Kiama Photography Locations: The Top 10 Spots for Great Photos
If you’re a landscape photographer searching for some breathtaking Kiama photography locations, look no further!
Kiama, situated on the tranquil South Coast of NSW, is a paradise for capturing stunning landscape and seascape photography.
And the best part? It’s less than two hours from Sydney!
This is one of my go to’s when I’m looking for a couple of days just to get away from it all. From the Central Coast where I live, it is less than a 3 hour drive and I always take a big sigh of contentment when I see the vista of their gorgeous harbour as I drive in.
This article will outline the top Kiama photography locations. Each location will include the google maps link as well as access, features, facilities and relevant photography tips.
From the majestic Cathedral Rocks, Bombo Quarry, Saddleback Mountain to the iconic Kiama Lighthouse and Kiama Blowholes, this guide will take you through the best spots to capture the beauty of this charming town and its surrounding areas.
So grab your camera gear and get ready to be inspired by the stunning beauty of Kiama!
Cathedral Rocks
If you’re a fan of interesting rock formations, you can’t go past Cathedral Rocks.
Over the years, erosion has carved these volcanic rocks into amazing sculptures that you won’t find anywhere else.
One of the things that makes this place so special is the variety of angles and compositions that can be shot here. As you walk around, the main formation changes shape completely depending on where you’re standing.
There is also a small cave that is quite easy to access which frames the main formation perfectly. Just be aware of the swell and it is safest accessed at low tide.
Location – Cathedral Rocks
Google Maps Link – North Kiama Dr opp Moona Ave
Getting There – Ample parking at the corner of North Kiama Drive and Moona Avenue. From there it’s a short walk south via the beach or grass area until you reach the rocks.
Facilities at Location – While there aren’t any toilets here, there are amenities located nearby at the Jones Beach Surf Club, and there are a couple of lovely cafe’s just around from there.
Features – There are so many compositions to be had here so be sure to allow enough time to walk around, absorb it all and get as many angles as you can.
Good to Know – Like most seascapes on the East Coast of Australia, Cathedral Rocks are best photographed at sunrise. So if you can, try to scope it out beforehand in daylight so you’ve got your bearings.
Bombo Quarry
Have you ever felt like you were walking on the moon?
Well, that’s exactly what it feels like at the unusual basalt columns of Bombo Headland, which is just a short drive out of Kiama.
These rock formations are a unique result of the area’s mining history and centuries of battling powerful ocean forces.
What’s even better is that unlike Cathedral Rocks, you don’t have to worry about the tide when visiting Bombo Quarry. It’s accessible no matter the level of the ocean, and while it’s best at sunrise, it can be a great sunset location as well.
But if you really want to experience it at its best, visit during a large swell. The dramatic waves make it an unforgettable experience. Just keep in mind that it can be a little dangerous depending on where you stand.
Location – Bombo Quarry
Google Maps Link – Bombo Beach Car Park
Getting There – head up the hill head right at the fork. After about 200m you should see a small opening in the bush on the right. If you get to the water treatment plant you’ve gone too far!
Follow the scrub for a few minutes and head down the stairs. Head left at the bottom of the stairs and you will soon find yourself surrounded by the huge basalt columns – you have arrived!
Facilities at Location – There are toilets and picnic tables at the car park.
Features – the key features here are the massive basalt columns and incredible rock formations. It is a large area, so make sure you spend time exploring it all. To see it in full glory, try going at sunrise when it’s high tide and a large swell is predicted.
Good to Know – Bombo Quarry is also a very popular spot for astrophotography as there’s not a lot of night pollution around Kiama. The rocks make a great foreground subject and the milky way is most visible here between April and August.
Rock Pools in Kiama
Kiama may not be a huge town, but it is blessed with two gorgeous rock pools.
Kiama Rock Pool
The main rock pool, just down from the lighthouse is of course perched on the edge of the ocean with access from the same road as the lighthouse.
It is a large ocean pool that is surrounded by natural rock formations and offers stunning views of the ocean.
Popular with early morning swimmers, it’s a great location to photograph the sunrise. The swimmers can make for an interesting subject.
Location – Kiama Rock Pool
Google Maps Link – Kiama Rock Pool
Getting There – ample parking right next to the location
Facilities at Location – There are toilets in the tourist information centre, plenty of room for a picnic, and cafe also at the tourist information centre.
Features – Rock pool, ocean, cliff face.
Good to Know – Best at sunrise. Can be busy with swimmers in the mornings but they can make for a good subject.
Continental Rock Pool
This pool is at the north end of Black Beach Reserve in Kiama.
When it’s calm, you can get the illusion of perfectly smooth ripples receding out forever to the horizon. The pool itself is about 1 metre above sea level, and when the waves are just lapping over the edge, they send out smooth ripples towards the ocean. Position yourself low to the water and shoot out towards the horizon.
Tip: As with all of the East Coast of Australia,
the sun will always rise over the ocean.
However, don’t discount sunset as the light
can be equally amazing.
Just for me I prefer sunrise,
as sunset is cabernet time!
Location – Continental Rock Pool
Google Maps Link – The Continental Pool, Kiama
Getting There – There is a small car park on Pheasant Point Drive, right next to the rock pool
Facilities at Location – Public toilets are available at the nearby Black Beach Reserve
Features – Rock pool, ocean, cliff face.
Good to Know – This pool is less likely to have swimmers during the cooler months as it’s more shaded than the main rock pool.
Blowholes
Not to settle with one, Kiama actually boasts two fabulous blowholes, which are always incredible to watch.
Undoubtedly the most famous is the Kiama blowhole as it’s the largest in the world, but don’t discount the creatively named ‘Little Blowhole’.
While the Kiama blowhole is indeed larger, with a 2.5 metre opening and water rising up as high as 30 metres, Little Blowhole is known to be the more consistent of the two.
It can be hit and miss as to whether you’ll see them ‘blow’, so try and head there when the wind is coming from the right directions (southeast for the Kiama Blowhole, and northeast for the Little Blowhole). This is when you’ll be most likely to see them in action.
They are both well worth a visit so check them out here:
Location – Kiama Blowhole
Getting There – While it can get busy there is ample parking
Facilities at Location – There are toilets in the tourist information centre, plenty of room for a picnic, and cafe also at the tourist information centre.
Facilities at Location – There are toilets in the tourist information centre, plenty of room for a picnic, and cafe also at the tourist information centre.
Features – rock shelf with spectacular fountains of water.
Good to Know – best when the seas are from the south east.
Location – Little Blowhole
Google Maps Link – Little Blowhole
Getting There – there is a small car park right next to the blowhole, and plenty of street parking on Tingira Crescent.
Facilities at Location – no nearby amenities, but a lovely grassy area to sit and enjoy the view.
Features – rock shelf with spectacular fountains of water.
Good to Know – best when the seas are from the north east.
Pheasant Point Lookout
Overshadowed by the iconic Cathedral Rocks and Bombo Quarry, Pheasant Point shouldn’t be missed. Just around from the Continental Rockpool, it offers impressive jagged rock shelves and channels leading out to the horizon.
It is similar to Cathedral Rocks though in that it’s a very tide-dependent location, so be sure to do your planning and don’t get trapped when the tide comes in.
Tip: As the sun rises at different locations depending on the time of year, it’s always good to check the angle of the sun if you’re planning on a particular spot. The two best apps to predict this are the Photographers Ephemeris and Photo Pills.
Location – Pheasant Point Lookout
Google Maps Link – Pheasant Point Lookout
Getting There – park near Black Beach Reserve, walk down past the Continental Rockpool and around the headland.
Facilities at Location – Public toilets are available at the nearby Black Beach Reserve.
Features – ocean, rock shelves, rock formations, channels, flow.
Good to Know – best at low to mid tide to stay safe but still catch the flow down the many channels.
Saddleback Mountain
Less than a 15 minute drive from the centre of Kiama, Saddleback Mountain Lookout gives you the best views in town. It really shows off how spectacular the coastline and surrounding farmlands are.
Try to go on a clear day and you will be able to see as far as Port Kembla in the north all the way down to Milton in the south. There are 3 separate lookouts so make sure you check them all out – perfect for panoramas!
Location – Saddleback Mountain
Google Maps Link – Saddleback Mountain Lookout
Getting There – Less than 15mins from the town centre of Kiama (if you can resist stopping along the way). The main lookout is right next to where you part, but there are a couple of others to check out if you have the time.
Facilities at Location – no amenities but plenty of spaces to enjoy the view.
Features -Incredible views from the lookout – that is all!
Good to Know – Try and go on a clear day if you want the panoramic views. It can also provide a great spot for atmospheric images. Can shoot at any time of the day and a perfect place to practise your panoramas.
Illawarra Jetty
This is a jetty that I shot during a workshop in the area back in 2020 (in between the dreaded lockdowns).
Not my favourite thing to photograph, but one for the jetty lovers.
Location – Illawarra Jetty
Google Maps Link – Boonerah Point Park
Getting There – Plenty of parking and you can almost see the jetty from the carpark.
Facilities at Location – Toilets and nice recreation, picnic area.
Features – Jetty
Good to Know – This location would be good at either sunrise or sunset
Minnamurra Rainforest
Minnamurra Rainforest is perfect to visit during the day for your photography fix.
Don’t think you can only do landscape photography at sunrise and sunset.
Just 20 minutes out of Kiama is this beautiful oasis to spend a couple of hours.
Location – Minnamurra Rainforest
Google Maps Link – Minnamurra Rainforest Centre
Getting There – Check out this guide by NSW National Parks for all the details of the walks in the area.
Facilities at Location – picnic area, toilets, drinking water, cafe.
Features – streams, tracks, ferns, beautiful mossy rocks and trees, plus a waterfall if you choose to head to the top!
Good to Know – Fees apply to access this National Park. Best to go soon after rain for good water flow up the top.
Windang Island Wheels
Last but not least are the partially submerged abandoned rail wheels on Windang Island.
It is about a 20 minute drive from Kiama, but well worth a visit.
This Island has a lot of history dating back to the late 1880’s where a proposal to mine the Windang Island started but was abandoned due to lack of capital.
Today you will see the remains of the trolley or cart wheels scattered throughout the Island and some parts of the rail system.
Location – Windang Island
Google Maps Link – Windang Island Wheels
Getting There – park at Redell Reserve car park, head north around Warilla North Beach to discover the wheels
Facilities at Location – Public toilets and picnic area at the reserve.
Features – beach, island, abandoned wheels.
Good to Know – Best at sunrise and low tide, but a nice location to visit at any time
Conclusion
And that’s my top 10 Kiama photography locations.
If you’re an avid photographer, you really must visit the picturesque town of Kiama and all it has to offer.
From the rugged vistas of Cathedral Rocks and Bombo Quarry to the lush rainforest and rolling hills, there’s no shortage of stunning sights to capture with your camera.
So why not spend a few days immersing yourself in this photographic playground and see what Kiama has to offer?
You’re sure to come away with some breathtaking shots!
Let me know in the comments below which is your favourite, or if I’ve missed anything!
That’s it for now – Keep clicking and stay caffeinated
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Other Posts You Might Like:
- NSW South Coast Photography Locations
- Blue Mountains Waterfalls
- Blue Mountains Lookouts
- Central Coast Photo Locations
- Tasmania Photo Locations: 25 Must-Go Spots For Great Photos
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Note – Unless otherwise stated, all photos are mine and remain my copyright images – Sam Wilson Photography.
