Fairy Meadow  New South Wales

An inner suburb of Wollongong, Fairy Meadow is not only close to the 'Gong heartland action, but is also central to the surf, the ocean lookouts, the bush and mountains that make the South Coast such a spectacular holiday destination.

Wollongong is also blessed with a rich cultural diversity which is vividly reflected throughout the community. Visitors can experience this diversity in the area’s art, range of cuisine and festivals. The Nan Tien Temple at Berkley, for example, is the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere.

Not that the international traffic is all one way. It’s a little known fact that the white sands at world famous Waikiki Beach in Hawaii were transported from Wollongong.

Fairy Meadow and its beach lie just to the north of the Wollongong Harbour complex, overlooked by Flagstaff Hill Park and its attendant lighthouse.

Housed in an old post office, the Historical Museum is within comfortable walking distance of the harbour, while the Wollongong City Gallery, the largest regional gallery in Australia, is set in McCabe Park, just a couple of streets back from the oceanfront.