Stanwell Park Beach is the northernmost patrolled beach in Wollongong, New South Wales. It offers strong surf, serious rips and tandem paragliding from Bald Hill.
Where is Stanwell Park Beach near Wollongong?
Stanwell Park Beach north of Wollongong, New South Wales, is one of the most visually attractive beaches in Australia. The Illawarra Escarpment rises dramatically behind it, with steep cliffs either side and the beach itself in something of a natural amphitheatre.
Is it safe to swim at Stanwell Park Beach?
It’s not the longest beach in New South Wales – it’s around 850 metres long. And neither is it the safest.
Swimmers need to beware of a series of rips. Perhaps more than on many other Australian beaches, it’s important to swim between the red and yellow flags.
Surfing at Stanwell Park Beach
These rips make for good surfing breaks, however. Stanwell Park Beach is a good surf spot.
Bald Hill and the Stanwell Tops Lookout
However, surfing is not the sport Stanwell Park Beach is best known for. This is a gliding hotspot.
Bald Hill on the northern side of the beach is one of the best spots in the country for gliding. Aviation pioneer Lawrence Hargrave did a lot of his testing and experimentation at Bald Hill, and the Stanwell Tops Lookout here commemorates him.
Even if you’re not planning to jump off the hill with a glider, the views from the top are pretty delightful.
Paragliding at Stanwell Park Beach
If you’d like to try your hand at gliding, Skysurf runs training courses. Most visitors won’t have time for this, of course, so the tandem paragliding experiences are likely to be of more interest.
Suitable for complete beginners, these tandem experiences cost from $295.
Grand Pacific Drive attractions near Stanwell Park Beach
Other attractions along the Grand Pacific Drive from Sydney to Wollongong include Instagram favourite, the Sea Cliff Bridge, and Austinmer Beach.
Stanwell Park Beach: key visitor information
Information sourced from the City of Wollongong, BeachSafe, VisitNSW and local reports. Council’s latest published patrol dates cover the 2025/26 season. Check the Council website for current hours before you swim.
| Question | Information |
|---|---|
| What are the Stanwell Park Beach lifeguard patrol hours? | Council lifeguards patrol on weekdays and Saturdays. Helensburgh–Stanwell Park Surf Life Saving Club volunteers patrol on Sundays and public holidays. In the 2025/26 peak season (22 December to 30 January), patrols ran from 9am to 6pm daily. Shoulder-season patrols ran from 9am to 5pm. |
| How much does it cost to visit Stanwell Park Beach? | There’s no admission charge for the beach. |
| Is there parking at Stanwell Park Beach? | Yes. The beach car park is off Station Street, near the public toilet block. Parking is free, with a two-hour limit. Check the signs, as Council enforces the limit. |
| Is the Stanwell Park Beach car park busy? | Yes. Summer weekends and public holidays can be busy. |
| How long is Stanwell Park Beach? | About 850 metres. BeachSafe gives the beach a general hazard rating of 7 out of 10. |
| What facilities are at Stanwell Park Beach? | There are shaded picnic areas, barbecues, toilets and showers. The park also has a large open reserve, a playground and a renovated kiosk. |
| Are dogs allowed at Stanwell Park Beach? | Part of the beach is an orange zone, which means timed on-leash. Check the signs for times. |
| Is Stanwell Park Beach wheelchair accessible? | There are reasonably flat access and walkways from the car park, plus mobility parking beside the grassed park. Confirm current beach wheelchair availability with Council. |
| Where do the tandem paragliding flights take off and land? | Flights take off from Bald Hill and land on Stanwell Park Beach. Gliders can use Bald Hill when winds blow from the south or south-east. |
| How much does tandem paragliding at Stanwell Park cost? | From $295. |
| Is there a weight limit for tandem paragliding at Stanwell Park? | Skysurf lists a 120kg limit at Stanwell Park. Flights depend on the weather. |
| Who was Lawrence Hargrave? | He was an Australian aeronautical pioneer who first flew his box kite at Stanwell Park in 1894. |
| Where is the Stanwell Park surf club? | 1 Beach Road, Stanwell Park NSW 2508, at the northern end of the beach. |
Things to do near Stanwell Park Beach
Bald Hill Lookout, Stanwell Tops – This lookout offers wide views of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea Cliff Bridge, and hang-gliders and paragliders launch from its edge.
Sea Cliff Bridge – Opened in December 2005, this road bridge links Coalcliff and Clifton and has a pedestrian walkway beside the traffic lanes.
Austinmer Beach – Further south along Lawrence Hargrave Drive, this Council-patrolled beach has two rock pools at its southern end.
Scarborough Hotel – This clifftop pub dates from 1886 and is known for a beer garden with uninterrupted ocean views.
Symbio Wildlife Park – Meet native and exotic animals and hand-feed kangaroos.
More New South Wales travel
Other New South Wales travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- How to visit Fitzroy Falls in the Southern Highlands.
- Explore the history of cricket at the Bradman Museum in Bowral.
- Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk: How to get there, how much it costs and how to book.
- Why Bushrangers Bay in Shellharbour is great for snorkelling.
- Kiama attractions: Guides to visiting the Blowhole Point Ocean Pool and Bombo Headland in Kiama.
