Wollongong's Best Beaches And Swimming Spots

Wollongong is awash with places to swim, making it one of NSW’s greatest seaside cities.

From sun- drenched sea pools, to low-tide treasures and long, sandy beaches where you can surf or relax under a wide-open sky, here are 10 of the best beaches and swimming spots in and around Wollongong.

Coledale Beach

Coledale Beach is patrolled year-round and is a popular spot with families for frisbee and French cricket. There’s a campsite with limited availability that borders the North Gong beach, which is sandwiched between the crashing waves and crayon-green canopy of the Illawarra escarpment. The beach is a popular spot for surfers, as it offers fairly consistent right and left-hand breaks.

Thirroul

The wind-whipped one-kilometre-long beach of Thirroul picks up swell from most directions. It’s a popular spot for surfers and day-trippers from Sydney who set up camp near the sandy seafront and make the most of a day dipping in and out of the sea. Swimmers enjoy doing backstroke in the Art Deco Olympic Pool, built in the 1930s, while ogling the Illawarra Escarpment.

Austinmer and Little Austinmer

Austinmer is one of the most popular beaches in the region, wedged neatly between two headlands just 15km north of Wollongong’s CBD. There are plenty of cafes and takeaways close by, and two twin rock pools at the southernmost end. Austinmer’s sister beach, Little Austinmer, is fringed by the fragrant beach pines and a pleasant spot for a dip. Little Austinmer is dog friendly too, so your pooch can join in the fun.

Austinmer Beach twin pools — Soak away the day at the twin pools in the southernmost end of Austinmer Beach. (Image: @dawmatt via Flickr)

Windang Beach

Windang Beach is a gentle curve of sand located at the entrance to Lake Illawarra, some 15 kilometres south of Wollongong’s CBD. It’s a popular spot with families as there is a large foreshore park with a playground, barbecues, and covered picnic areas. The beach has great views over the famous Five Islands off the Wollongong coastline.

Stanwell Park Beach

Stanwell Tops is famed for hang-gliding and paragliding and its position provides a panoramic view of the Illawarra escarpment and coastline from the Lawrence Hargraves Lookout on the northern slope. Corkscrew down to the base of Stanwell Tops and you will get to Stanwell Park Beach , a secluded cove popular with families (due to the large reserve and barbecue facilities) and surfers (due to the shifting beach break that works best in an east or northeast swell).

Sandon Point

Sandon Point is an exposed point break that is known for clean, consistent waves, especially during winter. When the swell is on the small side, micro grommets are known to wade out at Sandon and get pushed onto waves by the instructors at Happy Days Surf School . The beach sweeps for 900 metres between Bulli and Waniora points, so there’s plenty of space for swimmers to spread out.

Wollongong City Beach

Wollongong City Beach is one of the city’s most popular beaches. The broad beach that fronts the city curls 3.1 kilometres from Flagstaff Point to the Port Kembla seawall and it’s backed by a foreshore reserve whiskered with coastal grasses. When it’s low tide, head to the northern end of the beach (in front of the historic Wollongong SLSC) to check the rock pools. The beach is popular with families as it’s adjacent to a park with a playground and picnic tables.

Woonona

It is said that the word Woonona comes from a Wodi Wodi Aboriginal word meaning ‘place of young wallabies’ or ‘run now’, a term our First Peoples used to describe an aspect of the nearby escarpment. Ride your bike along the Wollongong shared cycleway to the beachside suburb, where the ideal swell angle is from the northeast. The beach also has a 50m pool with diving blocks and a historic Art Deco pavilion.

Coalcliff Beach

Coalcliff Beach is another coveted spot for families. Whether you’re looking for a calm stretch of sand to build a castle or a protected place to swim, the small beach in the northern suburbs of Wollongong is surrounded by craggy cliffs and rock platforms, which make it a popular fishing spot. There is a beautiful ocean pool tucked under the cliffs where dense bushland spills down to the sea.

There is a beautiful ocean pool tucked under the cliffs.

Port Kembla Beach

Joggers who love to run barefoot will appreciate Port Kembla Beach , which stretches for about 6.6 kilometres and is only 11 kilometres from Wollongong’s CBD. We love this beach for its dinky dressing sheds, which were constructed in 1912, and its Olympic pool carved into the northern corner of the cliff face. All up, there are three pools: a toddler’s pool, paddling pool and slightly deeper kiddies pool.

Bulli Rock Pool

The word is starting to spread about just how good the lifestyle is in Wollongong. Kick off your day with a few laps at the Bulli Rock Pool where you are bound to meet smug sea-changers who reckon they haven’t looked back since shrugging off their big-city stresses. After a few lazy laps in this beautiful 50-metre pool (which dates back to the 1930s) you will want to join them.

Bellambi

Bellambi also has a rock pool set into the southern rock shelf of the two-kilometre-long beach, which is a popular spot for swimming, surfing and fishing off the boat ramp. Hire a bike and cycle along the shared pathway, which makes the beach accessible from Wollongong. A small creek runs along the back of the beach and there are a few cafes nearby. Come to the beach early when there is zero swell to see the sunrise and start the day with a refreshing dip.

Find more travel tips and itineraries in our Ultimate guide to Wollongong holidays.

The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.

Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.

Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.

Bathed in warm light, a couple watches the sun dip beyond the horizon. — Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.

Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.

Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.

Aerial view of Wilderluxe. — Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms

Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.

On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.

A couple gazes up at a sky ablaze with stars at Wilderluxe. — Sleep beneath the stars.

Style and character

When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.

Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.

The dreamy sunset at Wilderluxe. — Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining

‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.

Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.

Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities

While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.

The Gilay Lounge with the view of the lake. — Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences

No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.

Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.

Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.

Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.

A person kayaking through serene waters. — Paddle into peace.

The details

A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.

The interiors of the glamping tent. — Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.

Start planning your outback glamping adventure at wilderluxe.com.au.

Revealed: Wollongong’s best beaches and swimming spots