During my second trip to Australia, I spent the entire day road tripping through the Illawarra Region with my friend Tony. One of the more memorable sights we went to was Stanwell Tops, a small town along the Illawarra Escarpment. The drive up to this town included a rather dizzying drive through the bush, as the roads seemed to zig-zag upwards. Fortunately, the beautiful scenery distracted me from the roads; I was treated to a visual delight of tall trees and drooping leaves. I was too busy trying to spot koalas high in the gum trees, but to no avail.
As we made it to the top, we saw what so many locals and tourists were doing in this part of Illawarrra: paragliding! Bald Hill, as the name would suggest, is located atop the Illawarra Escarpment. It made for an optimal place to soar high above the bush and beach. Daredevils would suit up, run off the edge of the escarpment, and let the wind gently carry them down to the beach. I had seen this adventurous activity many times before on The Amazing Race, but never in person! Seeing those parachutes open up was definitely eye-opening, and watching them take off was even more exciting! Sadly, I did not get the chance to do it. Next time I visit Bald Hill and Stanwell Tops, I gotta spread my wings and fly!
Before leaving Stanwell Tops, Tony and I made our way down to the beach where all the paragliders were headed. A beach in the nearby town of Stanwell Park was the landing zone for these flyers. It was quite beautiful; its crashing waves and towering cliffs that surrounded the shoreline made it look like nothing I had ever seen back in Long Island. But I didn’t go for a swim, not just because I didn’t have a swimsuit, but because it cold and foggy that morning. That didn’t stop me from trying to get a little sun!
Great photos and commentary, Jared! One of my favourite drives and swimming beaches. Thank you! Sharon
I got married in Stanwell Tops in 2009, beautiful location, glad you got to see a different part of what Sydney has to offer.