As you plan a trip to Wollongong, remember that this area south of Sydney is rich with its own history and beautiful sites. You might spend an entire trip down here without ever making your way up to Sydney, or you might take part of your time in Australia to visit the hidden sights in Wollongong.

The Grand Pacific Drive

The grand pacific drive

When you take your trip to Wollongong, you can start with a coastal drive from Sydney down to the beaches of Wollongong. This drive is a 140 km drive that cuts through Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Southern Highlands, Eurobodalla, and Sapphire Coast. The drive even has a website you can use to plan stops along the way.

When taking this drive, you can rent a car in Sydney, complete the drive down to Wollongong, and drive back the way you came. Plan different destinations for both legs of the drive and stop along the coast to take some of the best pictures you will ever get. In places such as this, you can literally see the curvature of the earth.

Wollongong Botanical Gardens

Wollongong Botanical Gardens

At the botanical gardens, you will see native flora and fauna that you cannot see anywhere else. Take a tour with a docent who knows the region very well and take pictures of the beautiful settings created throughout the park. Plus, you can enjoy the indoor gardens year-round.

Wollongong Head Lighthouse

The Wollongong Head Lighthouse

The lighthouse was first lit in 1936, and it was once known as Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse. The lighthouse is heritage-listed, and there are tours available. The view from the lighthouse includes the Five Islands, Belmore Basin, Port Kembla, and local fishing ships floating across the harbour every day.

Nan Tien Temple

Monks lined up outside the Nan Tien Temple

Nan Tien is also known as the Southern Heaven Temple. The temple belongs to the Buddhist order of Fo Guang Shan. Monks are living and working in the temple, and it belongs to a network of 120 other temples. There are beautiful sites throughout the temple complex include classic pagodas. They practice humanistic Buddhism in this temple, and it is a wonderful place to learn about living in harmony with the world around you.

Wattamolla Beach

Wattamolla Beach

When you are away from home, a Storage Wollongong unit helps you store everything you need for a long holiday. You have come down for the surfing and the ocean, but that means you need supplies to make that happen. Wattamolla Beach sits in a tiny cove and is much quieter than other beaches in the area. There are opportunities for cliff diving, and you can head to the lookout at the southern tip for a pristine ocean view.

What if you are tenting on the beach overnight? What will you do with that tent for the rest of your trip? What about your surfboards? You can even use your Storage Wollongong unit for chilled foods. Finally, you might ask for a Storage Wollongong garage because you do not plan to drive during your trip.