sand Track Walk (South) as we were running a bit short on time. To walk this trail, park at the Seven Mile Beach Picnic Area. The 2km Sands Track Walk (South) is traditionally a one-way track in the bushland adjacent to the beach.

We recommend completing as an easy speed hiking loop, by walking back on the beach. This culminates in a 4km walk taking only 1 hour. From the picnic area, the trail begins in classic Australian coastal bushland. Even when surrounded by this rugged bush, you’ll still be able to hear the ocean closeby.

The loop then takes you onto the beach itself to walk back towards the picnic area. Even after walking in the bush for only a relatively small distance, it’s a feeling of euphoria to see the beach. Your peripheral vision will be completely filled with white sand. You’ll then turn your head from side to side, and that same white sand will stretch as far as the eye can see. The sound of the waves crashing gets louder and the intensity of the ocean breeze increases.

3. Sand Track Walk (North)

• Type: Loop
• Distance: 6km
• Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: None
• Difficulty: Grade 3
• Trailhead: Seven Mile Beach Picnic Area

The Sand Track Walk (North) is a track of very similar, near-identical terrain and surroundings. It’s a 3km one-way trail, again in the coastal bushland adjacent to the beach. When completed as a loop by returning on the beach, it takes around 1.5-2 hours. You’ll walk through coastal forest otherwise known as Littoral Rainforest.

To be honest though, because of the similarity, it’s more than fair to just choose one of these walks so you can crack on with the rest of today’s itinerary. Plus, on a hot day, you may even be tempted to go for a swim, rather than extending your walk north. For more information on the Sands Walk Track (North), visit NSW National Parks.

For an epic day hike, consider the Kiama Coastal Walk. It covers 20km, taking 6.5 hours. Unfortunately, Beck and I didn’t have time for this trail. But one day we hope to return here to complete the walk as a speed hike. For detailed information on the walk, visit the official Kiama Tourism website.

WHAT IS A SPEED HIKE? A speed hike is when you complete a trail at a faster than usual walking speed. As you can imagine, it can be quite difficult to speed hike on the sand. But it’s an enjoyable challenge and a great workout among beautiful coastal surroundings.

4. Werri Beach

Next stop is the Gerringong Whale Watching Platform. There is plenty of street parking close by on Belinda Street, Gerringong. In winter, it’s also a decent spot for whale watching. But you’re probably less likely to see whales here compared to further down the coast in Eden. But during the migration season of the Humpback Whales, it’s worth a look! Plus, it’s from the grassy hill where the platform is situated that you will have spectacular views of Werri Beach. 

From the elevated position, you are treated to a unique perspective of the beach. It’s a tiny beach compared to what you would have just experienced at Seven Mile Beach. But that’s part of its charm. The turquoise ocean and its whitewash from waves create a contrast of colours with the golden sand and luscious green grass you are standing on. In the distance, there are repeated green tones from the rolling hills of the headland. In winter, make sure to have a windproof jacket as you are exposed to the elements on the hill.

It’s up to you whether you want to actually go to Werri Beach. It’s another beautiful beach to feel the sand between your toes! But after enjoying the great photo opportunities from the hill, we decided to move on to the next item on the itinerary. That is the Gerringong Boat Harbour Rock Pool. Don’t worry though, there will be a visit to another beach later on in the day!

5. Gerringong Boat Harbour Rock Pool

The Gerringong Boat Harbour Rock Pool is a local hidden gem. From the Gerringong Whale Watching Platform, you can descend back down the hill. You will walk by Belinda Street where you parked your car. From there, you can easily walk to the rock pool and then back to the car. Alternatively, jump back in the car and park at Cooke Park. There’s a picnic area and a boat ramp there. But it’s also the closest parking to the rock pool. The small car park there has around 10–15 spaces.

To walk to the rock pool from the Gerringong Whale Watching Platform, once you descend the hill, you will walk by Gerringong Cemetery to your left. You’ll then head down the steep Percy Street towards Cooke Park. Once you arrive at the water, you’ll turn left and pass by the picnic area. The rock pool is located around the corner from there.

The NSW South Coast is full of brilliant ocean rock pools. But the beauty of the Gerringong Boat Harbour Rock Pool is that it’s far lesser known. Later on in the day’s itinerary, you will also visit the Kiama Rock Pool. Because of its close proximity to the Blowhole and town, expect it to be busy. In contrast, you may even have the Gerringong Boat Harbour Rock Pool to yourselves.

What to Expect on Your Visit

The turquoise water lays calm within the confines of the ocean pool. Every so often, a wave large enough in magnitude and force, splashes and seeps its way into the main ocean pool causing gentle ripples to the water’s edge. The rock pools around this area are ruggedly shaped. This is without surprise, as waves constantly smash into rock platforms surrounding and protecting the calmness of the ocean pool.

There is also tessellated pavement here! Beautiful patterns and ridges of the slippery rock platform will leave you awe-inspired. Sure, it wasn’t quite as spectacular as the tessellated pavement we saw in Tasmania. But it’s amazing geology nevertheless.

In summer, it’s a fantastic spot for a swim. We visited in winter so it was too cold for a dip. But walking along the rocks and peering out to the ocean was still worth the visit. It exceeded our expectations and would probably be even better to visit in the warmer months given you would swim. Feel free to stop at the picnic area at Cooke Park after you explore the rocks.

SIDE NOTE: That’s one thing Beck and I have really enjoyed about the NSW South Coast. There is always plenty of opportunity for picnics and tea breaks at the many tables setup in the numerous picnic areas. They’re spotted all around parks and patches of grass throughout the South Coast including Kiama NSW.

6. Little Blow Hole

Don’t skip it! Now, the Little Blowhole is not quite as spectacular as the better known and touristic Kiama Blowhole. But according to locals, on its day, the Little Blowhole may even put on a better show than the Kiama Blowhole. We will explain in more depth below. But what are these blowholes?

They’re basically naturally eroded holes in the rock platforms close to the coastline. When waves crash into the rock platform underneath, the pressure causes water to quickly rush through the hole. The outcome is an extravagant and sometimes spectacular spray of water shooting upwards through the hole. It makes for an intriguing display of natural wonder. Plus, a great photography opportunity!

Similar to any blowhole, expect a bit of a wait to see it in action. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for the right wave to roll in to produce the magic. When we visited, there would be little tiny bursts of spray penetrating the hole every minute or so. But there would be a larger more spectacular spray of water approximately every five minutes. Have your camera ready for the blowhole show to begin!

The Ideal Conditions for Visiting the Little Blowhole

So what are the optimal conditions to see the blowholes in action? We initially thought it all had to do with tides. But it’s actually more to do with swell direction and strength, plus wind direction and speed. Of course, it’s a bit of a combination of all of these things. But basically, to see the Little Blowhole in all it’s glory, it’s best to visit with a more northerly swell. Specifically, it’s best to see this blowhole with a northeast wind. So check the Bureau of Meteorology before you visit. The website reports wind direction and speed for Kiama NSW.

If you’re more the happy go lucky type, it may be an idea to visit this blowhole if the main Kiama Blowhole isn’t doing its thing! That’s because the ideal wind and swell conditions for the Little Blowhole are almost opposite to the Kiama Blowhole. We’ve also heard that the Little Blowhole is not as dependent on optimal ocean conditions to work. Plus, the Little Blowhole has far fewer visitors than it’s bigger brother! But we’ll explain the ideal conditions below for the Kiama Blowhole.

7. Kiama Blowhole

Even with the masses, the Kiama Blowhole is seriously impressive. According to locals, the best time to visit the Kiama Blowhole is with a decent southerly swell and southeast wind during high tide. But of course, if there’s a large enough swell, then the tides matter less. Apparently, the southerly wind conditions help the water shoot even higher out of the blowhole.

We visited on an overcast day where there were pretty rough surf conditions. Luckily, there was a half decent southerly swell. So even during low tide, the Kiama Blowhole put on a pretty amazing show for us. It wasn’t a large display like we had seen in photos before visiting. But it was great nevertheless. The brute power created by the ocean, producing an elegant display of water shooting through the air is a sight to behold. It certainly filled us with joy to watch this natural wonder in full force.

Photography Tips

There are two tiers to explore. Essentially, when you visit the Kiama Blowhole, there are two platforms. Most people watch the Blowhole from the top tier. In regards to photography, it’s best to capture the Blowhole from this tier as you will be able to avoid having people in the background. It is possible to watch the Blowhole in action from the lower platform as well. But your background will be filled with others gawking at the spectacle from the higher level. Plus, beware that you’re in the spray zone on this lookout if you’re close to the railing edge.

However, make sure you head down to the bottom level at some point. You will have spectacular views of the rocky cliffs and the ocean colliding against it which you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. You can feel the immense raw energy from the waves. It’s an amazing feeling to have an almost bird’s eye view of the action.

Hopefully you get the right conditions when you visit. It may even be worth planning your day around when you’re more likely to get the best display. As previously mentioned, this will be according to the swell, wind and tide. So look this up beforehand on the Bureau of Meteorology.

Kiama Blowhole Parking

On weekends, long weekends and during summer holidays, Kiama can get very busy. We don’t recommend parking too close to the Blowhole. There can be huge traffic queues of people trying to leave the harbour area during peak visiting times throughout the day. We recommend parking just outside of the harbour and then walking to the Blowhole from there.

Specifically, we parked on Terralong Street outside of the Kiama Police Station. It falls just outside of the busy harbour area, so you will avoid a lot of traffic by parking there. It also means you will see the Kiama Rock Pool and other sites on the way. But it essentially means a quicker escape when you’re ready to leave.

8. Kiama Rock Pool

Don’t forget to also check out the Kiama Rock Pool on your way to visiting the Kiama Blowhole. The Rock Pool is only a short distance away. It’s part of the lovely coastline that makes up the Kiama harbour hub. The water in the ocean pool was crystal clear. It even had a sprightly shade of emerald green even on a day void of much sunlight. It’s hard to believe that the water can be so perfect even though it’s located right on the harbour. We incorrectly assumed that the water may be dirty because of this. But that’s the beauty of Kiama NSW. It’s far enough removed from Sydney to have amazing water clarity.

Again, it would definitely be worth going for a swim on a warmer day. Beck and I were amazed that some locals happily swam here during the blustery and cold conditions. The harbour and surrounding coastline are all very nice to wonder and explore. Walking around the harbour and town could be spread over a few hours. But we didn’t have time. Plus with the time we had, we chose to explore the other places of natural beauty around Kiama NSW. But if you want more information on how to best spend your time in the harbour area, visit here. 

9. Cathedral Rocks

The final stop of the day is at Jones Beach for the Cathedral Rocks. We timed our day to be here at sunset. That’s a great time to visit for amazing ambience and photography. The Cathedral Rocks and cave on Jones Beach are another hidden gem of Kiama NSW. For all of the time I lived in Sydney, I never knew that such an amazing landmark was so close to home. We implore you to go explore Kiama and all the surrounding coastline. There is so much natural beauty to behold! A shout-out to William Patino Photography and his website for helping us discover this magnificent place.

How to Get to the Cave

Directions: To see the Cathedral Rocks, there is a decent lookout on the roadside of Scenic Drive, Kiama Downs. But you shouldn’t attempt to get to the rocks or cave from there. Accessing Cathedral Rocks from the southern side of the headland requires some scrambling. It’s actually quite dangerous during a high swell. Far safer, is to park at the Jones Beach Car Park further north. There should be plenty of parking. From the car park, you will walk southwards on the beach towards the incredible sea stacks. The walk is no more than 500m and only takes a few minutes.

Visit at low tide. This will allow you to safely navigate the rock platform to get closer to the Cathedral Rocks. It is this rock platform that you will reach at the end of your walk to the southernmost part of the beach. Walking on the rock platform requires some agility and concentration, but isn’t too hardcore to manage during low tide.

After just a few minutes of negotiating the rock platform, you will get fairly close to the Cathedral Rocks. But continue to follow the cliff’s edge to stay a safe distance from the water, and to also find the cave. Accessing the cave is also much safer during low tide. Apparently, in high tide, water will flow into the cave up to waist height. This isn’t ideal for safety or photography. Luckily, low tide coincided with the sunset for us.

Our Experience

It was easy enough to find the cave. But please note that there are hundreds of mosquito’s here waiting for human blood! So make sure to put on some insect repellent and wear waterproof shoes, trousers and a long sleeve top. This was the most annoying part of visiting.

Otherwise, although it was overcast, we enjoyed unique purples and oranges parade the sky for around 10 minutes before sunset. Framed by the cave, the Cathedral Rocks look incredible. So spend some time in the cave admiring the rocks as well as on the rock platform. Make sure to make it back onto the beach before it gets dark though.

Our trip here exceeded all expectations. Enjoying the spectacular views of the rocks that have stood there for thousands of years was a memorable experience. We even got the place to ourselves. It’s another good reason to visit during winter. There’s a chance that you’ll have these lesser known natural attractions of Kiama NSW to yourself!

10. Bombo Headland Quarry

If you’re keen for an extra attraction to visit around Kiama NSW, then consider going to the Bombo Headland Quarry. We actually visited on a separate trip for sunrise. It’s actually a well known spot for sunrise with locals. But you shouldn’t expect too many people around.

Simply park at the Bombo Beach Car Park. Then, walk south on the road and resultant trail that directs you away from Bombo Beach. The ocean will still be insight as you walk adjacent to it. You’ll then come across a small set of concrete steps to your right, leading towards the headland. Descend the stairs, head through some shrubs, and you’ll be there! Give yourself around 10–15 minutes to get down there and set up the camera.

The epic quarry headland leaves many a unique spot to capture the sunrise. Although we encountered an overcast morning, the sunrise was still beautiful to watch. But it’s usually even more spectacular! Regardless, waves crashing against the abandoned quarry is a delightful way to bring in a new day.

Kiama NSW Day Trip Recap

Of course, it would be fantastic to have more than just a day exploring the highlights of Kiama NSW. But if that’s all the time you have, then this guide will be of great help to you. Hopefully, by following the guide, your trip will be enriched by getting off the tourist trail and exploring the lesser known hidden gems.

There’s certainly plenty of them in the Shoalhaven region! Although we are hiking itinerary specialists, we appreciate that this itinerary is light on hiking options. That’s because there were so many natural attractions to squeeze into a day.

For phenomenal hiking close by, read our Southern Highlands Guide.

Otherwise, for planning the logistics of your trip to Kiama NSW, please find below in-depth suggestions on how to get there, accommodation and total costs.

Five Travel Essentials For Kiama NSW

Outside of summer, it can get quite cold and windy on the Kiama coastline. So make sure to pack some layers. In fact, below are our five travel essentials for Kiama NSW. For a more comprehensive packing list, please check out the Ultimate Packing Checklist. It’s a great general summary of everything you’d need for a trip. For even more information check out our 66 Travel Accessories That You Must Travel With. We go in-depth into what we travel with and what specific products we have tried and tested.

• Nikon D3400 Digital SLR Camera – with there being so many epic natural attractions, take a camera!
• Anker PowerCore Portable Charger/Power Bank – with this busy day trip, we needed to charge our phones and camera on the go. This portable charger is a great compact device.
• Car phone holder – when using our phones for directions, it’s convenient and safe to have a steady and reliable phone holder for the car.
• The North Face Venture 2 waterproof/windproof jacket – you’ll be happy to have this jacket when you’ll be exposed to the elements at the Gerringong Whale Watching Platform.
• The North Face TKA Glacier snap fleece jacket – if exploring outside of summer, make sure to pack some extra layers when exploring South Coast NSW.

Have you been hiking around Kiama and have any trail suggestions? Comment below to let us know.