Kiama is a township 120 kilometres south of Sydney in the Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia.
The name Kiama is from the aboriginal word Kiaram-a, to which some sources give the meaning 'Where the sea makes a noise'; as reference to the famous Kiama Blowhole.
The first recorded reference to the district was by George Bass who anchored his 28ft whaleboat in the sheltered bay in December 1797. Cedar getters were the first to the area, among those was David Smith, who became the first permanent white settler when he built a residence in Kiama in 1832.
Kiama is home to the Kiama Blowhole which blows water to a height of about 60 metres. The surf is good around Kiama and there are also several places to stay and things to do in this laidback place.
West of Kiama is the Budderoo National Park, home to the Minnamurra Rainforest. You can get there by bus from Kiama, which is a must as the plantlife and flora are spectacular.
The town also features several popular surfing beaches, caravan parks and numerous cafes and restaurants. It is the first country town south of Sydney, and attracts a large number of day trippers.
Kiama has an oceanic climate with warm summers and mild winters. Rainfall is spread relatively evenly throughout the year with the wettest months being in autumn and the driest in spring.
Featured Kiama Activities
TOUR NAME
LOCATION
RATES (AUD) from
Half Day Motorcycle Tour to Cambewarra Lookout(EX2264) (Motorcycle) A motorcycle tour is vastly superior to anything else in thrill value and visual experience.
Feel the roar of the engine as this tour takes you through towns local to Illawarra as you head for lun...
Kurnell Motorcycle Tour(EX2274) (Motorcycle) Feel the roar of the engine as this tour takes you to Kurnell considered as the birthplace of modern Australia. Home to the site where Captain Cook landed over a century ago....
La Perouse and Eastern Sydney Beaches Motorcycle Tour(EX2275) (Motorcycle) Beginning your journey through the Royal National Park you will then pass over over Tom Ugly's Bridge, past Sydney airport to La Perouse. Take time to visit this historic site, where Captain Cook cam...
Purchase this DVD that captures the sweeping contrasts of New South Wales. Includes footage of the Great Dividing Range to Bathurst, Goulburn and Albury, through the rich grazing lands.
Marvel at Dubbo's Western Plain Zoo and discover the rare opal at Lightning Ridge. Explore the Ghost Towns and outback city of Broken Hill and admire the splendour of the Menindee Lakes in the Kinchega National Park.
Investigate the Minnamurra Rainforest and enjoy the waterfalls of the Illawarra Plateau. Explore the snowfields of the Snowy Mountains, Mt Kosciusko and traverse the Murray River from the Alpine headwaters to Lake Hume. Moving on to the Southern Coast of New South Wales and the panoramic vistas's of Jervis Bay, the famous Blow Hole at Kiama and north to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.
PLEASE NOTE: The New South Wales travel destinations outlined above are only a small selection from the tens of thousands of Australian travel information pages available on Australian Explorer. A comprehensive list of destinations for New South Wales Holidays can be found on the main New South Wales Holidays location guide.
