If you're a thrill seeker in search of an adrenaline rush, you can't go past leaping off a cliff and soaring over the ocean as the wind takes you for a bird's-eye view of Stanwell Park's stunning coastal escarpment.
Bald Hill at Stanwell Park is about an hour south of Sydney, and the best spot for hang-gliding and paragliding in the region. But you don't have to be an action addict to appreciate this place - many daytrippers visit just to marvel at the airborne antics of others.
Hang-gliding and paragliding operators offer tandem instruction flights and no experience is necessary. Tandem hang-gliding involves being harnessed to a giant kite frame and gliding through the air as the instructor controls the speed and direction of the hang glider. You lie next to the instructor, facing down, holding onto a bar in front of you.
The top of Bald Hill is your take-off point and you're in the air for an exhilarating 30 to 40 minutes. On a good day some flights can soar as far as 55 km south, to Macquarie Pass, and return, landing back on the hill or gliding gently down to the beach below.
Paragliding is similar but instead of a giant kite you're attached to a parachute in a sitting position. During tandem paraglides you're harnessed in front of an instructor and are in the air for about half an hour. Flights can reach as high as 600 m above sea level before landing on the beach below.
If the hang-gliding or paragliding bug bites you, operators offer certification courses for those who eventually want to glide on their own. If you're not quite ready to take the leap, you can watch from the grassed area at the top of Bald Hill - where you'll usually find an ice-cream truck - or from the picnic and barbeque area and cafes down by the beach.
Bald Hill has been associated with aerial for a long time. It was here that pioneer aviator Lawrence Hargrave did much of his research into aeronautics in the early 20th century, with box kites, monoplanes and experimental engines. But apart from its hang-gliding and paragliding attractions, Stanwell Park also offers plenty of activities for visitors who want to make a day of it. It has a secluded village atmosphere and cafes and art galleries, many of which are in artists' homes.
If you want to take it easy, Stanwell Park beach is great for both surfing and swimming. The coastal drive south to Wollongong features beautiful views comparable to Victoria's Great Ocean Road.
For the more active, there are horse riding trails at nearby Otford, about two minutes drive from Stanwell Park. Otford Farm Trail Rides offer one-hour, two-hour and half-day rides and no riding experience is necessary.
Located at the southern edge of the Royal National Park, Bald Hill is also the starting point of a walking track that leads into the park. Tracks are clearly signposted but maps are available from the Wollongong visitor information centre.
For something a bit different, Just Cruisin' Chauffeured Harley-Davidson Tours offers trips around the local area and beyond. A 15-minute Harley ride will take you around Stanwell Park, Bald Hill and Bolgo in the national park.
Whatever your mode of transport for exploring the area, don't miss out on Bald Hill. If you can pluck up the courage, book a tandem flight, take a deep breath and jump.
Warren Windsports - professional hang gliding instruction - Stanwell Park
Fly Stanwell - Stanwell Park Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club
4WD
