A Unique Natural Wonder in Kiama
We, along with perhaps over a hundred spectators, waited with bated breath, staring at a bare rocky cliff jutting over the sapphire blue waters of the Pacific. Quiet and attentive, our hands were on our cameras and phones, ready to press the roll button at any moment. We were waiting for a strange sound to rumble underneath us. Instinctively, we knew when it was coming—that rumbling sound. The next second, a resounding baritone boom, with a massive jet swooshing out of the rocky crevice, reached 10–15 meters of staggering height and sprayed all onlookers with a salty spray.
“Thar she blows!” shouted an excited spectator, while many others squealed in delight, cheering for more from this strange sonata of the seas. And that was how we saw, snapped, and savored one of nature’s most unique orchestras—Kiama’s famous blowhole.
Discovering Kiama: A Coastal Gem
Kiama is a coastal jewel lying to the south of Sydney, just two hours by car or train. It is 30 minutes from Wollongong, NSW’s third-largest city. With its majestic coastal surrounds, string of beaches, quaint houses, and proud heritage history, Kiama ranks consistently among Australia’s top draws outside its cities. In fact, Kiama bagged first place as NSW’s top tourism town for the second year in a row, according to the NSW Tourism Association.
Neighbors such as Shellharbour and Huskisson also drew accolades, further encouraging travelers to go beyond Sydney and savor the joys of bucolic, regional Australia.
The Twin Blowholes of Kiama
Steeped in natural coastal beauty, Kiama is world-renowned for not one, but two blowholes, nearly 250 million years old. The name of the town itself is Aboriginal in origin, potentially Kiarama, meaning “where the sea makes a noise.” This refers to the rumbling swoosh of the blowhole every time the waters spray out.
Imagine the sea eroding a horizontal tunnel in the seaside cliffs, while the tunnel also gets connected to a vertical opening, thereby creating an inverted ‘T’ letter. Under the right conditions, water enters the horizontal tunnel, compressing the air within. This compressed air then rebounds, much like a spring, hurling the seawater from the horizontal tunnel into the vertical channel and spraying the saltwater out of the blowhole.
The highest record was 25 meters of height ascended by such a spray, making Kiama’s blowhole one of the largest in the world. While the big blowhole—near the Kiama Lighthouse—is a tourist’s delight, and the town’s claim to fame, there is a mini blowhole, just 4 km south at Marsden Head. Locals claim that the smaller one, though less touristy, is more frequent and reliable, often even reaching the dizzy, salty heights of the main blowhole.
Exploring Kiama: Lighthouse, Walks, and More
The entire promontory that leads to the Kiama blowhole is a verdant delight lined with gigantic Norfolk pine trees growing on an uphill headland that rises above the crashing waves of the Pacific. It invites long scenic walks with panoramic views of the coastal beauty of Kiama. Some of these towering pine trees are over a hundred years old, planted by the council towards the end of the 19th century.
Not lagging behind is the lighthouse itself, built way back in 1887. The principal lighthouse keeper’s cottage was vandalized in the 1920s. However, the assistant keeper’s house still remains a fragment of heritage history. It has now been converted to the Pilot’s Cottage Museum, housing memorabilia of Kiama from over 200 years.
Do take your time to walk around this beautiful headland. Besides the blowhole, lighthouse, and museum, there are a few cafes and a Rock Pool close to the blowhole. The walk circumambulates all around the promontory and goes down to the Kiama obelisk (originally used to mark the center of the town from where all distances were measured), the picturesque Harbour Park, and the Black Beach. End your walk with a strong cup of coffee at the charming Penny Whistlers. Or, keep walking until you reach Kiama’s second rock pool, perfect for a dip on a hot sunny day.
The Kiama Coast Walk: A Scenic Adventure
If you loved the coast, the beautiful walk around the blowhole, and longed for more, you would not be alone. The resplendent 20 km Kiama Coast Walk is regarded as one of Australia’s most iconic walks. It has been in development since the 1990s, when the council recognized the beauty of the coastal paths and the potential for a major hiking trail.
Bits and pieces of the Coast Walk were developed over two decades. However, the whole stretch was not opened until 2009, after the council acquired private lands to facilitate a continuous public walk. Today, you will find scores of hikers taking to the walk, particularly on weekends, and it is to the locals what the Bondi-Coogee walk is to Sydney. The walk has three distinct sections, all equally dotted with natural attractions and scenic wonders.
The Three Sections of the Walk
The north section of the walk stretches from the Minnamurra River to the Kiama Blowhole. You can get off at the Minnamurra Station on the train from Sydney to start the walk. Key attractions on this stretch include the beautiful Minnamurra River and its elongated sparkling beach and the whale-watching platform. This is an excellent vantage point for whale watching in the migratory season from May to November.
There is also a string of beaches and lookouts, along with distinctive basaltic rock formations at Cathedral Rocks and Bombo Quarry. Bombo Quarry is a remnant quarry (one of many that once provided a livelihood for the newly established town of Kiama) and warrants special mention. Geologically, the rocks at Bombo are very significant. They have been an essential source of research for the Earth’s reversing poles (the north pole changing to where the south pole is today, and vice versa).
The middle section stretches roughly between the two blowholes. It includes the town’s most iconic beaches: Surf Beach, Kendall’s Beach and East Beach, ending at Loves Bay. The southern section completes the walk from Loves Bay, leaving behind the urbanity of Kiama. It meanders through sprawling, chartreuse-green meadows more reminiscent of alpine hillside meadows. Besides more viewpoints and beaches, there are also small sections of rainforests. These remind us how the original landscape was on these hills before cedar cutters arrived from Sydney, forever changing Kiama’s landscape.
The walk ends at the town of Gerringong, yet another coastal, bucolic town and a destination in its own right, worth exploring. (Gerringong is also connected by train to Kiama and then to Sydney).
Exploring Kiama Town: A Cozy Destination
Kiama is a cozy town filled with pastel-colored heritage houses, quaint bookstores, charming cafes, fine restaurants, and artists’ workshops. You can easily spend at least a couple of days taking in the littoral views and covering its many walks. Or, you can relax, do nothing, and savor a cup of coffee, listening to the wheezing songs of the blowhole.
If you have more time, there is a lot to explore in this part of New South Wales.
North of Kiama
- Wollongong (Botanic Gardens, Flagstaff Point Lighthouse, Mt Keira Lookout, Rhododendron Gardens)
- Lake Illawarra (Nan Tien Temple, Australian Motorlife Museum, Aviation Museum, Windang Foreshore Park)
- Shellharbour (Marina, Bushrangers Bay, Killalea Regional Park)
West of Kiama
- Jamberoo (Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, Illawarra Fly Treetop adventure, Carrington Falls)
- Robertson (Fitzroy Falls, Prospect and Bells Farms—locations where the movie ‘Babe’ was shot)
- Bowral (Bradman Museum, Corbett Gardens, Kangaroo Valley)
South of Kiama
- Gerroa & Gerringong (Crooked River, Gerroa Headland, Werri Beach, Seven Mile Beach, Whale watching platform)
- Nowra (Shoalhaven Zoo, Bundanon Art Museum, Fleet Air Arm Museum)
- Jervis Bay and the endless attractions of the Shoalhaven region (including world-famous Hyams Beach)
Plan Your Visit to Kiama
Kiama is well connected by rail and road. There are luxury hotels, budget motels, Holiday parks, and Airbnbs to suit all budgets. Get rejuvenated in the refreshing coastal small-town vibes of Kiama. You will surely agree that great things come in tiny packages—gift-wrapped with a blowhole or two.
