Mount Keira Summit Park and lookout is an annex of Wollongong Botanic Garden.
Located at the top of the Illawarra escarpment, it is a significant Aboriginal cultural heritage site. You can enjoy awe-inspiring views over Wollongong from the lookouts and explore multiple bushwalking tracks.
The Park is a natural annex to the Wollongong Botanic Garden and contains many important plant species of the Illawarra Escarpment. You can read about how we manage this site in our Mount Keira Summit Park Plan of Management PDF, 3544.06 KB.
Dogs are permitted on leash at the Summit Park and Lookout, however the area surrounding Mount Keira Summit Park is managed by the NSW National Park and Wildlife Service (NPWS), so no dogs are allowed there.
A short 15 minute loop walk from the lookout will take you along the edge of the escarpment with views of the Illawarra coastline, from the Royal National Park in the north, across the City Centre, to Port Kembla, Five Islands, and Lake Illawarra to the south.
Be sure to visit the ‘Six Daughters of the West Wind’ sculpture located at the south-facing lookout, behind the picnic area. This sculpture commemorates the Aboriginal significance of Mount Keira with the associated creation story of the mountain and the Five Islands visible off the coast. Turning back towards the carpark from the sculpture, you will walk through the Escarpment Edge Silvertop Ash Forest, full of botanical highlights.
Love locks - don’t let your romantic gesture be an Unchained Melody
If you’re looking for the perfect spot to show Love is All Around, then the dedicated love lock chains at Mt Keira Summit Park is Truly Madly Deeply the place clip your padlock.
The dedicated chains are on the northeast side of the lookout.
We’re asking people to use this chain to say I’m Yours rather than attaching the padlocks to safety fencing at the site. This is because the metal locks can react with the metal fencing causing corrosion. This is a real safety concern.
Recently, we’ve removed a number of locks from safety fences at the Summit Park. They’re being stored at the Wollongong Botanic Garden until 20 December 2024 should anyone wish to collect their memento. Please email the Botanic Garden or call (02) 4227 7667 to arrange collection.
- Lookouts
- Public toilets (including accessible toilets)
- Picnic facilities
- Free electric BBQs
- Walking trails, including the popular Mt Keira Ring Track
Fires and open flames, including coal, gas or non-Council approved BBQ cooking facilities, are not allowed on site.
No camping or pets allowed.
Mount Keira Summit Park is open 8am to 8pm daily.
During non-daylight saving time (from 6 April 2025), opening hours are 8am to 6pm daily.
Note that Mount Keira Summit Park will be closed on days with an Extreme or Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating. You can check fire ratings on the NSW Rural Fire Service website.
We may also close the park at other times due to severe or dangerous weather conditions.
Queen Elizabeth Drive, Mount Keira
Maintenance of Mount Keira Summit Park is supported by a group of volunteers from the Rotary Club of Wollongong as part of the Mount Keira Working Bee Program. Rotary has played an important role in the funding and development of Mount Keira Summit Park.
The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 5pm from October to March (except in January).
Volunteers provide garden maintenance and planning tasks for the first hour of each month's meeting, to ensure the site remains beautiful. This work is done under the supervision of an experience horticulturist. After the working bee, volunteers are invited to stay for a BYO dinner and social catch up overlooking the spectacular city views.
New volunteers are always welcome. Please email the Botanic Garden or call (02) 4227 7667 for more information.