Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area
Overview
Framing Wollongong, the Illawarra Escarpment is a dramatic 30 million-years-old formation, offering scenic lookouts, hiking, walking, birding, and picnic spots.
Read more about Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area
Millions of years in the making, the Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area features dramatic sandstone cliffs and a medley of different forest types, from sub-tropical rainforest to olive-green eucalypts and towering cedars. Throw in two accessible mountains, an abundance of colonial and Aboriginal heritage, and a stunning variety of birdlife, and you have a unique place with attractions to suit any taste.
Come for a serious bushwalk or a casual jog, visit a lookout in the winter for whale watching off the coast, or break out the binoculars for birdwatching. There are cycling opportunities on fire trails and plenty of chances to cool off in summer by retreating to a rainforest track. The area is also popular with families taking advantage of the picnic spot by firing up barbecues on Sundays.
And while the Conservation Area is just a stone’s throw away from Wollongong, once you’re surrounded by its natural beauty, you’ll feel entirely removed from the hustle and bustle of city living.
Highlights in this park
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Saving Our Species program
Australia is home to more than 500,000 animal and plant species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Saving our Species is a statewide conservation program that addresses the growing number of Australian animals and Australian native plants facing extinction.
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Contact
- in the South Coast region
Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. However, it is recommended that bushwalking only be undertaken during daylight hours because of the presence of cliff edges and other hazards.
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Wollongong office
02 4224 4188
Contact hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm. - Unit G Ground Floor, 84 Crown Street, Wollongong NSW 2500
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Email: npws.illawarrahighlands@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Wollongong office