The New South Wales’ South Coast and Illawarra region stretches from the south of Sydney to the Victorian boarder. The region contains seaside resorts as well as lush rural countryside and many national parks. The region contains many good surfing locations as well as diving and fishing areas. The towns to look out for when travelling through the south coast are Wollongong, Kiama, Ulladulla, Bateman’s Bay, Nowra, Bega and Eden.

The Princes Highway runs along the coast from Sydney through Wollongong to the Victorian border. Although a longer and slower route to Melbourne than the Hume Highway, it's much more interesting and it allows the traveller to visit the wonders the south coast has to offer.

Wollongong, the state's third-largest city, is an industrial centre that includes Australia’s biggest steelworks as well as superb beaches with hills that provide views of the city and coastline as well as some good bushwalks. The surrounding areas of Wollongong include Macquarie Pass National Park and Morton Bay National Park. These two national parks have some outstanding scenery and breathtaking views.

Further south is the pretty seaside town of Kiama, which is famous for its blowhole that can spurt water to a hight of 60 metres. The town has some good surfing beaches and a visit to the scenic Cathedral Rock at Jones Beach is quite interesting.

Shoalhaven, just north of Bateman’s Bay, is the coastal strip south of Gerringong to Durras Lake, and is a popular holiday destination. Here you will find the Shoalhaven River, which is a great picnicking spot as well as a great spot for water sports. The main population areas in this area are the towns of Nowra and Bomaderry.

The fishing port of Bateman’s Bay is one of the south coast's largest holiday centres. This is quite an interesting city with some great scenery, it is a friendly town with a relaxing atmosphere and is worth a visit if travelling through the area.

Bega is a sizeable town near the junction of the Princes and Snowy Mountains highways, a great stop over between Melbourne and Sydney.

The town of Eden is an old whaling port located on Twofold Bay right at the base of New South Wales South Coast. The town runs whale watching cruises between October and November and the history of the town is very interesting with all the tales of old seamen and there whaling adventures.

New South Wales lies in the temperate zone and the climate is generally free from extremes of heat and cold. The greatest heat is usually experienced in the north west and out back regions of NSW. The coldest region is the Snowy Mountains, where winter frosts and snow are experienced over long periods. Rainfall varies widely over the state, gradually diminishing to an annual average of 180 mm in the far north west.

The climate along the coast is temperate and slightly humid in NSW and the temperatures get cooler the further south you travel along the coast. The deserts of the outback regions experience hot days and cold nights. Irregular floods and droughts occur in the north and western regions, some times due to the El Nino effect.