Sea Cliff Bridge to Wollongong
23 km (1208 km) | 9 hr
I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. D. H. Lawrence
Sea Cliff Bridge to Wollongong today with my wonderful wife, Jelly. A long stretch of some of the finest beaches (and incredible rock pools/ocean baths) on the coast.
While many hikers might prefer the tracks that wind their way up to and along the escarpment, we stuck to the ‘every beach and every headland’ maxim to walk south along the shoreline.
Started with a cloudy sunrise at Sea Cliff Bridge. While the bridge is iconically impressive, I do miss the old 'dangerous rockfalls' cliff-hugging road.
An eerie sky above as we made our way around to Scarborough/Wombarra Beach and Rock Pool before the Aussie blue sky returned and the day warmed up.
Next, via one of so many superb rock platforms, to Coledale Beach and outstanding Coledale Rockpool perched on yet another amazing rockshelf, before we picked our way around to Sharky and Headlands Beaches.
Little Austinmer and Austinmer Beaches followed - wow - so many inviting options for a swim that it was almost too difficult to keep moving.
After Austinmer it was Herah’s Beach and then Thirroul where we were joined by my brother Graham Keaney.
Thirroul was DH Lawrence's abode during his sojourn in Oz and Lawrence’s 'cottage by the sea' in Thirroul (nicely named Wyewurk) still sits above the beach at 3 Craig St.
Anyway, onwards and southwards to McCauleys, Sandon Point and then Bulli Beach where we had a smashing avo toast brunch at the headland cafe.
Woonona and Bellambi Beaches came next - and time for a glorious dip at yet another incredible rock pool near Bellambi Point.
Around Bellambi and Sandspit Points to Corrimal, Towradji and Fairy Meadow Beaches before the superb strip of North Wollongong Beach and finally the Wollongong Breakwater and Wollongong Beach stretching southwards to Port Kembla. (Wollongong is perhaps an indigenous onomatopoeic word for the sound of the waves - very apt with today's big swells).
So, all in all, a long, incredible stretch of easily accessed, near perfect beaches framed by the towering escarpment. Rock shelves at lower tides and an excellent esplanade pathway (signposted as the Grand Pacific Walk and bike path) following the shore as the tide flows in. A plethora of scenic cafes and gob-smacking ocean pools everywhere - what coastal pilgrim could ask for more?
The folk of the Illawarra (high, pleasant place by the sea) are truly spoilt. It is all just so astonishingly, beautifully, idyllically gentle and relaxed – hard to believe it is only a short (and very scenic) train ride from the big smoke. A brilliant day's coastal walk...