Things to do in Kiama, NSW

The best things to do in Kiama, NSW, include the Kiama Blowhole, the Bombo Headland Quarry, the Continental Ocean Pool and Easts Beach.

Kiama, NSW, is a town in the Illawarra region, 121km south of Sydney. It is primarily a beach town, and all the best things to do in Kiama are on the coast.

Things to do in Kiama, NSW: Blowhole Point

Perhaps the single most famous attraction in Kiama is the Kiama Blowhole. This wooshing explosion of sea water is caused by the ocean pounding into a volcanic sea cavern, and the compression of the air shooting the water upwards. There are viewing platforms around the blowhole where you can watch the water fire 30 metres in the air. There are no guarantees of not getting wet, however.

The Kiama Blowhole and Lighthouse in Kiama, NSW. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

The Kiama Blowhole is at Blowhole Point, where you’ll also find the elegant Kiama Lighthouse and the small Pilot’s Cottage Museum. This takes a well-meaning look at local history, but you can be forgiven for skipping it.

The other highlight of Blowhole Point is the Blowhole Point Ocean Pool. Cut into the rock, this is a fantastically atmospheric place for a swim.

Best beaches in Kiama, NSW

There’s an even bigger ocean pool just to the north by the Black Beach Reserve. The Continental Ocean Pool is 50 metres long, and carved out against a rock wall. It has the look and feel of conquering the ocean waves without having to actually battle said waves.

If you do want waves, however, Kiama has no shortage of beaches. Kiama Surf Beach and Kendalls Beach are most easily accessible from the town centre. Kiama Surf Beach has the best facilities and a playground, although families tend to prefer Kendalls Beach. Further south, Easts Beach is relatively secluded and a better option for swimming.

Things to do in Kiama, NSW: Bombo Quarry

Surfers, however, go north to Bombo Beach, the longest beach in town. North of Bombo Beach, the Bombo Headland Quarry Geological Site looks fabulously weird. A combination of 19^th century quarrying and wave erosion have created a series of bizarre-looking basalt columns. They make for great photos.

The basalt columns at the Bombo Headland Quarry in Kiama, NSW. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

All of these coastal attractions, plus Kiama’s Little Blowhole at Marsden Head, string together in a walking trail. The 22km Kiama Coastal Walk stretches from the Minnamurra River to Werri Beach and Gerringong. It can be tackled in a day, but it’s better off split into three sections and experienced as three separate walks.

Kiama accommodation options include the central Nova Kiama, the swish Sebel Harbourside Kiama and the budget-friendly Surf Beach Holiday Park.

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