At a glance
- Cost
- Free, but you must not stay over the time limit shown on the signs
- 4-hour limits
- Austinmer Beach car park, Flagstaff Hill car park, Port Kembla Beach pool car park, King George V Oval near the playground, lower surf club beach car park
- 2-hour limits
- Part of the Bald Hill car park, Stanwell Park Beach car park off Station Street
- Enforcement
- Council Compliance Officers over the summer months
- Since
- January 2024
- Patrol season
- 2026-2027 patrols started Saturday 26 September
- Beach rules fines
- More than $100 for offences such as vehicles or alcohol on the beach
Parking at five coastal car park areas in the City of Wollongong is free but time-limited, as of October 2026: four hours at Austinmer Beach, Flagstaff Hill and the Port Kembla beach car parks, and two hours at part of the Bald Hill car park and the Stanwell Park Beach car park. Council Compliance Officers enforce the limits over the summer months.
The limits were introduced in January 2024 to help manage congestion at some of the city’s busier coastal areas, so more people can reach them. City of Wollongong says it will monitor how the limits are working and consider adjustments if needed. This guide sets out where the limits apply, what the Council has published about patrol hours and beach rules, and what to check before you leave the car.
Where are the timed beach car parks?
| Location | Suburb | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Austinmer Beach car park | Austinmer | 4 hours |
| Flagstaff Hill car park | Wollongong | 4 hours |
| Port Kembla Beach pool car park, King George V Oval near the playground, and the lower surf club beach car park | Port Kembla | 4 hours |
| Bald Hill (part of the car park) | Stanwell Park | 2 hours |
| Stanwell Park Beach car park (off Station Street, near the public toilet block) | Stanwell Park | 2 hours |
The Council’s timed beach parking page says parking at these locations is free, but you must not stay over the time limit shown on the signs. It also asks drivers to stay within any marked parking bays. The page links a PDF map of the timed parking areas.
How do the rules work?
Check the signs at the car park, because they say which rules apply at that location. The Council does not publish a separate overstay penalty on the timed parking page. The only fines amount it lists is on its beaches page, where fines of more than $100 can be issued for breaking the beach rules (listed further down).
Because these car parks are free, there is no meter, ticket or app to use, unlike the metered spaces in the city centre. Our Wollongong CBD parking guide covers the CellOPark app and the Council’s metered car parks.
Where does the Council say it has improved parking?
The Council lists two other changes. At Bellambi Beach there is additional parking in the car park on Robert Cram Drive, with new signage on Rothery Street. At Port Kembla Beach the lower-level beach car park will be open for longer, and the signs show the times.
What is the Bald Hill limit?
Only part of the Bald Hill car park in Stanwell Park has a limit, and the limit is 2 hours. The Council’s timed parking page does not say which part, so read the signs where you park.
The Council’s Bald Hill Reserve page describes the site at Stanwell Tops as having some of the world’s best coastal views and being a world-renowned hang gliding and para gliding location. It is also associated with Lawrence Hargrave, who conducted his box kite experiments and a successful flight in 1894. The Council renewed the site between 2013 and 2016, adding a cafe and facilities building, a viewing deck, paths and seating, and traffic improvements, and the reserve has dedicated bus parking bays.
When are the beaches patrolled?
Patrols for the 2026-2027 season started on Saturday 26 September, according to the Council’s beaches page. There are 17 patrolled beaches from Stanwell Park in the north to Windang in the south. North Wollongong Beach is patrolled all year, and the rest are usually patrolled from the start of the September school holidays until the end of the April school holidays.
| Beach | Patrol hours, daily |
|---|---|
| Stanwell Park (Lower Coast Rd) | 9am to 5pm |
| Coalcliff (Lawrence Hargrave Dr) | 10am to 5pm |
| Scarborough (Monash St, Wombarra) | 10am to 5pm |
| Coledale (Lawrence Hargrave Dr) | 10am to 5pm |
| Austinmer (Lawrence Hargrave Dr), accessible beach | 9am to 5pm |
| Thirroul (The Esplanade), accessible beach | 9am to 5pm |
| Sandon Point (Point St, Bulli) | 10am to 5pm |
| Bulli (Farrell Rd) | 9am to 5pm |
| Woonona (Kurraba Rd) | 10am to 5pm |
| Bellambi (Morgan Pl) | 10am to 5pm |
| Corrimal (Lake Pde, East Corrimal) | 10am to 5pm |
| Towradgi (Murranar Rd) | 10am to 5pm |
| Fairy Meadow (Elliots Rd) | 10am to 5pm |
| North Wollongong (Cliff Rd), accessible beach | 8am to 5pm |
| Wollongong City Beach (Marine Dr) | 9am to 5pm |
| Port Kembla (Olympic Blvd), accessible beach | 9am to 5pm |
| Windang (Fern St) | 10am to 5pm |
The Council says to swim only between the red and yellow flags, and that no flags means no swim, even at a beach listed as patrolled.
For the suburbs that have a timed car park, the daily patrol hours are 9am to 5pm at Stanwell Park, Austinmer and Port Kembla. Flagstaff Hill is in Wollongong, and the Council’s list gives Wollongong City Beach (Marine Drive) 9am to 5pm and North Wollongong Beach (Cliff Road) 8am to 5pm. The Council’s page does not say which of those beaches is closest to the Flagstaff Hill car park.
Who patrols the beaches?
Council lifeguards, who wear white shirts with blue shorts, usually patrol beaches from Monday to Saturday. Volunteer lifesavers, in red and yellow uniforms, patrol on Sundays and public holidays. In the peak swim season the Council can have up to 75 lifeguards at beaches and up to 80 more at pools, according to its lifeguards page.
What are the beach rules?
Fines of more than $100 can be issued to people who break the rules that apply at all Wollongong beaches, which the Council lists as:
- No surfboards between the red and yellow flags (body boards are allowed)
- No littering
- No horses
- No vehicles
- No alcohol
- No dogs except in approved dog areas
- No fires
Camping is not allowed in most foreshore areas, parks and gardens, and Council Compliance Officers patrol these areas and can fine people who camp illegally. Check the signs for any other activities that are not allowed.
Which beaches are accessible?
The Council marks Austinmer, Thirroul, North Wollongong and Port Kembla as accessible beaches in its patrol list. Its beaches page also points to an Accessible Beaches and Pools page for locations with features to support people with disability or mobility needs.
Where can I check water quality?
The Council says Beachwatch monitors water quality at local beaches and updates pollution forecasts daily, and you can check the forecast for your beach on the Beachwatch website.
How often does this change?
The Council says it will consider future adjustments to the time limits if needed, and the patrol season and hours change from year to year. We checked the Council’s pages on Wednesday 21 October 2026. The signs at the car park are the final word on the limit that applies on the day.
Sources
- City of Wollongong — Timed Beach Parking (limits, locations, improvements; checked 21 October 2026)
- City of Wollongong — Beaches (patrol season, hours, beach rules, fines)
- City of Wollongong — Our Lifeguards
Featured image: Stanwell Park Beach (photo: Maksym Kozlenko / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with City of Wollongong. Time limits and rules can change; check the signs at the car park and the official pages above.