Cathedral Rocks Kiama guide to the basalt stacks at low tide

Know what you are looking at

Cathedral Rocks are a cluster of jagged stacks and rock platforms where Jones Beach meets the headland at its southern end, off Cliff Drive in Kiama Downs. Destination Kiama describes them as towering basalt formations, shaped as extremely hard volcanic rock was eroded over millions of years. The tallest stack rises out of the surf like a ruined spire, which is easy to see in the old photos further down this page.

The main stack sits in the water, so you look at it rather than climb it. What you can explore are the rock platforms, a small sea cave, a tiny beach between rock walls and a couple of rockpools, all within a few hundred metres of the sand.

• Where: Cliff Drive, Kiama Downs NSW 2533, at the southern end of Jones Beach, about 3 km north of Kiama
• Cost: free
• From Kiama Ridge Waters: about 9 minutes by car (7.6 km), or about 1 hour 10 minutes on foot (5.7 km)
• Time needed: allow an hour, more if you plan to swim or photograph sunrise
• Access: sand and uneven rock; the official listing says it does not cater for people with access needs
• Visitor information: Kiama Visitor Information Centre, 1300 654 262

Walk in from Jones Beach

The easy way in is from the north. Park at Jones Beach on North Kiama Drive and walk south along the sand to the headland. The walking blog Walk My World puts the sand section at about 450 m, followed by just under 200 m across an easy, grippy rock platform, so about 650 m each way.

Follow the platform around the rocks and the main view of the stacks opens up in front of you. Both Walk My World and NSW Footsteps warn against approaching from the southern side of the headland. That route needs a scramble: Walk My World calls it tricky, and NSW Footsteps says it could be difficult in large swells.

The second way in is from the top. Park on Cliff Drive and look down from the grassy clifftop. Walk My World describes a worn grassy track that runs gently downhill from Cliff Drive for about 45 m, then about 35 m of rock hopping, with a second rockpool about 15 m further on. Wear shoes, as the rock hopping is easy in shoes but painful barefoot.

Time your visit for low tide

Tide decides how much of Cathedral Rocks you can see. The clifftop and parts of the platform can be reached at any tide, but the channels between the rocks fill quickly. NSW Footsteps notes that the first channel, at the sea cave, can be waist deep at high tide, and a second, deeper channel to the south should only be crossed at low tide.

Walk My World suggests swimming only about 1.5 hours either side of low tide in a slight swell. If you just want to see the stacks, the cave and the little beach, you can stretch that window by a couple of hours. Walk My World warns that large waves can arrive even in a slight swell, so watch the water for a few minutes before you step down.

Check the tide before you leave the apartment. The Bureau of Meteorology tide predictions list Port Kembla to the north and Crookhaven Heads to the south, the two stations either side of Kiama. Pair that with the BOM coastal forecast for swell, and turn back as soon as the tide starts to rise.

Find the sea cave, little beach and rockpools

Past the main viewpoint, the platform leads to a few spots that most visitors walk straight past.

• The sea cave: a small cave on the right as you walk south, with a pebbly floor at the back. At low tide the water inside is at most ankle deep, and you can rock hop around it. Look back out through the entrance and the stacks are framed by the cave mouth.
• The little beach: a very small beach at the end of a narrow channel of turquoise water, reached over tiered rocks. The channel is too narrow and has a large rock in the middle, so it is not a place to swim from.
• The main rockpool: reached over tiered rocks past the main viewpoint. Walk My World describes two pools here, one enclosed and one open to the sea on one side. The enclosed pool is deep and clear, too small for laps but good for a float.
• The second rockpool: a shallow, sandy-bottomed pool, easiest to reach from Cliff Drive and usually quieter. It needs the same low tide and small swell.

Choose the enclosed pool over the one open to the ocean, which is more likely to sweep you out, and never turn your back on the sea. Our Kiama rock pools guide covers the council-run ocean pools, which are a safer choice for younger children.

Photograph Cathedral Rocks at sunrise

Cathedral Rocks face east, straight into the sunrise. Destination Kiama and Visit NSW both call it a photographer's dream, and say the 30 minutes before and after sunrise often bring warm colour and soft light. A low tide at sunrise gives you safe access to the platform and soft light at the same time.

• From the clifftop: the classic wide view looks down over the stacks and platforms toward Jones Beach. It needs no tide planning at all.
• From the platform: get low near the water for the stacks against the sky, or shoot back through the sea cave entrance.
• Long exposures: waves washing around the stacks suit slow shutter speeds. Keep your tripod well back from the wash, as wet rock is slippery.
• Night shots: NSW Footsteps notes the area has little light pollution, so it is popular for night photography.

Sunrise times shift through the year. Our Kiama sunrise and sunset guide has monthly times and other east-facing spots, and Kiama lookouts covers more clifftop views.

See how little the rocks have changed since 1898

Cathedral Rocks have drawn photographers for well over a century. The glass plate negative below, dated to about 1898, is held in the Tyrrell Photographic Collection at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, and carries the caption "Cathedral Rocks, Kiama" with the mark "Kerry Photo Sydney". It was taken from the grass above the rocks, close to the clifftop view you get today.

Line it up against a photo on your phone and the main stack is easy to match, along with the long, low ledges running out into the surf. The bigger change is on the hills behind: open farmland in the old photos, homes in the modern ones, now the suburb of Kiama Downs.

Walk on to the Boneyard and Bombo Headland

Cathedral Rocks sit on the northern section of the Kiama Coast Walk. Destination Kiama lists that section, from the Minnamurra River to the Kiama Blowhole, as about 8.5 km, about 3 hours and medium grade. Markers lead you past Jones Beach to Cathedral Rocks, with the Boneyard along the way.

Keep going and you reach Bombo Headland, where Destination Kiama says the well-marked basalt columns are worth a detour. North Bombo Beach then gives you your first view of Kiama township. Read more in our Bombo guide.

On Minnamurra headland, at the northern end of Jones Beach, the Minnamurra Whale Watching Platform looks out to Rangoon Island, which Destination Kiama says is named after an 1870 shipwreck. It is a good spot for whale watching in season.

Free water refill stations sit along the Coast Walk, so bring a bottle. Destination Kiama also asks visitors to take three pieces of rubbish with them when they leave, as part of Take 3 for the Sea.

Bring the dog to the southern end of Jones Beach

One of the three dog-friendly beaches Destination Kiama lists around Kiama is the off-leash southern end of Jones Beach, right by Cathedral Rocks. Destination Kiama's pet-friendly holiday guide says dogs can be off-leash from sunrise to sunset, must be on a lead until they reach the area, and can only enter and leave by the beach access track. Follow the signs on the day.

Most Kiama Ridge Waters apartments take pets, with a $200 cleaning fee. See pet-friendly accommodation in Kiama.

Grab fish and chips at Jones Beach

There are no cafes on the rocks, so pack water and snacks. After a morning on the platform, head to Fish Vibes at the entrance to Jones Beach. For more choice, see our guides to Kiama fish and chips and where to eat in Kiama.

Get to Cathedral Rocks by car or train

Driving is simplest. From Kiama Ridge Waters it is about 9 minutes north to Cliff Drive (7.6 km). If you are heading out for sunrise, load the car the night before.

Without a car, take the South Coast Line train one stop north from Kiama to Bombo. From Bombo station it is about 1.6 km on foot to Cliff Drive, roughly 21 minutes, or you can walk the Coast Walk north over Bombo Headland. Check timetables on Transport NSW. Our Kiama parking guide covers parking around town.

Stay in Kiama and be on the rocks by first light

Stay at Kiama Ridge Waters and Cathedral Rocks are about 9 minutes away by car, close enough to shoot the sunrise and be back for breakfast. Our three-bedroom holiday apartments at 2 Surfleet Place share one layout, on the ground floor or the first floor, in a residential street rather than on the beach. Easts Beach is a 15-minute walk away, and the Blowhole and Lighthouse are about 35 minutes on foot.

Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is by 10am. You can cancel for a full refund up to two days before check-in, less a 3% payment fee.

Browse the three-bedroom apartments, see family accommodation in Kiama, or check availability.