Jamberoo village guide to the pub, rainforest and markets

Get to know Jamberoo

Jamberoo sits in a valley of open paddocks and foothills under the Illawarra escarpment, a short drive inland from the ocean. Destination Kiama describes it as a place of cyclists and classic vehicle fans, music festivals and Illawarra Shorthorn cows. It feels a long way from the beach, but it's only about 14 minutes' drive (11 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters.

In the 1800s, the cedar in the forests around Jamberoo drew timber getters to the valley. The forest is protected today, and many of the village's original 19th-century buildings now hold cafes and boutiques.

The village itself is compact. Allowrie Street is the main street, with the pub, the club, a cafe and Reid Park, where the monthly markets set up. Everything else on this page, from the rainforest to the lookouts, is a short drive out of town.

Have lunch at the Jamberoo Pub

The Jamberoo Pub at 12 Allowrie Street was built in 1857. The Warren family has owned and run it since the mid-1980s, it's known for supporting live music and the local community, and memorabilia covers the walls and ceilings of nearly the whole pub.

You can eat in three spaces: the dining room in the old pub, the beer garden outside, or the Johnny Warren Museum. That room seats about 50 people and is lined with photos and football memorabilia celebrating the former Socceroo and SBS commentator. Johnny Warren lived in Jamberoo for the last 10 years of his life, and he was the uncle of co-owner Jamie Warren, who runs the pub with his wife Cheryl.

The bistro serves pub food and supports local producers on its menu. Live music is mostly on Sunday afternoons, so check the pub's website for who's playing. If you want to stay in the village, the Saleyard Motel next to the pub is a nine-unit wing with ensuites, reverse-cycle air conditioning, smart TVs and free wi-fi.

Along the same street, Club Jamberoo has a bistro, a children's playground and barefoot bowls. For coffee, Kings Patisserie and Cafe opens from 6.30am, seven days, with pastries, sandwiches, bacon and egg rolls and toasties. Hours change, so check before you go. For more pubs nearby, see our guide to Kiama pubs.

Shop the Jamberoo Village Markets

The Jamberoo Village Markets run on the last Sunday of each month at Reid Park, on the corner of Churchill and Allowrie streets. Expect flowers, plants, orchids, organic vegetables, bread, sweets, knitwear, leatherwork, clothing and food stalls.

Destination Kiama lists the hours as 9am to 1pm, so check before you go. Dogs are welcome on a leash, and there's a cafe, parking and public toilets.

The market posts weather updates and cancellations on its Instagram page, so check it before you drive out. For the Kiama and Gerringong markets, see our Kiama markets guide.

Walk through Minnamurra Rainforest

The Minnamurra Rainforest Centre at 345 Minnamurra Falls Road, Jamberoo, is the start of the walks into Budderoo National Park. It's about 25 minutes' drive (18 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. The park protects a rare remnant of the rainforest that once covered the Illawarra. Look for superb lyrebirds, eastern water dragons and swamp wallabies, and bird's nest ferns, strangler figs and orchids along the track.

Lyrebird Loop walk: a 1.6 km loop on an elevated walkway with suspension bridges, viewing platforms and a cascading creek. Allow 30 minutes to an hour. It's grade 3.

Minnamurra Falls walk: 4.2 km return, grade 4, with steep sections. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Platforms look over the canopy, the canyon and the lower and upper Minnamurra Falls.

The centre is open 9am to 4pm daily, except Christmas Day, and the park gates open 9am to 5pm. Vehicle entry is $12 per day in the Minnamurra area. The Minnamurra Rainforest Cafe is closed until further notice, but the centre has light refreshments. Hours and fees change, so check before you go.

NSW National Parks warns the centre may close at short notice when the carpark is full or in severe weather, and suggests visiting outside 11am to 2pm. Check the Budderoo National Park alerts on the morning you go. Our Minnamurra Rainforest guide has more detail.

Spend a summer day at Jamberoo Action Park

Jamberoo Action Park at 1215 Jamberoo Road is the reason many people search for Jamberoo. It's NSW's largest family-owned and operated water theme park, set against the escarpment about 19 minutes' drive (16 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters.

The park opens seasonally on set days, 10am to 5pm. Through October it opens Friday to Sunday only. Check the open days calendar before you go.

Rides include The Perfect Storm, Velocity Falls, Octo Racer, The Stinger, Funnel Web, The Taipan, the Bobsled, Rapid River and the Chairlift. Little ones have Banjo's Billabong and the kids' rides. Admission covers all rides, and parking is free.

The park's website lists online tickets from $74 (kids and seniors) and $84 (adults), with gate prices about $10 higher. Prices change, so check before you go. For tips on the day, read our Jamberoo Action Park guide.

Drive up Jamberoo Mountain Road to the lookouts

Jamberoo Mountain Road climbs the escarpment west of the village, and it's lined with places to stop.

Jamberoo Lookout in Budderoo National Park is marked by a small sign on Jamberoo Mountain Road, about 28 minutes' drive (23 km) from the apartments. The viewing platform looks over hills and paddocks to the Pacific. On a clear day you can pick out Kiama, Lake Illawarra and the Five Islands off Wollongong.

Barren Grounds Nature Reserve is near the top of Jamberoo Pass, ringed by rocky cliffs. Walks run from an easy 2 km to a hard 20 km, including the Illawarra Lookout and Cooks Nose tracks with views over the coast. About 180 bird species live here, including the threatened ground parrot and eastern bristlebird, and the heath flowers in spring.

Carrington Falls, on Cloonty Road off Jamberoo Mountain Road, drops more than 50 m into the Kangaroo River. Walking tracks lead to several lookouts, and one track is accessible.

Check alerts before you go. Until 13 January 2027, NSW National Parks is running a 1080 fox baiting program at Carrington Falls, the Budderoo Plateau, Knights Hill and Barren Grounds, so keep dogs out of these areas. Night-time deer control also closes the Douglas Creek Trail, the powerlines trail east of Carrington Falls and the Knights Hill precinct from 6pm to 9am, Monday to Thursday, until mid-December 2026. Access to the base of Gerringong Falls is permanently closed.

On the way back down, pull over at Saddleback Mountain for another view of the coast, about 9 minutes from the apartments. More viewpoints are in our Kiama lookouts guide.

Climb into the canopy at Illawarra Fly

Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures is at 182 Knights Hill Road, reached via Jamberoo Mountain Road, about 32 minutes' drive (27 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters.

The Treetop Walk is a 1.5 km loop with a 500 m steel walkway 20 to 30 m above the forest floor, including two cantilevered arms that look over the rainforest canopy and the coastal towns. Knights Tower, a spiral tower, rises 45 m. The Zipline Tour runs 35 m above the forest floor on cables and suspension bridges between platforms, and suits ages four and up. There's also archery, a visitor centre and a cafe.

Book online, and check opening times on the Illawarra Fly website, as they aren't listed by Destination Kiama.

Picnic at Jerrara Arboretum and play a round of golf

Jerrara Arboretum sits on a 9-hectare dam that was once Kiama's main water supply. It's off Mount Brandon Road in Jerrara, between Kiama and Jamberoo, about 12 minutes' drive (8 km) from the apartments. Park on Mount Brandon Road and walk about 200 m in. There are picnic tables, shade, toilets, wetlands and unpaved walking tracks.

Back in the valley, Jamberoo Golf Club has an 18-hole course below the Illawarra Range, where almost 100 bird species have been seen. FootGolf is played here too, a mix of golf and soccer where you kick a ball into 53 cm holes in as few kicks as you can. Under-15s need an adult with them. For more courses nearby, see golf in Kiama.

Plan a day in Jamberoo from Kiama

You need a car for Jamberoo. Jamberoo Road runs west from Kiama through the valley, and the village, the rainforest and the action park are all off it. Here's a day that fits it all in without rushing:

1. 9am: Drive to the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre for opening, ahead of the late-morning crowds. Walk the Lyrebird Loop, and add the falls walk if you have the legs.
2. Midday: Head down to the village for lunch at the pub or the club, or a pastry from Kings.
3. 2pm: Drive up Jamberoo Mountain Road to Jamberoo Lookout, then on to Barren Grounds for a short heath walk.
4. Late afternoon: Stop at Saddleback Mountain on the way back to Kiama.

On the last Sunday of the month, start at the markets instead. With kids on an action park open day, give the park the whole day. For more ideas, see our day trips from Kiama and things to do in Kiama with kids.

Stay in Kiama and day-trip to Jamberoo

Stay at Kiama Ridge Waters, in the quieter southern part of town, and you can spend the morning in the rainforest and the afternoon at the beach. Jamberoo is about 14 minutes' drive from our three-bedroom holiday apartments at 2 Surfleet Place, and Easts Beach is a 15-minute walk from your door.

Each apartment sleeps a family or a group of friends. Most of them welcome pets for a $200 cleaning fee, and the Jamberoo markets welcome dogs on a leash too. Check-in is 3pm and check-out is 10am. See the apartments, our family accommodation and pet-friendly stays, or check availability.