The Grand Pacific Drive holds its own as one of the great Australian road trips. Encompassing 140km of some of NSW’s most stunning coastal scenery, the drive kicks off 45 minutes south of Sydney CBD at the entrance of one of the oldest national parks in the world and winds past sleepy seaside towns of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, and the Shoalhaven region, coastal rainforests, natural wonders, and incredible beaches, flanked by expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. If you drive without stopping, you could complete the drive within 2.5 hours, but stop you must, as the sights and attractions along the way are part of the experience. With the sun out and the flowers in bloom, this is also one of the best road trips you can undertake this spring and summer. Here’s what you need to know about the breathtaking drive.
Grand Pacific Drive, NSW
Some roads are simply more beautiful than others and the Grand Pacific route is so picture-perfect, it’s downright distracting. Even though you can breeze through the drive, we recommend adding some pitstops to your itinerary. Traversing along the spectacular 665 metre Sea Cliff Bridge which is shaped like a snake and offers particularly eye-catching coastal views along the way, the drive meanders past the city of Wollongong which is the main hub of the drive, through to the coastal towns of Shellharbour and Kiama and ending in the Shoalhaven region of NSW. Here are the best things to do along the Grand Pacific Drive this spring.
Notable sights and attractions
Sydney to Royal National Park and Wollongong via the Sea Cliff Bridge
If you’re driving from Sydney, it should take no longer than an hour to reach the Royal National Park where the drive technically starts from. Australia’s oldest and one of NSW’s most popular parks has plenty to offer with rugged landscapes, unique waterfalls, and excellent lookouts for whale watching. Once you’ve spent some time exploring the lush national park, head on towards Wollongong. Add Bald Head Lookout as an essential pitstop – one of Australia’s most popular lookouts and rightly so with stunning countryside, mountain, and ocean views. It’s usually buzzing with hand gliders if you’re feeling adventurous.
Rejoin the Grand Pacific Drive on the incredible Sea Cliff Bridge and be sure to get your camera ready, it’s one of the most photographed bridges in Australia.
Wollongong is the primary hub on the road trip so you can drive into the city centre and enjoy an afternoon of beaches, excellent seaside dining, art galleries, and street art. Highlights include Symbio Wildlife Park, Wollongong’s only zoo, the Wollongong Botanic Gardens for colourful spring blooms, and the lush Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk. Wollongong is also home to a number of fabulous swimming spots including the secluded Wombarra pool, twin rock pools at the southern end of Austinmer Beach, and Bombo Beach for excellent surf.
Wollongong to Shellharbour
A 25-minute drive from Wollongong will bring you to Shellharbour and on the way you’ll pass the huge Nan Tien Temple, the biggest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere and it’s well worth a stop to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the spot before making your way to Shellharbour. The lovely coastal city is located in the Illawarra region and offers plenty of beachy activities which are perfect as the weather warms up. Head to the Olympic-sized Beverley Whitfield Pool for a memorable swim and spectacular coastal views, go scuba diving or snorkelling at the sheltered Bushrangers Bay Aquatic Reserve, or head to “The Farm” or Killalea Beach for more beachy adventures. If you prefer a quieter day away from the crowds, consider making a detour towards the tranquil Minnamurra Rainforest in the Buderroo National Park and discover hidden waterfalls, sparkling blue pools, native wildlife and splendid walking trails.
Shellharbour to Kiama
Kiama is a cosy seaside village just 1.5 hours from Sydney and a must-visit spot for those looking for a break from the city. Home to the largest ocean blow hole in the world with stunning coastal scenery, beaches and waterfront dining to boot, Kiama is an excellent day trip destination from Sydney. You will also find plenty of lookouts to see all the action from if you prefer to stay on land including Saddleback Mountain, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial, and Seven Mile Beach National Park, and Mount Pleasant Lookout which lives up to its name. The Kiama Coast Walk is also a great way to take in the full beauty of the town with majestic sea views all around.
Kiama to Jervis Bay and beyond
Jervis Bay is just over an hour’s drive from Kiama and the final stop on the trip south on the Grand Pacific Drive and what a way to wind up the incredible journey. Running past beautiful small towns like Berry, and Nowra, this section of the Grand Pacific Drive, brings you to the Shoalhaven region of NSW in particular the popular Jervis Bay. White sand beaches, bioluminescent waters, botanic gardens, and turquoise waters as far as the eye can see await here and it’s the idyllic place to spend a lazy weekend. Recreational activities abound but we recommend the short and picturesque White Sands Walk, the brilliant Booderee National Park and some of the best white sand beaches in Australia including Blenheim Beach, Cave Beach, Callala Beach — the longest in Jervis Bay and of course, the world-famous Hyams Beach.
This winds up the 140km coastal drive but you can also opt to drive back to Sydney from Jervis Bay, a picturesque 3-hour drive, or take the scenic, and longer route past the Southern Highlands and small towns like Bowral, Mittagong, and Berrima to see the antique stores, bookshops, excellent local cafes and restaurants, and springtime flower festivals.
Where does the Grand Pacific Drive start and end?
The road trip starts from Sydney near the Royal National Park and goes all the way to Shoalhaven Heads and back. The total 140km drive would take around 2.5 or 3 hours but you could break it down and build the ultimate multi-day road trip if you want to experience all the essential stops along the way.
How difficult is the Grand Pacific Drive?
The drive is conveniently accessible with well-maintained and marked roads making it a generally easy route and suitable for most drivers.
Read more about the Grand Pacific Drive here.