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Out & About

Guide To Albion Park And Albion Park Rail

Get a taste of the country, right here in the Illawarra

Although Albion Park’s population has grown over the years and it’s now a bustling part of the Illawarra, it still gives off that friendly country town energy that keeps us coming back. 

Where else can you chow down on a top-notch burger, ride a steam train, play a round of golf and boogie down at the pub, all in one day?

Here’s The Fold’s guide to Awesome Albion Park and Albion Park Rail. 

GREAT OUTDOORS

Just at the base of Macquarie Pass and a 10-minute drive from the centre of Albion Park is a wonderful family-friendly bushwalk.  The trail winds along Cascades Stream, leading up to a charming little waterfall. You’ll find yourself immersed in the lush gorge rainforest without the long trek—perf!

Also, at the foothills of Macquarie Pass is Greenvalleys Mountain Bike Park. A must-visit for mountain bikers with trails, clinics and coaching, competitive race days and more! 

Or if you prefer to keep your feet on the green then Calderwood Valley Golf Course is a friendly public golf course with gorgeous Albion Park scenery all around. 

RETAIL THERAPY

We adore Floral Anthology on Tongarra Road, offering stunning bouquets perfect for gifts or a little pick-me-up.

For the home brewers among us, no trip to Albion Park is complete without a stop at All Things Brewing, an ultimate one-stop shop for everything home-brewing in the Illawarra.

Albion Park Newsagency is more than just papers and magazines; they also have giftware goodies like handmade candy, toys, trading cards, candles, and plenty of other bits and bobs. 

And we can’t forget Hazeltons Clothing & Shoes, who’ve been supplying us with school wear, workwear, and other essentials for as long as we can remember.

Albion Park Shopping Village also has grocery stores, bakeries, butcher shops, cafes, and takeaway food to keep you fuelled up.

WINING & DINING 

 

The café scene in Albion Park is lively, offering plenty of spots for a great cuppa. Three Flamingos Espresso is loved by locals for their coffee and delicious all-day brekkie and lunch menus. They also host fun events like trivia nights and paint-and-sip sessions throughout the year. Keeping with coffee we’re fans of Batch 10 Cafe, Blue Jay Cafe, and Marley Janes for a caffeine fix and a tasty bite to eat too.

If you’re a fan of a good burger [who isn’t] then you MUST hit up Joe’s Milkbar in the shopping village. These juicy bundles of goodness will have you drooling and dreaming for weeks to come. They also do pretty epic fried chicken tendies too!

Sneaky Burger in Albion Park Rail is another top-notch burger joint, and they cook up some pretty wacky and wonderful burger concoctions that we can’t get enough of and even cater for the coeliacs amongst us!

For a tasty pizza fix you can grab a goodie from Pinocchio’s Pizza or book a table at Il Lago for yummo pizza, house-made pasta and other Italian faves.  

And to stay with the Mediterranean theme, check out Zeus’s Bar & Grill at the Tullimbar Inn for all things Greek – opa! 

ARTS & CULTURE

 

The Oaks Hotel in Albion Park Rail features fantastic local and national acts rocking the stage regularly. The Albion Park Hotel also keeps the energy high with live music as well as their Friday night karaoke. For more tunes, check out Albion Park RSL, plus if you’re a Bingo fan, grab your dabber and head there for a Thursday morning game.

For some daytime culture, pay a visit to the HARS Aviation Museum at the Shellharbour Airport in Albion Park Rail. Run by volunteers this museum is full of aircraft to explore and wander between and loads of interesting info about the history of aviation both locally and all around the world. 

STEP BACK IN TIME

 

Albion Park traces its origins back to 1817 when a grant was issued to former convict Samuel Terry. The Terry’s Meadows Estate, which operated as a cattle stud, employed many of the area’s first European settlers. John Terry Hughes, who inherited the estate from his uncle, later renamed it Albion Park.

To learn more about the history of the area you can download an Albion Park Heritage Trail map from the Shellharbour City Museum website. This map covers some of the important historical sites in Albion Park with info about each. 

One such building is Ravensthorpe Estate which was built in 1893, it’s now a popular venue for weddings and other celebrations and occasionally opens its doors for local events too. Keep an eye out for the next one on their socials. 

The Illawarra Light Railway Museum is also worth a visit and not just for rail buffs. Take a ride on historic steam and diesel engine trains and the kiddos will totally adore the miniature railway as well- toot toot!

JUST FOR KIDS 

 

Albion Park is a super family-friendly town with lots of ways for the kiddos to get their kicks. 

Playmaze in Albion Park Rail is open 7 days a week and is filled with fun for little ones up to 12 years old. 

For the little, medium sized and big ones there’s Flip Out where they can jump to their hearts’ content and basically right next door, you’ll find C1 Speed Indoor Karting & Laser Tag, an ultimate spot for karting, laser shooting and plenty of laughs. 

The Illawarra Light Railway Museum also offers plenty of fun for the littlies with their train rides and cool school holiday events. 

In the warmer months, make the most of Albion Park pool which has a 50m heated pool, a toddler pool and an all-abilities splash park.

SPECIAL EVENTS

 

Albion Park Community Hub Market happens on the first Sunday of every month and usually has over 40 stall holders with a range of goodies. 

Always keep your diaries free for the Albion Park Show which is usually held annually in January and is a weekend of animals, wood chopping, action-packed demonstrations and tasty food stalls.

And you can’t miss the yearly Airshow Downunder at Shellharbour Airport. This event is an aviation carnival with something for everyone. Spy modern defence aircraft, civil aerobatics, historic warbirds, and ground displays, all packed into two exciting days, usually in March. 

Later on in the year it’s the Carols By Candlelight event at Croom Regional Sporting Complex that sets the town alive with music, entertainment and plenty of festive-ness. 

WHAT’S NEARBY

Albion Park is surrounded by smaller neighbouring suburbs like Tullimbar and Calderwood. Head to the Plough & Ale, a lovely local hotel and pub in Calderwood for some tasty sips and bites with a community feel. 

A little further from town is Jamberoo which has a village vibe with a classic pub, cafes and sweet shops. Just further on from there, you’ll get to Jamberoo Action Park, NSW’s only 5-star accredited water theme park.

Jump in the car and make your way towards the coast from Albion Park, and in just 10 minutes you’ll reach Shell Cove, sitting right on the beautiful Shellharbour Marina. With plenty of open spaces, stunning views, and great spots to eat, shop, and play, be sure to check out our guide to the town here.

SUPPORTING LOCAL BIZ

There are some fab local businesses in Albion Park, and our Business Directory is the place to find them! From mechanics to medical centres, landscapers to legal services, beauty salons to builders… The Fold’s Business Directory has got you covered.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

This article features friends and advertisers of The Fold Media.

 

We strongly believe in the businesses and information we share with you on The Fold and we fully endorse the content we create and share.

 

We’re excited to share the amazing stories and adventures of our local businesses, and it is our sincere hope is that it helps create more awareness for these local businesses, helps keep them top of mind when locals and visitors next need their products or service, and most of all, contributes to creating a strong and thriving local community and economy.

 

We are so grateful to the local businesses who choose to work with The Fold Media. Without their belief and support in what we do, we wouldn’t be able to keep doing what it is that we love to do. Which is to create and share information about people, places and businesses in our wonderful region. We want to help everyone #LoveLivingLocal and make the most of this wonderful place we are lucky enough to call home.

 

And to you, our readers? We want to say a big THANK YOU to you. Firstly for taking the time to read this article, but also for supporting local businesses in general, as well as our sponsors who help make The Fold Media possible. 

 

Together, let’s continue to support our local business community, in turn supporting their team, and our wonderful community overall. So let’s all choose local, whenever we possibly can.

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