With a saltwater pool, crystal-clear water and a resident pod of dolphins, there’s plenty to love about this beach. Here’s what you need to know before you go, thanks to Port Kembla Surf Life Saving Club’s Dan Meehan.
The popular and strikingly beautiful Port Kembla Beach has the region's longest stretch of sand (giving visitors the chance to walk six kilometres to Windang in the south), an Olympic-sized saltwater pool with disability access and adjacent facilities, the Olympic Boulevard Eatery onsite and a children’s playground across the road.
Port Kembla is "a long and magnificent beach", says Dan Meehan, chief training officer and Under-14 age manager at Port Kembla Surf Life Saving Club.
And he reckons every beachgoer will find something to enjoy here.
“[It] has long been a heavily patronised beach because of its protection from the nor-easter winds; [meaning] it is not choppy or windy on most days.
“The pool is without doubt as good an ocean pool as any in Australia. It is the beating heart of the beach, well-patronised and managed by super-friendly staff. It is a pool with a beach-type entry off to the side and is not overly deep, meaning patrons can easily walk a lap as opposed to swimming.
“It is extremely popular with Sydney's tourists, even busloads of inbound tourists.”
As well as enjoying Port Kembla’s onsite and nearby facilities, beachgoers often marvel at its beauty.
“For some reason, the water colour at Port Kembla is crystal clear and often the most wonderful azure blue, [which] makes it popular with snorkellers and underwater photographers,” Dan says.
“Walk the beach, as many do, as it is a lead-free beach past the patrolled area [and] is popular with responsible dog owners. [There’s often] very friendly people, so be prepared to stop and chat!
"Often, there is a large pod of dolphins that cruise the waters, fishing and often surfing the waves, leaping high out of the waters.”
As with all beaches along our coastline, Port Kembla is prone to rip currents that can present a hazard to swimmers, Dan says.
“Like all beaches, [Port Kembla] needs to be respected because of its regular surf, there are rips.
“The regular rip is next to Paddy's Rocks, which is directly behind the swimming pool."
Dan says there are other hazards to look out for.
“The rocky shelf that separates [Port Kembla Beach] from Fishermans Beach attracts hundreds of fishers, and because of the way the surf can hit these rocks, it is the site of more drownings than any [other] fishing venue in Australia over recent years.
“Because of regular big seas much of the beach is out in the ocean, making long sand bars [that are] popular with surfers due to long rides. There are also channels due to this that present issues for bathers.”
Port Kembla Beach is patrolled daily from 9am to 6pm during the surf lifesaving season – from September to April – with Wollongong City Council lifeguards on patrol weekdays and Saturdays and Port Kembla SLSC lifesavers patrolling Sundays and public holidays.
As well as weekly patrols, Port Kembla SLSC is a highly active and social club with regular activities, such as their Sunday Nippers program for children aged five to 14.
“We are not competitive in the Nippers as we focus on training children to be surf-smart and water aware. We train lifesavers more than competitors,” Dan says.
“There is a transitional program that takes children from Nippers to active patrol work and development.
“Every Saturday morning, members – young and old – practise on rescue boards in what we call Saturday Surfing.”
Though Port Kembla is a strong club, it always welcomes new members, Dan says.
“The club welcomes new members of any age, and we are an inclusive club.
“[We’re also] the home of women’s Surf Life Saving in Australia as we were the first club to train women to be surf lifesavers."
Port Kembla Beach is also great for:
Accessibility
As well as upgraded bathrooms and easy access to the ocean pool, Port Kembla Beach has a Beach Access Ramp that allows wheelchair users to enter the beach comfortably. A beach wheelchair is also available for use during patrol hours. For more information on disabled beach use, visit Council's website.
Exercise
Whether you're up for walking six kilometres south to Windang, swimming laps in the Olympic-sized pool or making use of the sandbars to surf the waves alongside a pod of dolphins, Port Kembla Beach has you covered.
