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Photo: Gnangarra, CC BY 2.5 au via Wikimedia Commons
Don't miss the spectacular spillway cutting when you visit Woronora Dam. Catch a glimpse of the past while enjoying a picnic in picturesque surroundings. The grounds are unusual in retaining workers' cottages and old platforms, plant and machinery used in the dam's construction in the 1930s. Woronora Dam supplies water to the Sutherland Shire in Sydney's south, and to the northern suburbs of Wollongong.
The Woronora Dam is a heritage-listed concrete gravity dam with an uncontrolled serpentine spillway across the Woronora River, located south of Greater Metropolitan Sydney, in the suburb of Woronora Dam, Sutherland Shire, New South Wales, Australia. The principal purpose of the dam is for potable water supply for Sydney's southern suburbs and the northern suburbs of the Illawarra region. The impounded 71,790-megalitre reservoir is also called Woronora Dam and is sometimes incorrectly called Lake Woronora. The dam was designed by G. E. Haskins, Chief Engineer and the Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board of NSW (MWS&DB) and built from 1927 to 1941 by the MWS&DB. The property is owned by the Sydney Catchment Authority, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 November 1999.
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Old Helensburgh station
Old Helensburgh Station, which has been closed since 1915, has become a popular spot for tourists and local residents. Its disused tunnel is now home to a population of glow worms. Walk out of Helensburgh station on Old Station Road, cross the street at the T intersection and follow the trail; if you see a "Restoration of the 1st Helensburgh Railway Station Site" sign on your right, you're going the right way. Bring good waterproof boots for the mud and some sort of flashlight (like a phone) to light the way. Walk into the tunnel and go at least 20 or 30 m past the end of the tracks, then turn off your flashlight, look up, and give your eyes a few moments to adjust. Make sure to keep the flashlight pointed at the ground whenever it's on, so the light doesn't disturb the glow worms.
Helensburgh driving range is owned and operated by a member of the Helensburgh community (operating since 2000), and offers a full range of facilities including driving range, putt putt, party rooms and golf tuition.
Symbio Zoo
A family-owned and -operated zoo on the top of the Illawarra escarpment, minutes away from Stanwell Park Beach, Royal National Park, Sea Cliff Bridge and also Bald Hill Lookout where you can take in majestic 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean.
Sri Venkateswara Temple
The construction of Sri Venkateswara Temple started in 1978 when a small group of people had a vision to build a Hindu temple according to Vedic principles (Agama Sastras). They selected this divine site in Helensburgh because "it is said the gods always play where groves are, near rivers, mountains and springs and in towns with pleasure -gardens " -Brihatsamhita.
Bald Hill is one of Illawarra's most well known and most popular lookouts situated a top the hill of that name. Not only are the views excellent, the area is also internationally known as a major hang gliding point.