Sea Cliff Bridge

The road between Coalcliff and Clifton ran directly beneath crumbling cliffs and was closed in 2003 after repeated rockfalls made it unsafe. Rather than cut into the escarpment, engineers took the road offshore: the Sea Cliff Bridge, opened in 2005, curves out over the water on piers for 665 metres, hugging the cliff line without touching it. It has become the centrepiece of the Grand Pacific Drive, with a pedestrian walkway along one side and parking at both ends, and the view runs north along the escarpment coast. Below and around it, the villages of Stanwell Park, Coalcliff and Clifton sit between mountain and sea, and Bald Hill above is a well-known hang-gliding launch.

What you actually see

• The curving span - the bridge sweeping out over the sea beneath the cliffs.
• The walkway - the pedestrian side with views along the escarpment.
• Bald Hill lookout - the hang-gliding launch above Stanwell Park.
• The coastal villages - Clifton and Coalcliff squeezed between cliff and ocean.

When to go

Year-round; early morning gives the best light along the coast and the least traffic. Weekends bring heavy motorbike and car traffic on the drive. Sea spray and wind can be strong on the walkway.

Honest expectations

Parking at either end is limited and fills quickly on weekends. Stopping on the bridge itself is not permitted. The walk across takes ten minutes and there is little else at the site, so it is a stop rather than a destination.

Nearby

Wollongong lies south; the Royal National Park is immediately north.