bridge
Sea Cliff Bridge
A 665 m balanced-cantilever bridge that curves off the Illawarra escarpment and hangs over the Pacific, the photogenic centrepiece of Grand Pacific Drive south of Sydney.
21 km · about 25 min drive
OceaniaAustraliaNew South Wales
Wollongong
New South Wales, Australia · Oceania
About Wollongong
Wollongong works well as a base: 24km from Grand Pacific Drive.
Wollongong is in New South Wales, Australia, with about 280,000 people. You drive on the left here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Wollongong?
Within an hour or so of Wollongong: Sea Cliff Bridge (21 km), Grand Pacific Drive (24 km), Bald Hill Lookout (24 km), Macquarie Pass (26 km).
Are there any good drives near Wollongong?
The nearest famous roads are Grand Pacific Drive and Macquarie Pass.
Where is Wollongong?
Wollongong is in New South Wales, Australia.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 280,153
- Continent
- Oceania
- Country
- Australia
- Region
- New South Wales
- Timezone
- Australia/Sydney
- Coordinates
- -34.4240, 150.8935
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Australia
112 works from mobiles. Distances between fuel stops in the outback can exceed 200 km: plan ahead. Wildlife is most active at dawn/dusk.
Full driving guide for AustraliaTags
Worth the detour from Wollongong
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
coastal drive
Grand Pacific Drive
140 km coastal route from the Royal National Park to Wollongong and beyond, sweeping past Bald Hill's hang-glider lookout, seaside villages and the famous Sea Cliff Bridge.
24 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Bald Hill Lookout
Clifftop lookout and hang-gliding launch at Stanwell Tops overlooking the Sea Cliff Bridge and Illawarra coastline, with roadside parking.
24 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Macquarie Pass
A twisting rainforest climb on the Illawarra Highway, hauling drivers 400 m up the escarpment between Albion Park and the Southern Highlands through 100-plus curves.
26 km · about 30 min drive
cafe
Robertson Pie Shop
A Southern Highlands roadside pie shop on the Illawarra Highway, operating since 1968 and long the mandatory stop for anyone driving between Sydney and the coast via Macquarie Pass.
30 km · about 35 min drive
bridge
Hampden Bridge, Kangaroo Valley
Sandstone-towered suspension bridge from 1898 carrying Moss Vale Road over the Kangaroo River, the oldest of its type still in use in Australia.
48 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Wollongong
- 21 kmSea Cliff BridgeA 665 m balanced-cantilever bridge that curves off the Illawarra escarpment and hangs over the Pacific, the photogenic centrepiece of Grand Pacific Drive south of Sydney.
- 24 kmGrand Pacific Drive140 km coastal route from the Royal National Park to Wollongong and beyond, sweeping past Bald Hill's hang-glider lookout, seaside villages and the famous Sea Cliff Bridge.
- 24 kmBald Hill LookoutClifftop lookout and hang-gliding launch at Stanwell Tops overlooking the Sea Cliff Bridge and Illawarra coastline, with roadside parking.
- 26 kmMacquarie PassA twisting rainforest climb on the Illawarra Highway, hauling drivers 400 m up the escarpment between Albion Park and the Southern Highlands through 100-plus curves.
- 48 kmHampden Bridge, Kangaroo ValleySandstone-towered suspension bridge from 1898 carrying Moss Vale Road over the Kangaroo River, the oldest of its type still in use in Australia.
- 70 kmSydney Harbour TunnelA 2.3 km immersed-tube tunnel opened in 1992 that dives beneath Sydney Harbour, the underwater twin to the Harbour Bridge linking the CBD with North Sydney.
Nearby Destinations
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