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52-544: Kiama ( / k aɪ æ m ə / ) is a coastal country town 120 kilometres south of Sydney in the Illawarra . One of the main tourist attractions is the Kiama Blowhole . Kiama features several popular surfing beaches and caravan parks, and numerous alfresco cafes and restaurants. Its proximity to the south of Sydney makes it an attractive destination for many day-trippers and weekenders. Kiama also has historically been

104-536: A grassy coastal plain, narrow in the north and wider in the south, bounded by the Tasman Sea on the east and the mountainous, almost impassable Illawarra escarpment (forming the eastern edge of the Southern Highlands plateau) to the west. In the middle of the region is Lake Illawarra, a shallow lake formed when sediment built up at the entrance to a bay. The district extends from the southern hills of

156-430: A dormitory suburb (where people travelled away to work) and summer tourist spot. Kiama in 2009 is a tourism haven in summer, during which its population triples. The Kiama Pilot's Cottage is now a local history museum. Nearby, on Black Beach, is a memorial to the blue metal freighter SS Bombo , which capsized and sank outside Port Kembla harbour in a huge gale after departing Kiama for Sydney on 24 February 1949. Twelve of

208-509: A farming and agricultural centre. Even to today it maintains a country and agricultural community with a weekly farmers markets held on Wednesday afternoons. Kiama was the site of two strong volcanic flows, called the Gerringong Volcanics, which came out of Saddleback Mountain , now a collapsed volcanic vent. The Kiama Blowhole is part of an erosion process on the more recent rock, formed into columnar basalt, or latite . Before

260-466: A large range of surfing conditions. Many surfing competitions are held here every year. These include Boyds Beach – Kiama Downs , Bombo Beach – Bombo , Surf Beach – Kiama, Easts Beach and Caravan Park – Kiama Heights, Kendalls Beach – Kiama and Mystics Beach – Minnamurra River . The name "Kiama" is derived from the Aboriginal word " kiarama ", which means "Place where the sea makes a noise". Kiama

312-879: A long divide between the main plain and the Jamberoo Valley, which stretches until it reaches Kiama . South of Kiama is Saddleback Mountain and south of that the Shoalhaven plains and the outcrop of Coolangatta Mountain. Ecologically, the coastal grassy region of the Illawarra is within the Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland biome. Characteristic tree species in the region include Eucalyptus tereticornis , Eucalyptus eugenioides , Eucalyptus longifolia , Eucalyptus bosistoana and Melaleuca decora . Shrub species include Acacia mearnsii , Dodonaea viscosa and as well as

364-454: A mega-tsunami hit this coast around 1487 A.D according to Dr Ted Bryant of Wollongong University. The first European to explore the area was George Bass who stopped there on 6 December 1797 and viewed Kiama's blowhole. During the early settlement of eastern Australia, the Kiama area was settled by wheat farmers, since the soil was volcanic and rain-swept unlike most of Australia. Early Jamberoo

416-768: A men's match between the Wollongong and Kiama Swim Clubs at Brighton Beach. The Kiama Swim Club prevailed, winning 3-0. Water polo is currently played at UOW Pool through the Illawarra Water Polo Club. Each year, Illawarra also compete at the NSW Country Club Championships, whereby the Illawarra U14's boys won in 2021. Wharf A wharf commonly comprises a fixed platform, often on pilings . Commercial ports may have warehouses that serve as interim storage: where it

468-530: A wonderful rock pool. A locally famous phenomenon is the local group of Australian Pelicans . The pelicans have been honoured with a metal statue at the harbour. Seven kilometres southwest of the town is Saddleback Lookout atop the 600-metre high Saddleback Mountain with views over the Illawarra Plains and escarpment and south to Nowra, Pigeon House Mountain and Coolangatta Mountain. Saddleback and Noorinan mountains provide an impressive backdrop to

520-525: Is a contiguous urban sprawl centred on Lake Illawarra , the western district defined by the Illawarra escarpment , which leads up to the fringe of Greater Metropolitan Sydney including the Macarthur in the northwest, and to the Southern Highlands region in the southwest, which is historically semi-rural, but now defined by increasing urbanisation. The word " illawarra " is derived from

572-445: Is also known as the place where the mountains touch the sea. This is in reference to the Kiama Blowhole which attracts many visitors annually. The "Little Blowhole" is a lesser known blowhole as it does not share the same central location or the scale associated with the larger Kiama Blowhole . The Little Blowhole is on a headland south of the central part of Kiama between Easts and Kendalls Beaches. Both have areas for viewing, though

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624-444: Is known for its history and pink colour, although it was repainted in 2012. It is situated near Black Beach. Kiama has a quintessential country-style strip mall of cafés, restaurants, art galleries and shops on Terralong Street. Also on this street is a war memorial, an historic fire station used for exhibits, and a small shopping centre. There is a strong arts following and interest in cultural events in Kiama, and in 2013 an arts trail

676-682: Is linked to Sydney in the north by several passes, a motorway ( Southern Freeway ) and an electric railway (see Illawarra railway line ); to the west by the Illawarra Highway and Picton Road; and to the south by the Princes Highway . At Albion Park Rail the Illawarra Regional Airport serves the region. The Illawarra Steelers Rugby league Football Club played in the NSWRL rugby league competition, then

728-527: Is sufficient a single wharf with a single berth constructed along the land adjacent to the water is normally used; where there is a need for more capacity multiple wharves, or perhaps a single large wharf with multiple berths, will instead be constructed, sometimes projecting over the water. A pier, raised over the water rather than within it, is commonly used for cases where the weight or volume of cargos will be low. Smaller and more modern wharves are sometimes built on flotation devices ( pontoons ) to keep them at

780-417: Is the largest city of the Illawarra with a population of 240,000, then Shellharbour with a population of 70,000 and Kiama with a population of 10,000. These three cities have their own suburbs . Wollongong stretches from Otford in the north to Windang in the south, with Maddens Plains and Cordeaux in the west. The Illawarra region is characterised by three distinct districts: the north-central district, which

832-508: The Aboriginal Tharawal word " allowrie ," also sometimes spelled as " elouera " or " eloura ." According to A. W. Reed , the word is variously translated as "pleasant place near the sea" or "high place near the sea." The prefix of " illa " is also known to mean "white clay;" with the suffix " warra ," sometimes spelled as " wurra ," meaning "mountain" in the local indigenous language. George Bass and Matthew Flinders were

884-627: The Kiama Community College and National Training Masters . The local TAFE NSW College is located at Shellharbour . Illawarra The Illawarra is a coastal region in the southeast of the Australian state of New South Wales . It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongong , Shellharbour and the coastal town of Kiama . Wollongong

936-587: The NRL , from 1982 to 1998, and currently forms one half of the St George Illawarra Dragons joint venture, who play six of their twelve home games at WIN Stadium in Wollongong. The Illawarra Steelers still field teams in the lower rugby league divisions. Many famous footballers, such as Bob Fulton , Graeme Langlands , Mick Cronin , Rod Wishart , Paul McGregor , Craig Fitzgibbon , Luke Bailey , Steve Roach , Garry Jack , Warren Ryan , and

988-495: The Princes Highway . Kiama was served by two tramways built to connect the Pike's Hill quarries west of the town with the harbour traversing Terralong Street. The first 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) was built in 1885 but never opened after financial problems were encountered with the tracks lifted in 1889. A second 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge line operated from 1914 until 1941. The beaches around Kiama offer

1040-653: The Royal National Park in the north to the Shoalhaven River in the south, and contains the city of Wollongong , the fourth largest urban area in New South Wales. North of Wollongong the plain narrows to a small strip of land between the coast and the escarpment. At Coalcliff and Stanwell Park small valleys are formed allowing further settlement. To the south it widens, and becomes increasingly hillier before reaching Stockyard Mountain,

1092-597: The staith spelling as a distinction from simple wharves: for example, Dunston Staiths in Gateshead and Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk . However, the term staith may also be used to refer only to loading chutes or ramps used for bulk commodities like coal in loading ships and barges. Quay , on the other hand, has its origin in the Proto-Celtic language . Before it changed to its current form under influence of

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1144-416: The subtropical rainforest is generally said to finish in the Kiama area, though several rainforest species reach their southern boundary at Mount Dromedary , around 250 kilometres (160 mi) south of Kiama. Kiama is the northern edge of the oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ), bordering on a humid subtropical climate . with warm summers and mild winters. Rainfall is spread relatively evenly throughout

1196-566: The Australian climate. The Illawarra Central Co-operative Dairy Factory was used by the Illawarra Central Co-operative Dairy Co. Ltd. for the intake of milk and cream from dairy farmers in the local area. Coal mining has been a key part to the Illawarra's economy for over 200 years. The southern part of the region has been a source of crushed-stone construction aggregate and railway track ballast material for over 140 years. The Illawarra region

1248-707: The Hawks through the NBL's Next Star program. In April 2020, LaMelo Ball and his business manager, Jermaine Jackson announced they had bought the Hawks. The Wollongong Wolves participated in the now defunct NSL , winning back to back premierships in 2000 and 2001. The Wolves were not selected for the NSL's replacement, the A-League , and instead chose to compete in the New South Wales Premier League under

1300-530: The Illawarra Steam Navigation Company could enter and a flourishing sea trade followed. Staithes for loading crushed blue metal stone directly into ships from rail trucks were installed along the eastern end of the harbour, allowing regular shipments to be taken to Sydney for the railways and road construction. The ships that carried the blue metal to Sydney were known colloquially as the " Stone Fleet ". The Kiama Pilot's Cottage

1352-609: The Kiama Blowhole attracts more tourists. A coastal walking track currently allows people to walk from Minnamurra to Easts Beach, past both blowholes. A 7 kilometre southern extension to this path has been opened to allow people to walk along the cliffs to Gerringong . A few kilometres north at Bombo is Cathedral Rocks, a formation well known and visited, with a walk/cycleway going along the Kiama coast. There are other rock formations on these cliff headlands of moderate renown. The Kiama Post Office, one of many historic buildings,

1404-528: The Kiama quarries. The basalt formed by two volcanic eruptions 240 million years and 66 million years ago was a valuable commodity for a growing colony, with the blue metal used to pave Sydney's roads and as ballast for its railways. It was very similar to the basalt found in Northern Ireland, where the Giant's Causeway is a famous example. There are still active quarries in the Kiama area, including

1456-701: The N.S.W. Railway Quarry, and the remnants of earlier quarries are easily visible throughout the town and often have facilities built inside them such as the Kiama Leisure Centre. One particular quarry, the Bombo Headland, is of scientific importance as it is the site of the discovery of the longest known geomagnetic polarity interval called the Kiaman Reverse Superchron . When Kiama Harbour was hollowed out after 17 years' work, and flooded in 1876, larger steamers such as from

1508-762: The Stewart brothers Brett and Glenn , have come from the Illawarra region. The Illawarra Hawks have represented the region (previously known as The Hawks and the Wollongong Hawks) since the foundation year of the NBL , 1979. They won the NBL championship in 2001 defeating the Townsville Crocs 2-1 in the best of 3 finals. They also finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010 seasons. The team caught global attention when American teen sensation LaMelo Ball announced on ESPN's show The Jump that he will be joining

1560-530: The United States. In some contexts wharf and quay may be used to mean pier , berth , or jetty . In old ports such as London (which once had around 1700 wharves ) many old wharves have been converted to residential or office use. Certain early railways in England referred to goods loading points as "wharves". The term was carried over from marine usage. The person who was resident in charge of

1612-433: The cedar-getters (comprising ex-convicts, convicts and runaways, some with cedar licences and many without) arrived in the area around 1810, the local Indigenous Australians , Wodi Wodi of the language group Dharawal , had been using the land for thousands of years, moving every six weeks or so in family groups. This is supported by a midden of shells at yes nearby Bass Point used for more than 17,000 years. During this time

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1664-514: The city. The Jamberoo Action Park , a mainly ride-orientated water-themed park, is situated 10 minutes inland of Kiama in the small town of Jamberoo. West of Kiama in the green hills lies Jerrara Dam, built in the 1800s to supply water to the area. It is now a reserve. North of the Minnamurra River is Killalea Recreation Area , a nature reserve on Bass Point. It is south of Shellharbour . Kiama Council spent eleven years preparing

1716-726: The construction of the Kiama Coast Walk, a six-kilometre track extending from Loves Bay, north of Kiama, to Werri Lagoon, near Gerringong, south of Kiama. Some coastal land was declared public reserve to allow the public to walk through what was previously private property. The track was scheduled to open in October 2009 and was expected to be a popular drawcard for the public. Kiama is home to several schools, including Kiama High School , Kiama Public School and Ss Peter and Paul Catholic School . Two vocational education and training (VET) providers also have their headquarters in Kiama,

1768-584: The endangered orchard Pterostylis gibbosa . The wet elevated areas of the Illawarra, where rainfall exceeds 1300mm, are within the Southern Lowland Wet Sclerophyll Forests and Southern Escarpment Wet Sclerophyll Forests biomes which generally feature tall, compact eucalyptus forests 30m-60m tall and understorey that include moist shrubs, tree ferns , a few vines and a uninterrupted herbaceous groundcover . The Illawarra-Shoalhaven subtropical rainforest lies in

1820-507: The famous Australian poet. The Kendall name is remembered today in several places such as the spooky Kendall Cemetery in Kiama Heights and Kendalls Beach . The Hindmarshs are remembered in Kiama's main park, Hindmarsh Park, and after 10 generations still live on their original land. Kiama's next population boom was powered by its quarries, which multiplied rapidly in the early years of the 20th century. Many Irish Catholics worked in

1872-494: The first Europeans to visit the area, with Flinders recording that it 'was called " Allowrie " by the natives'. For the period around 1806, the region was called "Five Islands"; referring to the group of five islands off Red Point. In 1817 Governor Macquarie , referring to region, wrote: 'part of the coast known generally by the name of the Five Islands, but called by the natives " Illawarra ". The region consists of

1924-455: The fourteen crew were lost. A tornado ripped through parts of Kiama in February 2013, damaging about 75 homes. Kiama has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: The Kiama area includes many attractions, being situated on the coast south of the Minnamurra River , and to the west lie the foothills of Saddleback Mountain and the smaller less discernible peak of Mount Brandon. Also to

1976-570: The name Wollongong FC . The Wolves organisation collapsed in 2008, and was taken over by Wollongong Community Football Club . The Wolves have continued to play in the New South Wales Premier League. Cricket has also been played in the Illawarra for at least one hundred and fifty years with the Keira Cricket Club being founded in 1862. The first recorded match of water polo in the Illawarra came in 1894, in

2028-793: The northeast and east of England the term staith or staithe (from the Norse for landing stage) is also used. The two terms have historically had a geographical distinction: those to the north in the Kingdom of Northumbria used the Old English spelling staith , southern sites of the Danelaw took the Danish spelling staithe . Both originally referred to jetties or wharves. In time, the northern coalfields of Northumbria developed coal staiths specifically for loading coal onto ships and these would adopt

2080-459: The purposes of local government administration , the Illawarra region is contained within the cities of Wollongong , Shellharbour and the Municipality of Kiama . The main industries in the area have traditionally been farming, coal mining and steel making . Australia's largest steel-works, BlueScope , operates at Port Kembla . The area, especially around Port Kembla and Wollongong ,

2132-580: The region. For the purposes of Australian federal elections for the House of Representatives , the Illawarra region is contained within the electoral Divisions of Cunningham , Whitlam and the northern tip of Gilmore . For the purposes of New South Wales elections for the NSW Legislative Assembly , the Illawarra region is contained within the electoral districts of Wollongong , Keira , Shellharbour , Heathcote , and Kiama . For

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2184-574: The same level as the ship, even during changing tides. In everyday parlance the term quay (pronounced 'key') is common in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and many other Commonwealth countries, and the Republic of Ireland, and may also refer to neighbourhoods and roadways running along the wayside (for example, Queen's Quay in Toronto and Belfast ). The term wharf is more common in

2236-520: The west is the town of Jamberoo with pasture-land in between, which contains many historic buildings and dry stone walls . Also of note is Seven Mile Beach to the south, a protected reserve. Kiama has several well-known surfing beaches, including Surf Beach, 'Mystics' and Boyds' Beach, as well as other more protected swimming beaches situated in coves between headlands such as Black Beach, Easts Beach and Kendalls Beach. Kiama Harbour forms one of several coves between headlands. The southern extreme of

2288-642: The wharf was referred to as a "wharfinger". The word wharf comes from the Old English hwearf , cognate to the Old Dutch word werf , which both evolved to mean "yard", an outdoor place where work is done, like a shipyard ( Dutch : scheepswerf ) or a lumberyard (Dutch: houtwerf ). Originally, werf or werva in Old Dutch ( werf , wer in Old Frisian ) simply referred to inhabited ground that

2340-485: The whole coastal hills was covered in rainforest and cedar brush. There is evidence of a flourishing culture with intricate possum cloaks, a developed song and story cycle, and a deep understanding of the many plants of the rainforest. Only a few remnants of rainforest survive along the escarpment in places like the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre. There is strong evidence of recent sea debris showing

2392-413: The year with the wettest months being in autumn and the driest in spring. At the 2021 census , Kiama had a population of 7,904. The town is served by Kiama railway station , the last station to be electrified on the Illawarra railway line ; the journey to Sydney takes about 2 hours 15 minutes. By road, Kiama is about 55 minutes from the southern edge of Sydney, and 100 minutes from the city centre, via

2444-727: Was finished in 1881 and the Kiama Lighthouse in 1887. Kiama really hit its boom time in this period, from 1890 until the Great Depression in 1927, when many of the quarries closed. It was a prosperous and happy time well recorded in the local newspaper, the Kiama Independent and the photographs of the Cocks Photographic Studio, two valuable resources which tell most of the Kiama story. Over time tourism and housing growth turned Kiama into

2496-574: Was introduced to showcase the work of individual artists, together with regular arts events in the area. Food and wine trails are also becoming more popular in the area. Kiama Lighthouse , on Blowhole Point, was built in 1887 and is situated close to the Kiama Blowhole. The point also contains a heritage pilot's cottage and a tourist information centre. North West of the Blowhole is Kiama Harbour, home to fishing boats and seafood market where you can buy local fish. The point also contains seaside cabins and

2548-461: Was not yet built on (similar to " yard " in modern English), or alternatively to a terp . This could explain the name Ministry Wharf located at Saunderton, just outside High Wycombe, which is nowhere near any body of water. In support of this explanation is the fact that many places in England with "wharf" in their names are in areas with a high Dutch influence, for example the Norfolk broads. In

2600-410: Was once known for its mainly industrial jobs, but since the 1990s commerce has played an increasing role in the city, overtaking industry in many areas. Illawarra cattle were originally bred in Illawarra and are now Australia's 3rd largest breed in population. They are large dark red cows sometimes with white patches. They produce large amounts of high butter fat and high protein milk and are suited to

2652-533: Was one of the birthplaces of the Australian dairy industry with the first Dairy Factory ( The Kiama Pioneer Factory ) and first Dairy Co-operative in Australia. There were three original major land grants, Thomas Surfleet Kendall (son of lapsed missionary Reverend Thomas Kendall ), Michael Hindmarsh and Matthew Cignarella, all of which married sisters of the Rutter family. The Kendalls were cousins of Henry Kendall ,

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2704-482: Was the population centre from about 1830 to the 1860s and when the wheat failed to grow, the farmers switched to dairying. During this period, Kiama became the best example of ' chain migration ' in Australia as many assisted migrants came from Northern Ireland on clearing leases and eventually half the marriages in the Kiama Anglican Church in a hundred years had Northern Irish Protestant ancestry. Kiama

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