09 Feb Beaches and big surf in the northern Illawarra

On a Grand Pacific drive to Wollongong, you will struggle to keep your eyes on the road as the spectacular scenery reveals itself to to you.  Head to Sandon Point when the surf’s big and you’ll see that surfing in and out of the water is a past time.

On a good weekend, a dozen surfers in the water on a big surf day is nothing.  You’ll find three times that many people up on the point, watching, photographing and filming, uuing and ahhhing the great white pointers. It really is a sight to behold.

And what a sight you’ll see if you look left from Sandon Point.  Canine critters running and racing the length and breadth of McCauley Beach. Here, at the off leash dog beach, you’ll find whole families swimming, walking and playing with their furry friends.

Follow the water line from McCauley, around Sandon Point and down again and you will find yourself eating your bacon and eggs at the Bulli Beach or Rubys Café as you watch the surf roll in and the kids playing in the ocean pool.

Don’t watch the lap swimmers or the Saturday morning parkrunners, they’ll just make you wish you hadn’t had that second flat white and weren’t heading back for a sneaky sauv blanc on sunset!

Fast facts

• Sandon Point is one hour and 17 minutes from (72) kilometres from Sydney and 15 minutes (12.3 kilometres) from Wollongong.
• www.grandpacificdrive.com.au is the scenic road sitting out over the cliffs, bringing Sydney Siders to the northern Illawarra.
• www.rubyscafe.com.au is open Monday-Sunday for Breakfast, Lunch and sometimes Dinner.
• www.bullibeachcafe.com.au Monday- Sunday for breakfast, lunch everyday and for dinner on Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
• www.parkrun.com.au is a free timed 5klm run held every Saturday morning at 8.00 am in many locations across Australia and around the world.  Look up the website to see if there’s one near you.