Retiring in Kiama, a guide to health, transport and housing

Check the retirement basics for Kiama in one table

Here are the numbers and services that matter most to an older resident, each from an official source.

Times are from Kiama Ridge Waters, without traffic. Fares and hours change, so check before you go.

See how many retirees already call Kiama home

You won't be the only one retiring in Kiama. In the 2021 Census, the ABS counted 7,904 people in the Kiama suburb, with a median age of 52. That is 13 years older than the NSW median of 39.

Almost a third of locals were 65 or older: 16.5% were aged 65 to 74, 11.0% were 75 to 84 and 4.9% were 85 or over. The wider Kiama local government area had a median age of 48.

The housing mix is different from most of NSW too. Separate houses made up 55.4% of occupied dwellings in Kiama suburb, compared with 65.6% across NSW. Townhouses and semi-detached homes made up 24.1%, about double the state share, and apartments 19.2%.

Day to day, that means well-attended daytime clubs and courses, and plenty of neighbours who have made the same move. The 2026 Census will update these 2021 figures once released.

Know where to go for a GP, a hospital or an emergency

Kiama has no hospital emergency department. For a life-threatening emergency, call 000.

• Shellharbour Hospital at 15 to 17 Madigan Boulevarde, Mount Warrigal, is the nearest emergency department. The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District says it is open 24 hours, seven days. It is about a 20-minute drive (21 km) north.
• Wollongong Hospital on Loftus Street is the district's major referral and teaching hospital. It is about 32 minutes by car (42.3 km).
• Kiama Integrated Primary and Community Health Centre at 14B Bonaira Street runs community clinics such as nursing, physiotherapy, chronic care, palliative care and dental. Appointments go through the Access and Referral Centre on 1300 792 755. It is not an emergency service.

For a GP, search healthdirect's list of Kiama practices and ask each about new patients and fees. For advice at any hour, healthdirect's free line is 1800 022 222. Our Kiama pharmacy and GP guide has pharmacy hours and the nearest urgent care clinic.

Get around with a Gold Opal card and the South Coast Line

Kiama station is on the South Coast Line, which runs north through Wollongong to Sydney. Destination Kiama says trains to and from Kiama run hourly. See Sydney to Kiama.

Gold Opal fares: Transport NSW says Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal travellers never pay more than $2.50 a day, on weekdays or weekends on Opal network services. NSW and ACT Seniors Card holders can choose a Gold Opal card or Contactless Concessions. Always carry your Seniors Card when you travel on a concession fare, or you may be fined.

Station access: Transport NSW lists Kiama station as Independent Access, with a lift, a wheelchair accessible toilet and a wheelchair accessible car space.

Community transport: NSW Health says community transport is run by volunteer drivers for older people and their carers, and trip fees apply. If you are over 65, register with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 first.

Taxis: Kiama Council notes that the local operator, Kiama Cabs, closed in 2023. For driving and parking in town, see Kiama parking.

Build a social life through the library, U3A, bowls and volunteering

• Kiama Library at 7 Railway Parade opens Monday to Saturday (9.30am to 5pm on weekdays, to 7pm on Tuesdays, and 9.30am to 1pm on Saturdays). Its Home Library service delivers books, large print, audiobooks and DVDs free to Kiama residents who can't get in.
• Kiama U3A is a volunteer-run club for retired and semi-retired people, members generally 50 plus. It offers courses with no exams, weekly talks, exercise classes such as Tai Chi and yoga, and excursions, across four terms a year. See Kiama U3A for membership.
• Bowls: Kiama Library's local history records that the Kiama Bowling and Recreation Club was formed on Shoalhaven Street after a public meeting in 1919. Call in to ask about social bowls days and membership.
• Volunteering: Kiama Council takes volunteers at the library and Family History Centre. About 13 volunteers greet visitors at the Visitor Information Centre on Blowhole Point. A Volunteer Expo runs each May at the Kiama Farmers' Market.

See also golf in Kiama and Kiama events.

Swim the ocean pools and walk the coast at your own pace

An early swim and a coastal walk are why many people move here. Choose the option that matches your mobility.

• Continental Pool, Black Beach: Kiama Council lists this ocean pool as 50 metres long, with amenities that include disability access. It is the one locals use for laps, about 3 minutes by car (2.6 km) from the apartments.
• Blowhole Point rock pool: smaller, with a natural rock floor and a shallow wading area. Visit NSW says it does not cater for people with access needs, so choose the Continental Pool if you need step-free entry.
• Kiama Leisure Centre: Council's indoor centre at 1 Havilah Place has a heated 25-metre pool, a spa and sauna, a gym and daily aqua aerobics for winter.
• Kiama Coast Walk: the Mid section from the Blowhole to Loves Bay is 5 to 6 km and takes about 1.5 hours one way. There are steps and headland climbs, so do it in pieces if you need to.

The ocean pools are unpatrolled, so check Council's pool page first. Read more in Kiama's rock pools, the Kiama Coast Walk and easier walks in Kiama.

Choose single-level living over a house on the hill

Kiama is built on hills that rise from the harbour and the beaches. The views are part of the appeal, but a steep driveway or a long flight of front steps can turn into a problem 10 years from now. If you are downsizing in Kiama, check every home for both.

• Get from the car to the door: is there a garage with internal access, a lift, or steps?
• Live on one level: a bedroom, bathroom and laundry on the entry level means you won't depend on stairs.
• Walk it: time the walk to the shops and your GP, hills included.
• Lock and leave: an apartment or townhouse with shared gardens is easier to leave for a long trip than a house with a big yard. Ask what the strata scheme covers.
• Retirement villages: the NSW Government says the operator must give you the contract at least 14 days before you sign, and you have a 7-day cooling-off period and a 90-day settling-in period. Fair Trading's register and calculator help you compare costs.

If you are thinking of buying a new apartment, owning at Kiama Ridge Waters explains how to register your interest, and the 3D floor plans show the single-level layouts.

Arrange home care and aged care through My Aged Care

Most government-funded help at home, and entry to an aged care home, starts with My Aged Care. Call 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm) or start online at myagedcare.gov.au. An assessor confirms what you can get.

If you are approved for the Support at Home program, My Aged Care says you use a single provider for all your services, so check a provider can deliver everything you were assessed for. Its Find a provider tool lets you search by location and services, shortlist up to 16 providers and compare 3 side by side.

Register early, since assessments take time.

Weigh the trade-offs before you sell up

Kiama suits many retirees, but go in with your eyes open.

• Hills: some of the most scenic streets are also the steepest, and parts of the Coast Walk are hard going.
• Visitors: the NSW Government estimates about 1.3 million people visit the Blowhole each year. Expect busy summers, weekends and school holidays.
• Driving: with no local cab company, plan how you will get around if you stop driving.

The surest test is to live here for a while in the off season, not just over a sunny summer week.

Trial a stay in a ground-floor apartment before you decide

At Kiama Ridge Waters, the three garden apartments, such as Ground Floor Home in Kiama's Heart, sit on the ground floor with no stairs to the door. Each of the three-bedroom apartments at 2 Surfleet Place has two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a laundry and secure parking for two cars. Easts Beach is a 15-minute walk, and the town centre and station are about a 27-minute walk away.

Book a winter week with a short stay, or ask about long-term rentals to test the town over a few months. See all three-bedroom apartments in Kiama.

This guide is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Before you sell, buy, sign a village contract or change your pension arrangements, get independent legal and financial advice.