The New South Wales Illawarra coast south of Sydney gets scant attention for its loveliness. It has some of the most spectacular scenery and beaches in this part of Australia and its climate is not dissimilar to Sydney however with the exceptions of Jervis Bay and the bus tourists who stop off at the Kiama Blowhole, foreign travellers tend to miss it out and head to Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour and up the east coast.
This is very much a pity - a travesty even. The beaches and coastline in the area are breathtaking and can be done cheaply in a day or overnight using Sydney Trains and paying no more than several dollars. While there are few if any backpacker hostels you can book a single room in some of the pubs for no more than $40-$70 per night. Busy tourist towns like Kiama and cities like Wollongong offer opportunities for hospitality work that you won't be competing with other travellers for.
Apart from the above, I write about the Illawarra and Shoalhaven because I am in love with these places - their beauty and history, the friendliness of the people, the busy cafes and pubs, the world class beaches and the ease of access. However there is so much I should write that I would not give the area justice by not concentrating on my favourite parts of it one at the time, so let me start off with Bombo....
Bombo, next to Kiama and about 2.5 hours by train from Sydney, is one of only two NSW beaches with its own railway station (The other being Coffs Harbour). It is a quiet suburb with large and stunning surfing beach. The one remarkable thing is that despite its beauty and proximity and ease of access to towns such as Kiama, Shellharbour and Wollongong, it is usually very quiet. About as quiet as you can get. It has light sands, clear waters and views of Kiama's headland, but no shops and a small car park. Perfect for sunbathing and picnics.
 |
| View of Bombo from the Kiama headland. |
The walk from Bombo to Kiama involves passing alongside a quiet creek underneath the railway bridge and walking up a steep hill where the sweeping Bondi-esque curve of the beach reveals itself in picturesque manner. The walk down the hill towards the tourist town of Kiama continues past little bijoux, clothes and book shops along with quirky, vegetarian-friendly cafes. On weekends there is also a large outdoor market that is well worth a visit.
Is it worth visiting Bombo beach on its own from Sydney? Probably not, however it is worth considering it as part of a larger tour of discovery of the Illawarra. There is a lot to be said about the pretty seaside town next door, Kiama, however that should be left for its own blog. Enjoy!
