Coach Hire Across Australia

Coach Charter in Wollongong and the Illawarra

Wollongong trips are mostly coast and escarpment: Grand Pacific Drive, the temple at Berkeley, Kiama and the treetop walk at Knights Hill. The mountain roads decide which of those a full-size coach can reach, and by which way.

Which escarpment roads a coach may use

Check Illawarra Fly first. Coaches are not allowed on Jamberoo Mountain Road between Robertson and Knights Hill Road, and vehicles over 11 m may not come up from the Jamberoo end either. The operator confirms a permitted route with the attraction before the day. Once you arrive, parking is free and has room for up to ten coaches.

Macquarie Pass on the Illawarra Highway closes from time to time. When the pass is shut, the heavy-vehicle detour uses Picton Road and Mount Ousley Road, and that puts real time on a Southern Highlands day. Look for closure notices in the week before a trip to Bowral.

Full-size coach interior with reclining seats and aisle
Full-size coach interior with reclining seats and aisle

Nan Tien Temple with a group

Arrange the tour with the temple ahead of the visit. Visiting days are Tuesday to Sunday plus public holidays, 9am to 5pm, with no arrivals after 4.30pm, so an afternoon visit needs a firm departure from the stop before it.

There is a dress code: no sleeveless tops, shorts, short skirts or thongs. Tell parents or members well before the day.

Airports serving Wollongong

Stadiums and arenas

  • WIN Stadium — St George Illawarra Dragons (NRL); about 20,500 capacity including a grassed hill
  • WIN Entertainment Centre — Illawarra Hawks (NBL), concerts

Day trips and transfers from Wollongong

  • Kiama Blowhole — about 40 km, about 40 min
  • Sea Cliff Bridge and Bald Hill (Grand Pacific Drive) — about 20-30 km, about 30-40 min
  • Illawarra Fly (Knights Hill) — about 50 km, about 1 h; confirm the coach route
  • Southern Highlands (Bowral) — about 70 km, about 1.25 h
  • Sydney city centre — about 85 km, about 1.25-1.5 h via the M1

Coach rules in Wollongong

  • Shellharbour Airport at Albion Park Rail is about 18 km south of Wollongong, with limited scheduled flights (Brisbane and Melbourne); Sydney Airport is about 80 minutes by road via the M1 Princes Motorway according to Destination Wollongong.
  • Illawarra Fly: coaches and caravans are not permitted on Jamberoo Mountain Road from Robertson to Knights Hill Road, and access from Jamberoo to Knights Hill Road is not permitted for vehicles over 11 m; confirm the route with the attraction. On site there is free parking for up to ten coaches and caravans.
  • Nan Tien Temple parking is free and for visitors only; groups should arrange tours in advance with the temple, and last arrival is 4.30pm.
  • When the Illawarra Highway at Macquarie Pass is closed, heavy vehicles are directed to Picton Road and Mount Ousley Road; Jamberoo Mountain Road is not an alternative for coaches.
  • Sydney toll roads (M5, M8 and WestConnex) are cashless; vehicles longer than 12.5 m or higher than 2.8 m pay Class B (heavy vehicle) tolls.
  • Wollongong's bus layover facility moved from Lang Park (Marine Drive) to a permanent site on Atchison Street with 11 bus spaces; it serves route buses, so agree coach layover separately.

Sydney, the airport and tolls

The Sydney city centre is about 85 km up the M1, between 75 and 90 minutes. Sydney Airport is about 80 minutes by road. Shellharbour Airport at Albion Park Rail is only about 18 km south, but only a handful of scheduled routes use it, to Brisbane and Melbourne, so for most interstate groups Sydney is the practical airport.

Coaches over 12.5 m long or 2.8 m high are charged the Class B rate on the M5, M8 and WestConnex. None of those roads take cash, and the quote for an airport run allows for it.

Where the coach waits

The permanent bus layover on Atchison Street, with 11 spaces, is for route buses. Agree where the coach will wait during a function or a game at WIN Stadium when you book, not on arrival. At Bald Hill Lookout the car park is busy on fine weekends, so a drop-off and a timed return works better than trying to park.

Questions

How long does a Grand Pacific Drive day take?

Sea Cliff Bridge and Bald Hill are about 30 to 40 minutes north of the city. Kiama Blowhole is about 40 minutes south and has coach parking on site. Both ends fit into one day with time to walk at each stop.

Is Jamberoo Mountain Road a way round when Macquarie Pass is shut?

Not for a coach. Heavy vehicles are directed to Picton Road and Mount Ousley Road instead.

Do we need a full-size coach for a Southern Highlands day?

Not for a small group. For 20 or fewer, a minibus or midi coach is easier to set down in country towns. For a whole school year, one coach keeps everyone together. Bowral is about an hour and a quarter each way.

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