Attractions

Located 14km north of Gerringong at the southern end of Jones Beach, this distinctive rock formation is part of the geologically fascinating coastline.

Cathedral Rocks, has lured sightseers since 1890. These volcanic rocks, while intensely hard, have many joints. These joints have been eroded for many years, leaving these mysterious rock formations.

The rocks may be viewed from Cliff Drive or studied at close range by approaching from the north. These rocks are a photographer's delight, and definitely worth a visit!

Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures is located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales and only 35km from Gerringong, and is one of Australia's premier rainforest experiences. The elevated steel walkway features two gently swaying cantilevered arms and a central spiral tower raised nearly fifty meters off the forest floor. Stunning views take in everything from the rainforest canopy to Lake Illawarra and out to the South Pacific Ocean.

The gentle 1.5km return walk starts on the rainforest floor and continues into the canopy and onto the steel walkway offering a unique experience that captures the beauty of the regions native fauna and flora.

Spectacular guided sunrise walks take place on the second Saturday of every month and earlybird visitors are rewarded with a hot breakfast in the cafe on return.

Jamberoo is a fantastic water-park area set in rolling hills, an beautiful 40km drive through lush countryside from Gerringong. Enjoy the thrills and spills of the two giant water slides and Surf Hill, the eight lane speed water slide.

Face the challenge of the hair raising mountain slide on toboggans, leap into deep water from the rock five metres above, play mini golf, race in go-karts and enjoy the spectacular views of the picturesque dairy village from the chairlift.

Coolangatta Estate has been in a twenty year partnership with winemakers' Tyrrell's Winery in the Hunter Valley NSW. The family-owned Coolangatta Estate has grown to become the largest wine producer in the Shoalhaven and the most awarded winery on the South Coast of NSW.

Just a kilometre west of Park Ridge, Crooked River Wines produces over 100,000 bottles of soft wines and ports each year.

The vineyard and location are also open for lunches and provide a perfect back drop to the surrounding mountains and ocean vistas around Gerringong. Enquire within for opening hours.

 

A spectacular waterfall, drops 50 meters down into a gorge into Kangaroo Valley. Located in the Budderoo National Park, well developed walks exist with access to several lookouts including a track for the disabled.

The loop walk takes about 25 minutes to complete, and from the lower car park you can reach Nellies Glen picnic area, and walk a further 50 meters to a beautiful spot with a natural pool. A second car park is located on the northern side of Carrington Falls.

Loop Walk starts from northern car park off Jamberoo Mountain Road, 18 kilometers west of Jamberoo Post Office, follow tourist drive nine from Kiama.
Carrington Falls is located 50 minutes north west of Gerringong up the Jamberoo Mountain Road.

Located on 7,120 hectares, five kilometres west of Jamberoo, and 30 minutes out of Gerringong. The park is home to Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, a multi award winning tourism destination which allows you to explore the rainforests that once blanketed the Illawarra region.

Boardwalks and paved tracks take you along the forest floor and up through a range of rainforest environments, on your way to the magical Minnamurra Falls.

Up on the plateau above the rainforest, the park offers excellent walking tracks with views across sandstone heaths and woodlands and towards the Illawarra coast. The lookouts and picnic areas at Carrington Falls, where the Kangaroo River plunges over the escarpment, are well worth a visit. Carrington Falls has many lookouts and walking tracks which offer good views.

Discover the beauty of the Minnamurra Rainforest, near Jamberoo. Enjoy marvellous walking trails and gorgeous waterfalls, and spot bowerbirds, king parrots, water dragons and wallabies. You might even see an elusive lyrebird, which mimics most sounds.

In the magnificent Buderoo National Park, this primeval world will enchant you with subtropical and temperate rainforest and intriguing wildlife. From the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, take the  Rainforest Loop Walk, an easy 1.6 km trail on elevated boardwalks and over suspension bridges.

Located at 9 Bergin Street, Gerringong.

Actively participating in a hands on approach to reconciliation in Australia.

Come and observe Aboriginal artists at work. The studio is dedicated to Aboriginal cultural awareness featuring artworks, weaving, painting, drawing, tool making, bush toy making, dance, didgeridoo playing, storytelling, Aboriginal art consultancy and Aboriginal sites consultancy.

The bush foods and medicine garden offers visitors a first hand look at available bush foods. A range of packaged bush tucker, handmade woven objects and artwork is available to purchase.

There are many historic dry stone walls found throughout the area, more obvious in pastures west of Kiama. Some are still visible throughout the older residential parts of town.

Most were built over 100 years ago as paddocks were cleared for farming and grazing. Many of these walls are the work of Thomas Newing, a prolific and skilled stone wall builder for over 60 years.

The building method developed by Newing uses the local volcanic stone, and consists of two wall faces leaning against each other capped by a continuous row of larger stones.

Nearly 400 stone walls have been listed as heritage items in the Kiama municipality. The walls that occur along the Saddleback Mountain Road have been repaired or reconstructed by volunteers using the traditional methods.

One of the regions premier natural attractions, the Kiama Blowhole is a short drive from Gerringong. The whole Kiama Headland is made of volcanic rock called latite. A volcanic extrusion, known as a dyke, cuts through the latite. This dyke is made up of softer rock called basalt. Over a very long period of time the basalt erode creating a tunnel inside the harder latite. Eventually a part of the headland collapsed and created the blowhole.

With large waves entering the blowhole, air compress in the cavity. When the water leaves, it is forced upward by this compressed air. The escaping air makes a loud sound and combined with the water spout it make a pretty spectacular sight. It performs at its best when the sea runs from the south east. 

The main Blowhole was discovered by George Bass in 1797. More accurately George should be called the first European to discover this as local Aborigines had referred to it as Khanterintee for generations. A smaller blowhole is located a few minutes south of the main one. But while still at the main Blowhole, do treat yourself and wander down to the gorgeous Kiama Rock Pool for a swim.

The beautiful rural town of Berry is famous for its gardens, trees, arts and crafts, antiques and markets.

Berry is one of the wonderful contrasts of the NSW south coast. This charming country town is the first in the Shoalhaven district that you reach when driving south from Sydney along the Princes Highway.

As you approach Berry you encounter lush, rolling dairylands. With a population of less than 2,000 and with lovely treed avenues, Berry has maintained the atmosphere of an unspoilt rural township.

Famous for its arts and crafts, antique shops, cafes, restaurants, country fair and produce markets.

The shade and fresh scents of its famous trees provide a beautiful venue for a day visit or a longer stay.

Berry is only fifteen minutes south of Gerringong and is also on route to Kangaroo Valley.

Berry also boasts some fine early architecture with various buildings, some beautifully restored, protected by their National Trust Classification in recognition of their significance to the heritage of the region.

At the northern gateway to Australia’s Oyster Coast, the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven rivers make their way from high in the Great Dividing Range to the sea near Nowra, 35 minutes south of Gerringong.

The rivers meet at Greenwell Point, just to east of Nowra. As the sixth largest coastal catchment in New South Wales, these rivers have an extensive estuary system with large areas of significant wetlands.

Succulent oysters have been farmed here for more than a century. Today’s AOC growers are committed to rigorous environmental management systems. Protecting these estuaries will ensure their industry has a sustainable and healthy future.

Estuary grown Pacific Oysters have a unique lingering sweetness, while local Sydney Rock Oysters are creamy in flavour. Both species can be sampled direct from some AOC growers along the riverbank at Greenwell Point. Located in the heart of a thriving region with fabulous food and fine wines, freshly harvested oysters can be enjoyed at many top restaurants nearby.

Werri Beach in Gerringong, occupies the first broad valley south of Kiama, with a view of the beach from the northern Pleasant Ridge lookout. The beach trends to the south from the northern Red Cliff for 1.9 km long, curving round to face northeast in the southern corner. It is backed by a now developed 200m wide low barrier, and the drained Werri Lagoon which, together with Ooaree Creek, breaks out across the northern end of the beach.

The beach was originally known as Lagoon Beach with a recreation ground opening at the beach in 1899. As a result of the popularity of the beach a surf club was formed at the southern end in 1914. However the present Gerringong SLSC dates from 1953.

Most of the beach is backed by houses with a caravan park, bowling club and surf club at the southern end, and a rock pool on the southern shore platform.

The beach is well exposed with slight protection in the south from the point and an offshore reef. Waves average 1.6m in the north dropping to 1.4 m in the south, and usually maintain one bar with up to 10 rips, including a strong permanent rip against the northern headland and one along the southern rocks. The bar is usually attached between the rips, only detaching during high waves, particularly up the beach.

Seven Mile Beach National Park offers a great day out for the whole family just few kilometers south of Gerringong. Activities include fishing, swimming, picnicking and walking options for everyone.

Extending from Shoalhaven Heads east of Nowra to Gerroa, Seven Mile Beach National Park is a small coastal park packed with options for everyone.

Head to Beach Road picnic area with the family for a barbecue by the beach and a game of beach cricket. Wander up to the lookout and take in the stunning ocean views and golden sandy beach stretching into the distance.

Experience the unique coastal environment on the Sand track. Walk through the forest, admiring the local wildlife, then kick off your shoes and feel the sand between your toes as you stroll back along the beach.

Pack a gourmet picnic and spend a lazy afternoon under the shade of a nearby tree at secluded spots like Gerroa picnic area. Then get away from it all and enjoy a long walk on the beach, with only the crashing waves to disturb the peace.

Enjoy a scenic drive that will take you from Gerringong to  the Fitzroy Falls Fitzroy Falls Visitors Centre to Manning Lookout, on to Barrengarry and Kangaroo Valley, a stop at the historic cemetery, finishing at Cambewarra Lookout.

Fitzroy Falls National Park Visitors Centre offers a 150m board walk to a magnificent waterfall. There are a further 2 bush walks (80min & 2.5h return) where you can see the full magnificence of the triple waterfall. Views of the un-spoilt rainforest down Yurrunga Creek may remind you of life on earth in the Jurassic period. The centre’s interpretive signs and shop are informative. Café, outdoor picnic area, disabled access and toilets are available.

Manning Lookout

An easy bush walk from the car park brings you to an outstanding view of Kangaroo Valley. The sandstone plateau supports forest, woodland and light scrub. The trees are predominantly stringybark, peppermint, scribbly gum and old man banksia. The many shrubs along the paths include curly sedge, sunshine wattle, broad-leaved hakea, trigger plant and mountain devil. From the lookout notice the height of the Hawkes- bury sandstone escapements (118m) then below the temperate rainforest that draws your eye down to the river plains and the lush green pastures of distant dairy farms. Great place for a picnic under the shady trees.

Kangaroo Valley is a beautiful valley and small town, only 35 minutes drive from Gerringong.

The Kangaroo River runs through the valley's wildlife-rich rainforests and countryside. Hampden Bridge, a Victorian suspension bridge with castle-like sandstone towers, crosses the river. The Pioneer Village Museum has displays on early settlers in 19th-century farm sheds. Nearby, Morton National Park is home to the dramatic Fitzroy Falls.

A unique historic village with its National Trust listed buildings, historic shops and pub. The Friendly Inn sells drinks, food and local wines such as Yarrawa Estate. There are excellent local galleries showing local artists work, a fine woodcraft shop, a pottery and various gift shops. For breakfast, lunch or dinner we will spoil you for choice at the cafes, pub, club or fine dining restaurants. 

This is also a great place to start the Historic Walk and explore Kangaroo Valley’s seven National trust listings and historic buildings.

Kiama's coastline is broken significantly twice - at its northern and southern boarders. In the north, Minnamurra River does the honours - a popular swimming spot and home to kayakers, paddle boarders and more, enjoying its sandy shores and tidal personality.

The entrance of the river is characterised by an offshore island, named Rangoon Island