The Illawarra Escarpment offers a full range of exciting walks. This extended hike combines several of the best, threading through magnificent cliff-top rainforest and dry eucalypts.

Start the walk at either Coalcliff (Wodi Wodi track) or Austinmer (Sublime Point track). Both trackheads are a short stroll from the train station. Your path then ascends sharply before snaking a leisurely 11 kilometres along Forest walk. Views are superb across the panoramic coast below, as you wander through upland swamps and tall blackbutt-apple shale forest. You’re bound to capture some inspiring photos here.

You can cap it all off with a post-trek barbecue: at Sublime Point lookout, the track takes a steep turn down to Austinmer via a narrow cliff ledge and several ladders. The nearby Lady Fuller park, featuring picnic tables and toilets, offers a fitting end to your challenging, but rewarding hike.