Tips for Visiting Oakvale Wildlife Park, Port Stephens
Meet native Australian and exotic animals at Oakvale Wildlife Park. Hand-feed roaming animals and enjoy the water park or a bbq lunch.
Oakvale Wildlife Park is 100% Australian owned and operated, and has remained a family business since opening in 1979 as a farm by the Samson family.
Set across 25 acres of bushland, Oakvale Wildlife Park strives to help teach visitors about native wildlife and how we can protect it. Over time, the family acquired various Australian wildlife species and decided to dedicate the park to wildlife conservation.
Oakvale has established multiple endangered species breeding programs where they release threatened and endangered species back into the wild for future generations to enjoy.
The park is quite large and entails a fair bit of walking to get around to see all of the animals and exhibits. The animals living at Oakvale Wildlife Park range from Australian native, domestic farm and exotic animals such as koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, goats, sheep, rabbits, alligators and ostriches.
Oakvale has put a lot of thought into the activities available for guests, ensuring that a visit is a whole-day activity. There are free roaming animals to be hand fed, keeper talks, feeding shows, two fenced, shaded playgrounds, free BBQ facilities as well as an onsite cafe, plus the excellent Splash Bay Water Park which is open year-round.
Pick up a schedule when you enter the park in the morning to ensure you don’t miss any of the activities.
FEEDING STADIUM
Daily at 11.00am & 2.00pm. Bottle feed baby farm animals and an opportunity to milk a cow.
TRACTOR-TRAILER RIDE
Departing at 11.15am & 2.15pm daily – free.
SHOW TIMES Due to the health and safety of our guests, staff and animals and adhering to strict guidelines we will not be holding keeper talks during the NSW School Holidays.
ENCOUNTERS
There is the chance to engage in more intimate and personal animal experiences by purchasing individual Wildlife Animal Encounters.
There is plenty of free parking available, and the park has pathways to provide easy access for prams, wheelchairs, mobility scooters and walkers. The Tractor Trailer Rides provide great assistance for less mobile guests. Disabled toilets and showers are located on-site and there is a JennSwing in the playground (a full support swing seat for children with physical disabilities or special needs).
The Oakvale Cafe is located inside the main entrance and serves a selection of freshly made sandwiches and wraps, burgers and wedges, plus other hot and cold options from 10.30am – 3.00pm.
Oakvale Wildlife Park is Ecotourism certified and ZAA members.
Enjoy a Lord Howe Island holiday, at a natural paradise that can be reached in less than a two-hour flight from Sydney or Brisbane. The world’s southernmost coral reef is a spectacular destination that, once you’ve seen it in person, you’ll long to return to over and over again.
The World Heritage-listed island is often voted as one of the world’s top island destinations for a very good reason – its spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife and limit on visitors makes this breathtakingly beautiful spot feel remote and untouched.
Ned’s Beach
Lord Howe Island is just 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) long and 2.8 kilometres (1.7 miles) at its widest. With only 400 visitors allowed at any time, and just 300 permanent residents, the island never feels busy, even when it’s reached its maximum visitor capacity.
When we visited Lord Howe Island last December it felt to us like the land that time forgot. With the main mode of transport push bikes, the pace on the island is slow, and shoes are optional. There is no mobile phone service on the island, which can feel panic-inducing to imagine, but in reality is a welcome relief from the constant pressure to be available at all times.
To truly unplug and unwind from the fast paced world in which we usually live in Sydney, a week on Lord Howe Island was, for us, just what the doctor ordered.
What makes Lord Howe Island so special
Lord Howe Island was formed after a volcanic eruption seven million years ago. The island became a haven for plants and seabirds, with an abundance of rare flora and fauna including 64 unique species of flowering plants and more than 130 bird species, like the endangered flightless woodhen.
This unique island is made up of 75% protected park preserve, and surrounded by a marine park, making it a pristine paradise that has remained untouched thanks to a century of world-class conservation efforts.
In 1982, The Lord Howe Island Group was UNESCO World Heritage-listed, including the main island, offshore islets and Balls Pyramid, totalling about 1,455 hectares of land. A further 145,000 hectares of marine environment are included in the World Heritage Area.
Arriving on Lord Howe Island is a bit of a “Jurassic Park” moment. The tiny island rises up out of nowhere, in the middle of the ocean, its landscape of mountains, valleys and cliffs largely undisturbed by mankind. Approximately 75% of the islands natural vegetarian remains untouched, similarly is beaches and coral reefs.
Lord Howe Island is tremendously important for its unique flora and fauna. There are over 70 endemic vascular plant species found on the island (plants that transport water), and 241 species of indigenous plants of which 113 or 47 per cent are found no where else in the world.
The island is also a haven for birds, with 207 different bird species recorded as visiting, 32 of which breed on the island, including the endangered Woodhen. The Lord Howe Island Woodhen wanders around the island, unperturbed by people passing it on bikes, the result of a highly successful captive-breeding and rodent eradication programme.
Lord Howe Island is reputed to have more seabird species breeding in higher numbers than anywhere else in Australia, making it a prime spot for twitchers to visit. Bird lovers can be seen lying low in the grass for hours at a time, in search of the perfect bird photograph.
Insects are also in abundance on Lord Howe Island, with more than 1,600 terrestrial insect species having been recorded, approximately 60% of which can be found nowhere else. We were drawn to Lord Howe Island after reading about the Lord Howe Island Phasmid, the world’s largest stick insect. Thought to be extinct, the LHI Phasmid was rediscovered in recent years on Balls Pyramid, a 550 metre high volcanic stack rising from the sea, 23 km from the island.
The life under the sea surrounding Lorde Howe Island is no less spectacular, with over 500 species of fish and 90 different coral species in the marine park off the island’s shores.
Getting to Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island lies approximately 600 km northeast of Sydney and southeast of Brisbane, Australia, at the same latitude as Port Macquarie, NSW. It is part of the state of New South Wales.
The only way to reach Lord Howe Island, other than sailing your own yacht, is by air. QantasLink offers year-round scheduled services, with flights departing from Sydney most days (twice a day in peak season during the week, three times a day on weekends). Direct flights are also available on weekends from Brisbane. Flight time is under two hours.
Eastern Air Services also offer a regular flight schedule with three flights per week from Port Macquarie and a new flight schedule from Newcastle Airport. Eastern Air Services will soon be offering direct flights rom the Gold Coast to Lord Howe Island.
Your accommodation will pick you up from the airport and drop you back again for your return flight home.
Baggage Allowance
This is a big deal and should really be in the biggest text available because it’s in such fine print on the flight booking pages. Each passenger travelling to Lord Howe Island is permitted 14kg per person of checked baggage and 7kg of carry-on baggage.
This is not negotiable! There are strict weight restrictions placed on aircrafts travelling to the Island. While extra luggage may be purchased, there is no guarantee it will make it to the island with your flight. It’s very common for luggage to be offloaded and sent on another flight. In fact, on both of our flights to and from the island, our luggage did not arrive with us. On the flight to the island, our luggage arrived on the afternoon flight thankfully, so we received it later in the day.
On our flight home, however, our luggage was offloaded and was not sent home to us for three days. I highly recommend packing essentials in carry on – like swimmers, sunscreen and hats.
Accommodation
Another tip that needs to be in the biggest text available. Do not book flights until you have booked your accommodation, and absolutely do not fly there without a confirmed accommodation booking.
The tourist bed limit on Lord Howe is capped at 400, and in high season completely books out. I would highly recommend booking as far in advance as possible to get suitable accommodation.
Where to stay on your Lord Howe Island Holiday
The majority of accommodation on Lord Howe Island is villa-like cabins with kitchenettes or kitchens. Which you chose depends on your needs. If you have small kids or are not a keen walker or cyclist, then I suggest staying near the main settlement for easy of getting around.
In the image below, the airport is the yellow star and the accommodation is marked with blue dots.
We stayed in Ebbtide Apartments, comprising of five self-catered villas with an excellent kitchen. We loved Ebbtide and the lovely grassy area surrounding the villas, however it is also at the very top of a steep hill, which should be taken into consideration if biking or walking is difficult for you or your party.
There was no TV in our room so if you desperately need to watch some shows, download them to your phone/iPad or computer beforehand. Most accommodations will have a bookshelf like ours did. I had the most amazing reading week and read about five books.
For an all-inclusive stay, check out Pinetrees, or Arajilla Retreat. For the most luxe, all -inclusive stay, have a look at Capella Lodge.
My recommendation for ease of accessing the island facilities such as the best cafe and coffee shop (The Anchorage), getting groceries and biking around the flat paths, would be to stay near the Anchorage.
Since the majority of accommodation on LHI is self-catering, the groceries deserve their own section. Since the island is part of NSW, you can bring whatever food you like as long as it fits in your luggage allowance. If you have particular dietary requirements, then I highly recommend you doing this.
$43 worth of groceries.
There are a few options for groceries on Lord Howe Island – all of them are expensive. Thompson’s is the cheapest but has the smallest selection. The Anchorage has the best fruit and daily fresh bread. Joy’s has the largest range but is the most expensive.
Thompson’s
There are no plastic bags on Lord Howe Island so bring your own reusable shopping bag, or purchase one of the screen printed reusable canvas bags – they make for great island souvenirs too.
Thompson’s
Regarding milk – most of the island uses and sells long-life milk. If you want fresh milk, you will find it at Joys.
Thompson’sJoy’sAnchorage
Getting around Lord Howe Island
The primary mode of transportation is bicycle. Upon arriving on the island, head straight to Wilson’s Bike Hire (it’s near the main settlement) and hire a bike for your entire stay. There are children’s bikes available as well as bike seats and wagons. Bikes cost us $60 per week per bike.
There are a small amount of cars available for hire if mobility is a challenge for you – call in advance to book.
Guests at Capella Lodge, which is the furthest accommodation from the settlement, can hire a golf cart buggy to drive around the island.
Planning your time on Lord Howe Island
After collecting your bike, head to the Lord Howe Island Museum and Visitors Centre. This is where you can collect detailed weather forecasts, restaurant guide with locations and days/ hours of service, and daily activity guides, as well as lots of info about the island such as maps with walking tracks.
The Lord Howe Island Museum opened in 2002 and has a range of innovative displays on the island’s World Heritage environment, community and history, going back to 1788 when the Island was discovered by HMS Supply of the First Fleet. Covering 166 years of continuous settlement since 1834, the Museum is a great first spot to visit to learn about and appreciate the island’s uniqueness.
At the Lord Howe Island Museum and Visitors Centre you can also find internet access and the Coral Cafe, plus the Tropicbird Museum Shop, which has the best selection of unique Lord Howe souvenirs and gifts.
Dining out
There are a few restaurants and cafes on Lord Howe Island and in peak season all book out. After picking up your bike and dropping by the Museum and Visitor’s Centre for dining information and a map, the nest thing you should do is plan any eating out you plan to do for the week. Each restaurant and cafe only opens certain days and hours so it requires some planning.
Take a look on the guide and call each restaurant using the landline at your accommodation to book your spot. Your accommodation will transport you where necessary to evening dining reservations, with the restaurant providing return transport.
Our favourite place to dine was the Anchorage, for both lunch and also dinner. It had the most delicious egg dishes, freshly baked muffins and cut fruit, and we ended up eating there daily for one meal, while making the other meals in our apartment.
AnchorageAnchorage
Dining out on Lorde Howe Island is also expensive, but the location of waterfront dining cant be beat!
Lord Howe Island has activities to suit everyone, from those wanting a relaxing holiday doing nothing to divers and snorkelers, twitchers and hikers. The flight out to the island is one of the most entertaining people watching experiences as the small group will have, like on our flight, luxe travellers, people in mountain trekking boots, families with small children and everyone in between. Lord Howe Island does the impossible – pleases every age and interest group imaginable.
A holiday on Lord Howe Island can include guided tours, fishing, snorkelling, diving, bird watching, water sports, land sports and hiking. You can find a full list of activities available on Lord Howe Island here.
Unmissable highlights
Snorkelling and swimming in the lagoon
You can hire flippers and snorkels for the week at several of the dive shops on the beachfront by the lagoon. We hired ours for $10/day or $30 per week. Child-size snorkels and flippers are available, as are child-size wetsuits.
The lagoon is an easy place for snorkelling, even for kids. There is also an anchored pontoon that is great for kids to climb up onto and then jump off into the ocean.
Kayaking
There are several spots that can be kayaked to, so make a day of it and pack a picnic lunch if you’d like to do some exploring.
We kayaked to Blackburn Island and back, but a popular spot to kayak to is North Head where there is excellent snorkelling. North Head is difficult to reach by foot so kayaking there is a good option. If you kayak to Blackburn Island I suggest taking reef shoes with you as it’s extremely rocky on the shore.
Hire a kayak for $20 per hour, $15 for subsequent hours. We fit two adults and one child in our kayak.
Hand-feeding wild fish on Ned’s Beach
One of the most popular things to do on the island. the wild fish at Ned’s Beach are extremely friendly and will eat fish food from your hand. Food is available from a shack just off the beach, There is an honesty box to put $1 or $2 coins in. Ned’s Beach is also great for swimming and snorkelling.
Hiking one of many walking tracks
Pick up a map from the Visitor’s Centre. There are a surprising number of stunning walks around the island of varying lengths and difficulty levels.
Walks we did:
Malabar to Dawsons Point Ridge: (1.5km) Class 4 and Max Nicholls Memorial Track to North Bay: (1.5km) Class 3 walks combined, which was quite the challenge but gave us spectacular views.
Clear Place: (1.2km return) Class 2 – this one went through the rainforest and included jungle swings.
Little Island Track: (1.4km) Class 2 – this one is flat and easy and wraps around the coastline under Mt Gower. Spectacular.
Bbq on the beach
There are free BBQs set up on the beachfront all over the island. Just BYO food and equipment. The BBQs are very popular at lunchtime and sunset so plan ahead.
Coffee and muffin from the Anchorage
This was our daily routine. The coffee and fresh muffins were amazing.
Anchorage
Sunset on the lagoon
A must-do at least once during your stay on the island.
Watching sea turtles at Old Settlement Beach
We were lucky enough to see sea turtles at Old Settlement Beach. This is their local hangout and can be seen here frequently.
Bird watching
Birds are everywhere! During our December stay we were lucky enough to see terns and their teenage offspring in their thousands at Ned’s Beach. Just amazing. Watching the birds, fearless of humans, nesting with their young was probably the number one highlight of our Lord Howe Island holiday.
When to visit Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island’s climate is mild, year-round. Maximum temperatures on the island hover around 25° celsius throughout summer, dipping to an average of 19° c in winter, while daily minimums range from 20°c in summer falling to around 12-14°c in winter. Basically you can plan your Lord Howe Island holiday for any time of year and it will be amazing.
The water even in summer can be cold, however wetsuits are available for hire, including children’s sizes.
Accessibility
Lord Howe Island is old school, and this includes accessibility for disabilities and strollers from what I noticed. If mobility is a challenge or you are visiting with a wheelchair, I suggest calling LHI directly to discuss options.
Playground
There is one playground on the island for kids located behind the lagoon.
What to pack for your Lord Howe Island Holiday
From the Lord Howe Island website:
Dress is casual, smart casual for evenings. Swimming costume, hat and sun protection. Shoes for bush and reef walking, flip flops. Day pack for walks and beach trips. A raincoat and windcheater are recommended owing to occasional showers and squalls that can occur at any time of the year. (It rained most days when we visited in December) Pack required medication in your carry-on baggage for travel on Qantas Link.
I would add to this: swimsuit, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen in your carryon luggage. Sunscreen is available to purchase on the island for a reasonable cost if you run out.
Medical facilities are limited so bring everything you might need.
Long-sleeve rashies/swimsuits and light cotton coverups – the UV index is high in summer.
Communications / internet access
Your mobile phone will not work on the island. I suggest giving the phone number and email address of your accommodation to family members to reach in case of emergency. Public phones are available and the Visitor Centre is open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm and on Sunday 10am-1pm – internet is available here for visitors and locals.
Wifi is also available from the Anchorage restaurant. Be warned however that the internet available is limited and you won’t be able to do much more than download emails. No video streaming services, so download TV shows or moves before you leave home.
Medical facilities
A small hospital and dispensary is situated on Lagoon Road. Consulting and dispensary hours at this four-bed hospital are 9.00am to 12.30pm Monday to Friday. The doctor and nursing staff are on 24-hour call in case of emergencies.
Time
Australian Eastern Summertime during daylight saving. Winter is 30 minutes ahead of Australian Eastern Standard Time.
Banks, Credit Cards and Money
The currency is Australian Dollars. The Westpac agency operates through the Post Office, open hours are Mon-Fri 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm. Credit cards are accepted widely but not everywhere. There is an automatic banking teller available for use at all hours at the Lord Howe Island Bowling Club.
Electricity
240V AC 50 cycles, three-pin plug – the same as mainland Australia.
The Bulgandry Art Site Aboriginal Place is a sacred Indigenous site in the Brisbane Water National Park, near Kariong.
This incredible Aboriginal rock art site is a short stroll through the bush from the car park, with a boardwalk placed around the site to protect it from visitors.
Bulgandry Art Site Aboriginal Place is truly a special place, with so many ancient engravings in the one space, so well preserved considering that most of them are over 200 years old, with many perhaps ten times that age.
The name “Bulgandry” comes from the name given to a large engraving of a man who was thought to represent an ancestral hero. He is depicted in the engravings with an impressive headdress.
Other engravings include wallabies, fish, a dolphin and some stone tool sharpening grooves.
Tool sharpening grooves.
Please treat the site with respect and keep on the boardwalk when exploring the Bulgandry Aboriginal Art Site.
The site can be a bit tricky to find as it’s not signposted well. From the Central Coast Highway, take Woy Woy Road at Kariong. Travel approximately 3km towards Woy Woy and you will see a very small sign indicating a turnoff to the Bulgandry Art Site Aboriginal Place on your right. The walk starts at the far end of the car park – there is no sign but it is the only path that is there to take.
The Amazement Farm and Fun Park in Wyong has plenty for the whole family to enjoy, from mazes to friendly farm animals, train rides and giant board games.
A family-friendly attraction on the Central Coast, the Amazement Farm and Fun Park is a great outing with plenty to explore.
The Amazement Farm and Fun Park offers several attractions that can be enjoyed all day as well as timed activities, making it a perfect road trip stopover or a way to spend the entire day.
Kids will enjoy running through the three hedge mazes, swinging through the playground and playing giant board games, as well as feeding the farm animals.
If you want to do all of the activities on offer, arrive by 10am and follow the presentation schedule. When we visited it was as follows:
10am – 11am – Farmyard Animal Petting
11.30am – Reptile Presentation
1.00pm – Donkey Walk and Pat
1.30pm Baby Animal Bottle Feeding
1.45pm – Baby Emu / Black Swan Presentation
2.00pm – 3.00pm – Farmyard Animal Petting
3.30pm – Baby Donkey “Cadbury” Meet and Greet
There are also pony rides on offer between 11.30am – 12.30pm and ferris wheel rides between 10am-2pm – both for an additional cost.
To see all of the animals at Amazement Farm and Fun Park you’ll need to take a train ride, which lasts 15 minutes and runs at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3pm (additional cost). Camel feeding can be done only when taking the train.
There are also optional animal encounters for an additional cost: reptile holds, emu chick encounters and possum encounters.
There is a cafe onsite or bbq facilities and picnic tables to BYO food.
Amazement Farm and Fun Park Wyong 170 Yarramalong Rd, Wyong Creek NSW Hours: Wed-Sun 9:30am-4pm (Last Entry: 3pm)
Open every day in the school holidays Open all public holidays except Christmas Day https://sydneykoala.com.au/
Wyong Milk Factory, The Perfect Central Coast Outing
The Wyong Milk Factory has something for everyone: great food, a playground and locally-made treats.
The Wyong Milk Factory was originally built as a Butter Factory in 1907 by a cop-op of 56 local farmers to take advantage of the newly completed Sydney to Newcastle railway. The Butter Factory burned to the ground in a fire in 1921, and was rebuilt as the current Milk Factory by the 200+ dairy farmers who had by this time become shareholders in the Co-op.
Today, the Wyong Milk Factory is more than just a pitstop on a road trip, it’s a destination worth visiting on its own. The Factory is home to two eateries, the Milk Factory Café and Wyong Milk Factory Tavern, plus a variety of local businesses, a playground and leisure activities.
The Wyong Milk Factory Café is a kid-friendly spot open open seven days a week, offering light and hearty breakfast and lunch dishes with plenty of options for kids and dietary requirements. You really need to have a milkshake if you visit!
The cafe has both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is closest to the outdoor playground. You do however need to cross the road area where cars might drive through when parking, so please walk kids there and back yourself.
While we had a delicious breakfast at the Wyong Milk Factory Café, they’re also well known for their wood fire pizzas.
The Wyong Milk Factory Tavern is the other dining option, offering a mix of hearty pub food, burgers and pizzas, along with a Thai menu. There’s also daily specials made with local produce, local and craft beers and a fine wine menu. The Tavern is open Wednesdays through to Sundays and is a family friendly venue, with a special Kids Zone indoor play area to keep little ones occupied while waiting for food to arrive.
The outdoor playground was a hit for us. Fully fenced, it features a pirate ship, swings, cubby houses and picnic benches. It’s fully-fenced as well.
Make a day out of your visit to the Wyong Milk Factory with a kayak, stand up paddle board or row boat on the river. These can all be hired from All Sorts by calling 4352 3811.
Before you hop in your car and head back home, stop by the little local stores who are set up inside the Wyong Milk Factory.
When we visited, we highly enjoyed watching chocolate being made (and then sampling some!) from Luka Chocolates, as well as watching donuts being glazed at Daily Dough Co. Next time we will try some cheese from Little Creek Cheese.
Visit Red Hands Cave in the Blue Mountains National Park
Red Hands Cave in Blue Mountains National Park is one of the best examples of Aboriginal rock art in this part of Sydney.
Located in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park, Red Hands Cave can be reached via the 8km Red Hands Cave loop walking track which starts at the causeway near the park entrance.
The cave can also be accessed by driving around 13km past the park entrance (it takes around 30-40 minutes), along the unsealed Oaks trail and Red Hands trail, to Red Hands Cave carpark, for a 1km return walk.
Red Hands Cave features thousands of layered hand prints and stencils, thought to have been painted between 500 and 1600 years ago. The vibrant colours of red, yellow and white are still highly visible, creating a stunning collage inside the cave.
Indigenous artists would have created these stencils though several techniques including chewing a mixture of ochre and water, and then blowing it over a hand resting on the wall, forming a stencil.
Aboriginal axe grinding grooves can also be spotted in the rocks beside Camp Fire Creek, in the walk to the cave.
Red Hands Cave has a protective grate in front of it, however the art is still easily visible through the holes. Photos are allowed, however please don’t use a flash as that can damage the art work.
The walk to the cave is an easy 500m walk. Oh a hot day, however, you will need a hat, sunscreen and water.
There are basic restroom facilities available at the car park.
Enjoy a refreshing dip in the Jellybean Pool, a short stroll down the Jellybean Track in Glenbrook, at the base of the Blue Mountains. The pool makes for a perfect Blue Mountains day trip with kids, who will love swimming in the calm waters.
Located inside the Blue Mountains National Park, the Jellybean Pool is a relaxing spot to swim, watch birds or picnic on the shore. There is a large parking lot which fills quickly on hot days, and an overflow car park which has a steep walk down to the start of the trail.
From the parking lot the Jellybean Track is a 500m walk downhill to the Jellybean Pool. The walk is graded a 3 as it is steep and slippery in places with sand.
An $8 park entry fees applies – you will be charged as you drive into the Blue Mountains National Park. You can also leave your car at the Glenbrook Information Centre at the Starting at the Glenbrook entrance to Blue Mountains National Park and walk from there for a more challenging walk.
The Blue Mountains National Park is open from the first Sunday in October to first Sunday in April 8.30am to 7pm, and the rest of the year 8.30am to 6pm.
When visiting the Jellybean Pool pack sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, towels and any food and water you might need. Floatation devices are fun as the water is so flat. You will see boogie boards, pool floats and even paddle boards down there. Remember it’s a walk through the bush to get to the pool and pack appropriate footwear.
The Jellybean Track winds through the Glenbrook Gorge, past pretty mountain spotted gums, down to the river. There is a lot of birdlife in the area so keep eyes peeled for kestrels and other birds of prey, rainbow lorikeets and even blue kingfishers.
The water is shallow and perfect for littlies to paddle in safely. Up river the water gets deeper.
There are no bathrooms at the Jellybean Pool, or rubbish bins, so prepare accordingly and take your rubbish with you.
The pool gets extremely popular in summer so go early. We arrived at around 10am and it was a little busy but still plenty of parking available.
Keep a close eye on small children. Remember there are no life guards present and keep a close eye on kids in the water.
After a swim, we highly recommend the 30min drive to Red Hands Cave to see amazing Aboriginal hand prints and stencils.
17 things to do in Wollongong Australia (with or without kids)
Wollongong, located an hour south of Sydney, is a coastal city with 17 stunning beaches, rock pools, gardens, cafes and many attractions for a great day trip. There are so many things to do in Wollongong that it’s hard to fit it all in.
Grand Pacific Drive and Sea Cliff Bridge
The 140-kilometre coastal route from Sydney to Shoalhaven winds its way through the Royal National Park and past spectacular sheer cliff drops. Our favourite section is the Sea Cliff Bridge, which was built in 2004. The bridge is 1/2 a kilometre in length and clings to the cliff-face. Park at either end of the bridge and stroll the bridge in both directions.
Wollongong Botanic Garden
The Wollongong Botanic Garden is a 30-hectare garden in the suburb of Keiraville featuring a large collection of native and exotic plants from around the world. The garden features a Japanese drum bridge, cactus collection, large playground and picnic facilities. Visiting the Wollongong Botanic Garden is one of our fave things to do in Wollongong – make a day of it with a picnic lunch.
This scenic spot overlooks the beach where Australian aviation pioneer Lawrence Hargrave made a successful flight on 12 November 1894. Today, its a well-known lookout over the Sea Cliff Bridge and popular hanggliding point.
Symbio Wildlife Park
Nestled in the quiet suburb of Helensburg lies Symbio Wildlife Park, a tiny zoo that makes for a great afternoon of wildlife encounters — particularly for little kids. Symbio boasts “we’ll get you closer”, and there are indeed opportunities to get up close to lots of animals. The grounds are spacious and well-kept, and the animals all healthy and happy looking. No sad depressed animals in tiny enclosures here.
The heritage-listed Wollongong Harbour was created to ship coal from mines in the area in the 1840s. It is now a departure point for fishing boats and home to the Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse, which was built in 1872.
Nan Tien Temple
In the southern Wollongong suburb of Berkeley you’ll find Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. Built in the early 1990s, the temple has peaceful Japanese-style gardens, two large prayer halls featuring Tibetan-style architecture, accommodation and a restaurant serving vegetarian dishes.
Kids will love Jamberoo Action Park, famous for its water slides and attractions. There are water-based activities for adults and kids of all ages at Jamberoo. Billabong Beach is a popular spot for littlies to play, as is the Mushroom Pool, a bright and colourful pool with a mini water slide and squirting frogs.
Wander the elevated walkways through remnants of an ancient rainforest that once covered the Illawarra region. The 1.6km walking loop takes visitors across suspension bridges and raised boardwalks into the heart of the forest. Keep our eyes peeled for the local wildlife – lyrebirds, eastern water dragons and swamp wallabies live here.
Fly through the tree tops at Illawarra Fly, the highest zipline tour in Australia. Illawarra Fly is located 2 hours south of Sydney, and also includes a 1.5km Treetop walk.
The perfect day trip for a special occasion, Illawarra Fly offers Australia’s highest zipline tour for adventure junkees, and a stunning accessible walk with views of the Southern Highlands and Pacific Ocean from an elevated treetop walk.
Local families love Austinmer Beach, particularly the fenced in playground (sadly no shade cloth) that has plenty of activities for kids of a variety of ages. The rock pools are a major draw for this beach, too.
Located at the south end of the beach, they attract children and adults alike with their amazing ocean life. We spotted fish, a crab, sea snails, an anemone, and some freaky looking creatures that none of us could identify. We have been back to Austimer Beach so many times over the years – it’s one of our fave things to do in Wollongong with kids.
Visit the second-largest motor museum in Australia and check out the rare, vintage collection that includes cars as well as motorbikes, telephones, lawnmowers, radios, typewriters and more. Several of the vintage appliances were loaned to Baz Luhrmann for filming of the Great Gatsby in 2013.
Take train-obsessed kids to the Illawarra Light Railway Museum! They will adore riding the miniature railway, while adults will get a kick out of seeing the collection of excellently preserved steam and diesel locomotives.
Wollongong Art Gallery is a leading regional art gallery with an excellent collection of Contemporary, Aboriginal, Asian and Colonial artworks. The gallery itself is housed inside a local landmark: a unique building, designed and built in the 1950s.
Australia’s only dedicated children’s museum is located on the campus of the University of Wollongong in Sydney’s south. The Early Start Discovery Space is designed for kids aged 12 and under and features 14 interactive spaces designed to spark the imagination as they build, create and explore through play. A particular hit is the Tummy Tour, where kids can imagine themselves as a piece of food and crawl through an inflatable digestive system. The Early Start Discovery Space is one of our fave kids activities in Wollongong.
Science Space in Wollongong has over 100 interactive science-based exhibits, a planetarium, live shows, plus a gift shop and cafe.
The major hands-on science venue of southern New South Wales, Science Space is suitable for all ages, with two floors of interactive exhibits, plus live shows in the science theatre and Australia’s most digitally advanced Planetarium. Science Space is the major hands-on science venue of southern New South Wales.
The Royal National Park is one of the oldest in the world. Established in 1879 the park spans 160 square kilometres and makes for the perfect family day trip with plenty of spots for picnics, bbqs, bushwalking, swimming, fishing and whale watching. There’s wildlife to discover and Aboriginal heritage to explore. Enter the park by car, ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena or a tram from the Sydney Tramway Museum in Loftus.
A popular spot for families in the Royal National Park, Wattamolla is the name of a cove, lagoon, and beach. It’s an absolutely stunning spot with a flat lagoon for kids to swim in, a waterfall and a beach with rocks to climb on.
Let Curious Minds Play at Science Space Wollongong
Science Space in Wollongong has over 100 interactive science-based exhibits, a planetarium, live shows, plus a gift shop and cafe.
The major hands-on science venue of southern New South Wales, Science Space is suitable for all ages, with two floors of interactive exhibits, plus live shows in the science theatre and Australia’s most digitally advanced Planetarium. Science Space is the major hands-on science venue of southern New South Wales.
Science Space opened in 1989 under the name of Science Centre and Planetarium, just north of the current location. In 1998 Wollongong suffered severe floods, damaging the gallery and exhibits. In 2000 Space Science was rebuilt with support from the University of Wollongong (UOW) and the NSW Government in its current location, on the UOW’s Innovation Campus.
Science Space is the only dedicated immersive science centre in NSW.
The exhibits cover a range of topics from dinosaurs to gravity. Their interactive nature makes science fun and exciting for kids – you could easily spend an entire day here just tinkering with the exhibits.
We watched a live show in the science theatre (check the schedule to see when shows will be running again) which saw a chemical eruption – included in the ticket and well worth watching.
It’s also worth watching a show in the Planetarium, which uses a 4k laser projection system to take visitors on an immersive tour of the Universe, a journey back through time or to the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean. Check the website for the show schedule.
Visitors are welcome to bring their own food and use outdoor picnic areas. There is also a kiosk and café onsite.
Science Space Wollongong 60 Squires Way, North Wollongong Hours: Thur-Tue 10am-4pm (Closed Wednesdays) sciencespace.com.au
Enjoy breathtaking grand valley and waterfall views on the Wentworth Falls walks in the Blue Mountains National Park.
The Wentworth Falls track starts from Wentworth Falls picnic area. There is one main car park plus overflow parking on Falls road. The picnic area has shaded picnic tables and a decent bathroom.
If you’re catching public transport, regular trains run from Sydney Central Station to Wentworth Falls. The picnic area is around 2km walk along Falls Road, or you can catch a bus to the corner of Fletchers Road and Falls Road.
The road into the car park is sealed and easy to access. There is a wide, paved path from the carpark along to Jamison and Wentworth lookouts.
The Wentworth Falls walk is 1.4km return, with an estimated time of 45min – 1hr. There are steep steps involved that are not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. The trade is a grade 3, and we found it quite do-able with our nine-year-old. There were plenty of younger children also completing the walk.
Follow the path past Jamison and Wentworth lookouts.
There is a steep descent of around 200 steps to the cliff-edge Fletchers lookout. This is a stunning spot to take a look at Wentworth Falls as it plunges 100m into the valley.
Keep following the path down a few more steps to the top of the Falls.
The Jamison Creek cascades into a shallow pool to one side, which makes for a lovely little paddling pool for kids.
The other side opens into the Jamison Valley.
You can continue on a variety of routes from here, including the National Pass, Weeping Rock circuit, Undercliff track or historic Princes Rock lookout track.
We took the this round walk track, which is a short circuit through the bush and comes out at the most incredible view of the other side of Wentworth Falls.
Return to the car park via the same route. Take a towel and change of clothes if you’re planning on paddling in the cascades.
