Bong Bong Lookout is a hidden gem located on the Illawarra Escarpment. Since it’s inaccessible by car the area remains mostly unspoilt and untouched with cliff lines unfenced and magnificent views up and down the coastline.
History – This part of the Illawarra is rich in history, Indigenous Australians traversed this area long before Illawarra was settled, horsemen and cattle were herded up the steep Bong Bong Pass in the early 1800’s, rock carvings on the pass date back to 1924, a WWII plane, the Lockheed Hudson crashed in 1942 just below the lookout while Avon Colliery opened in 1971 bringing black coal to the surface from the Wongawilli seam.
Lockheed Hudson – Was a WWII light bomber and coastal reconnaissance plane. On the 4th Nov 1942 the plane took off from Camden airfield with a crew of 4 searching for a Japanese submarine some 300 miles east of Sydney. Just after 9pm the Hudson was returning to Camden when in bad weather and darkness the plane crashed into the escarpment, killing all onboard.
Avon Colliery – Opened in 1971 exporting most of its coal as either coking or thermal coal. It was transported by road to the Port Kembla Coal Loader. At the height of production the mine produced 900,000 tonnes in 1986 and had 164 employees. Sadly in 2000 the mine closed for the final time due to falling coal prices.
Rock carvings – Less than 100m beyond the track junction (noted in the waypoints), pioneering history can be seen on the track with rock carvings dating back to 1924. As well as the rock carvings, well-formed steps can be seen in the track.
The Cache – the trek to GZ is via Bong Bong Pass, it’s a 1.6km walk straight up and has a 310m change in elevation so a good level of fitness is recommended, it’s steep, uneven, slippery, loose under foot and parts of the track have steep drop-offs. Towards the top the track narrows and is very exposed in sections. If you’re comfortable with all of that, then this is a must-do cache for you.
Once you’ve reached the top, the views are spectacular and rewarding, there are numerous rock lookouts to sit and admire the view. Be careful near the edge as none of the lookouts are fenced. The cache is only small and set well back in the bush away from prying eyes.