24 best things to do in Kiama with kids

The famous ocean blowhole will always top a list of things to do in Kiama with kids. But there’s so much more to this coastal town than spurting water. Find a breath of fresh coastal air this winter and escape to a land of rolling hills, small-town charms and natural attractions.

Kiama is the kind of place that makes you want to quit your nine-to-five and live the rest of your days in a quaint seaside cottage. Bordered by bucolic scenery and brimming with exciting activities, this natural playground is an engaging location for the kids to take a break from their screens. The town is bubbling with eccentric cafes and friendly locals, giving Kiama an easy-breezy way of life.

One hour and 45 minutes south of Sydney, Kiama is an easy weekend escape. The creative and delightful town draws families back year after year. For good reason. It’s easy, it’s fun and it’s affordable. Kiama is the traditional country of the Wodi Wodi people. The name Kiama is derived from the indigenous name Kiaram-a, which translates to  “where the sea makes a noise.”

The Kiama blowhole

Kiama’s blowhole proves a powerful introduction to the NSW town. It can be found in the rocks near the lighthouse at Blowhole Point.

The Kiama blowhole is a natural circular tunnel cut into the rock with a chamber of water underneath. As water fills the chamber at the end of the tunnel, pressure builds. When waves subside, the pressure inside the chamber pushes water up through the blow hole.

The anticipation of the crowd builds much like the water pressure. Kids stare in anticipation – the brave ones waiting in the splash zone – not wanting to blink in case they miss it. A loud ‘whoosh’ signals the blast and water shoots high into the sky, followed by synchronised sounds of awe and applause. It’s like going on a ride – once is not enough.

The blowhole is located by the lighthouse at Blowhole Point.

Jamberoo Action Park

Jamberoo Action Park is the largest family-owned water park in New South Wales. If you’re looking for things to do in Kiama with kids, you’d be crazy not to put it on your list. Only a 20-minute drive from the heart of Kiama, Jamberoo is perfect for those seeking an adrenaline rush.

The bigger kids will be in their element here, racing friends down water slides, seeking out thrilling rides and challenging themselves on the popular rock jump. Aptly named The Rock, visitors can make the 5-metre plunge into the 5-metre deep pool below. Meanwhile, little ones can splash safely in the heated pools, themed water fountains and mini water slides at Billabong Beach. The area is surrounded by deck chairs for parents to keep an eye on little ones.

Everyone loves floating lazily down the Rapid River.

Dog-friendly beaches

Kiama’s dog-friendly beaches are Bombo, Jones and Werri. All three beaches are popular with surfers and there’s plenty of space for kids to play cricket and build sandcastles. Just around the southern corner of Jones’ Beach, photographers might want to spend some time at Cathedral Rocks, a spectacular rock column that juts out from the ocean. Further around is the beautiful cove known as Boneyard, a spectacular spot for a snorkel or SUP.

Bombo Headland

Discover the stunning Bombo Headland and its collection of spire-shaped basalt columns. The rock formations are a product of the region’s rich mining history and blue metal quarrying in the 1880s and 1900s, along with centuries of exposure to the powerful ocean forces. You can see the headland’s basalt columns and explore the quarry.

Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventure

Flying through the treetops on Australia’s highest zip line. Or walk high above the native rainforest on the 1.5-kilometre treetop walk raised nearly 50 metres from the forest floor.

Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures run guided tours suitable for ages four and up that involve a fun day of navigating suspension bridges and zip-lining 35 metres above the forest floor.

The self-guided Treetop Walk showcases panoramic views over the canopy to the Royal National Park, Lake Illawarra and the South Pacific Ocean.

Kiama Coast Walk

Marvel at the spectacular ocean views, rock formations and beaches along the Kiama Coast Walk. The complete track spans about 20 kilometres. For a shorter, more achievable walk, it can easily be broken down into sections with plenty of paved paths for the kids to ride their bikes and scooters.

The north section, from Minnamurra River to Kiama Blowhole, is where you’ll find some of the more impressive headland views. The dramatic Cathedral Rocks is a firm favourite with photographers. Pack your swimmers, you’ll want to stop at Jones Beach for a swim with the kids.

As you reach Kiama, enjoy a coffee break and some lunch at The Hungry Monkey or treat the kids to a lush ice-cream at Café Kiama & Scoops Ice Creamery. If you prefer to sit closer to the sea breeze and soak up coastal views, Diggies Kiama at Blowhole Point is a serves an all-day brunch menu.

Kiama Blowhole to Loves Bay is the middle section of this stunning coastal walk. Walk past the area’s most popular beaches including Surf Beach, Kendalls Beach and Easts Beach. It also passes by Kiama’s smaller and more consistent blowhole. The Little Blowhole is the next best option when the big one doesn’t perform. Lined with pretty paths, fun playgrounds and gorgeous picnic spots, this shorter track is perfect if you’re taking a walk with young ones in tow.

The south section stretches from Loves Bay to Gerringong. This part is a little more challenging with a few hills to climb but it is the most untouched and runs parallel to the South Coast Railway, an easy way to travel home if you’re too tired to walk back. Before leaving Gerringong, a great place to refuel is Zoobs Woodfired Pizza Restaurant which is super family-friendly with it’s mix of gourmet and traditional pizzas, plus all the usual pasta favourites.

Budderoo National Park

Budderoo National Park spans across just over 7,000 hectares of untouched land and is known for its gorgeous flowing waterfalls and numerous lookouts.

There are endless amounts of walks to do within Budderoo, however the Rainforest loop is particularly family-friendly. At only 1.6-kilometre in length, the track takes visitors through Minnamurra Rainforest Centre. It is noted as being perfectly suited for children, taking around an hour to complete.

The 4.2-kilometre return Falls Walk will take you a little longer, but it’s worth it. The track leads visitors to the breathtaking lookout over the Upper Minnamurra Falls. With several lookout platforms, you’ll experience views of the waterfalls and canyons up close.

The park is teeming with wildlife. On your walk you’ll see many species of birds, along with water dragons lazing about and wallabies foraging for food.

Kiama rock pools

Kiama has two beautiful rock pools close to town. Either one is a great place for active kids to swim laps or to take a toddler for a slash on a hot day.

The Blowhole Point Rock pool is at the north side of Blowhole Point. It usually has plenty of parking nearby.

Boat Harbour Rock pool is a beautiful swimming spot to take the kids, where you don’t have to worry about the harshness of the ocean waves. The calm water of the rock pool is crystal clear and family-friendly, with lots of places around its edges to set up for the day. Its a great opportunity to bring along a pool-noodle and inflatable devices to float around in the safety of the sea pool. A short walk from Boat Harbour Reserve, it has picnic and bbq facilities.

Minnamurra rainforest walk

Drive 20 minutes west past Jamberoo to reach Minnamurra Rainforest and you’ll feel like you’re in another region completely. This rare subtropical rainforest in Budderoo National Park offers a glimpse of what the Illawarra looked like before white settlement. If you’re looking for things to do in Kiama with kids, this is a beautiful place to explore the local flora and fauna.

Meander your way around the 1.6-kilometre Loop Walk, crossing elevated walkways as you go, and see how many types of birds, water dragons and swamp wallabies the kids can spot.

If you can manage an additional, and slightly more difficult, 2.6 kilometres, then the Falls Walk will lead you to the breathtaking lookout over the Upper Minnamurra Falls. After the walk, you can kick back at the Lyrebird Cafe or bring a picnic.

Then kids can unleash their creative sides back in town at one of the many art and craft workshops on offer. Check out what’s on at the local Kiama Library, or head to nearby Gerringong where crafty kids can learn to make jewellery at Bead Shack or partake in a clay workshop hosted by the lovely folk at Barefootfivetribe.

Gumaraa Aboriginal Experience

Families can experience authentic Indigenous experiences based on the Dharawal and Yuin Nation traditions. The company offers so many opportunities to learn more about Aboriginal culture. There are immersive Aboriginal tours, dance, art, language digeridoo and bush tuker workshops and performances.

Saddleback Mountain Lookout

Saddleback Mountain Lookout is six kilometres from Kiama via a steep and winding country road. Soak in sweeping views from Cronulla to Jervis Bay, and for those that are up for a real adventure, ‘Hoddles Walking Track’ can be accessed from the top, where it follows a fire trail to the peak of Mt Noorinan.

Picnic at Black Head Reserve

Black Head Reserve, Gerroa has sweeping over over Seven Mile Beach, towards Shoalhaven Heads. Enjoy a picnic with sourdough, pastries and jam from family-owned flour water salt bakery or Parfait Patisserie. Walk to the little beach at the north end of the headland to find fossils, shells and rock pools. Picnic during May and November and you may see a migrating whale. There is also a large off-leash dog area here. 

Enjoy Kiama’s cafe culture

Penny Whistlers has great water views, a chilled atmosphere and some of the best coffee around. There’s also The Hungry Monkey, where you can sprawl across footpath picnic tables while munching on gourmet burgers and sip a Nutella hot chocolate. Diggies Kiama has coastal views and serves all day brunch.

Fishing

There are so many fishing options around Kiama, ranging from chartered services to local hot-spots.

the Kiama Charter Service gives you the option to head out into the open water to cast a line. However, if you’d rather stay on land, there are plenty more options. many of the rivers in and around Kiama have plenty of fish to catch, such as Minnamurra river, Kiama harbour and Werri beach.

Golf

From the Kiama Golf Course to mini putt-putt, Kiama has a range of family-friendly golf activities that’ll keep everyone entertained for hours.

If you’d like a fully-catered experience, with gold buggies and manicured greens, head to Kiama Golf Course and play a round or two across its 18 holes. If you’re wanting to head somewhere a little more family-friendly, try Holey Moley in Woolongong or Crazy Putt at the Illawara Golf Complex.

Bike Riding

Bringing the bikes on a holiday never appealed more when it comes to Kiama. The Belinda St South bike trail is 1.7-kilometres long, making it perfect for the little ones. It coasts through the rural fringes of the Gerringong CBD and meanders through the Rowlins Rd Reserve.

The Kiama to Kendall’s bike track is another perfect trail for the family. Starting around the Surf Beach surf club and ending at Kendalls beach, the track is only 2.5-kilometres long. It boasts great views of the beach and lighthouse, but does get a little steep towards the end. On the moderate 3.4 kilometres Gerroa Scenic Loop, green hills meet the sapphire blues of Seven Mile Beach.

Beaches

It’s hard to choose between the many beach options Kiama provides. Surf Beach is definitely one of Kiama’s hot spots. One of the more northerly beaches in the town, Surf’s Beach boasts a long, thick stretch of sand. The best part about Surf Beach is its proximity to Coronation Park, which has designated eating areas and a playground for family picnics.

Kendalls Beach is a little further down and much more expansive. Like Surf Beach, it also has a playground for the kids. Kendalls is known for being a great fishing and surfing site, too. Seven Mile Beach is a stunning 12-kilometre stretch of beach with the Crooked River mouth at the northern end, which is fantastic for safe swimming.

Easts Beach is right in front on the massive BIG4 Holiday Park, making it an ideal spot for those who prefer cabins and caravans. River meets ocean here, giving kids double the swimming options. Munna Munorra creek runs through the park itself and at low tide, pools to a stop at one end of the beach.

Kiama Seaside Markets

Make sure to swing by the Kiama Seaside Markets, held on the third Sunday of every month and on some public holidays, which showcase the top locally designed and crafted gifts, clothing, art and wellness products in the region.

Surfing

Kiama is a great place to try surfing with the kids.

Due to it’s placement on an exposed reef, The Wedge Break at Kiama’s Surf Beach is renowned for its consistent surf. With great north-westerly winds and a perfect swell direction from the East, locals love attending this spot to catch a good wave.

Head south for the long rolling waves of Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa. According to the Gerringong Surf School, this beach is one of the best places in the state to learn how to surf. The waves aren’t too big and break at a slower pace, allowing surf students a good chance of nailing a wave standing up.

There are three surf schools based in Gerroa: Surf Camp Australia, Gerringong Surf School and the Gerroa Surf School. These supply locals and tourists with a couple of options when deciding what suits their needs best.

Kiama Leisure Centre

Kiama Leisure Centre has an indoor pool, childminding and great school holiday programs.

Kiama Library

Kiama library always has something going on for the little ones, ranging from specific events for bubs in preschool to fun and creative workshops for teens. Preschool story time is a free recurring event, hosted for 3 to 5-year-olds. It’s a great opportunity for little ones to be introduced to books through stories, songs and softplay. For the older kids, check out the monthly ‘Friday Flicks’ event, for those aged 15 and over. Held in the Kiama Library Auditorium, staff play a range of different movies and make sure there’s something for everyone’s taste.

Whale watching

Thanks to its rocky coastline, there are a number of great spots to spy humpback and southern right whales during their annual migration between May and November. Two of the best locations are Minnamurra and Gerringong whale watching platforms.

Seven Marks Art Gallery

This regional Contemporary Art Gallery was founded by 4 individual artists and curators. the gallery is committed to developing a dynamic exhibition calendar that continues to provoke and stimulate regional viewers. They host a number of events for adults and children. Often working with Gumaraa, an Indigenous cultural experience and education company. Workshops being held include an Emu Callers and Clapsticks workshop for kids, a Storytelling and Painting workshop for kids, and a Traditional Dance workshop for all ages.

Kiama Winter Festival

Running over a weekend in July – 13 and 14 July in 2024 –  the Kiama Winter Festival brings an ice rink to Kiama’s foreshore. There are heaps of kids’ activities, food and wine stalls from the region.

Eat fish and chips

Head to one of the fish and chip shops along Terralong Street for some of the best fish and chips in the state.

Shopping

Kiama also boasts an array of boutique shops, from vintage treasures to coastal chic. Let Mum take a breather at local fashion favourite Bombo Clothing Co. while the kids check out Toy World or one of the local surf outlets.

Kiama accommodation

BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park is the best place to stay in Kiama.

This article originally appeared in Holidays with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.

Main image: Green Hills at Kiama © Destination NSW; Murray Vanderveer

Keep reading:

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• South Coast family-friendly travel guide
• Whale watching on the NSW South Coast

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