Wollongong is easy to fall for,especially when viewed James Bond-style from 15,000 feet. Skydive Australia-Wollongong offers solo and tandem skydives,taking in views of the Illawarra coastline and escarpment. A 60-second free fall followed by a six-minute parachute descent and you’ll be walking on clouds for days. See skydive.com.au

The Indigenous experience

European settlement of Wollongong began in 1815,but before then it was occupied by the Dharawal people,who remain the traditional custodians of the land. To learn more,join local Dharawal woman Dr Jodi Edwards for an Indigenous SUP tour of Wollongong’s Belmore Basin. The two-hour session includes a lesson in basic paddle-boarding,a warm-up with Wayapa Wuurrk (an earth connection practice based on ancient principles) and cultural story telling. See supshellharbour.com

The Italian restaurant

Sister to the local darling Kneading Ruby,Restaurant Santino is an Italian-style bistro on Globe Lane serving traditional and contemporary dishes. The pasta is house-made,the wine list extensive and the chocolate truffle with chantilly cream has its own cult following. Order the “Feed Me” menu and you’ll see what the fuss is about. restaurantsantino.com.au

The temple

A 10-minute drive south of Wollongong is Nan Tien Temple,the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. Beyond its grand architecture the property offers tours,retreats,cultural festivals and vegetarian dining at the Dew Drop Inn tea house. Or enjoy a picnic in the extensive gardens. See nantien.org.au

The landmark

At 665 metres long,Sea Cliff Bridge is one of the few off-shore,parallel to coastline bridges in the world. Linking the coastal villages of Coalcliff and Clifton,the suspended bridge has two lanes of traffic and a pedestrian walkway. Tackle a section or drive the complete 140-kilometre Grand Pacific Drive to the Shoalhaven. See wollongong.nsw.gov.au

The arts precinct

The arts precinct has elevated Wollongong from steel city to art city. Visit the Wollongong Art Gallery for contemporary,Aboriginal,Asian and colonial artworks or take in a show at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. A self-guided tour of the recently launched Wander Wollongong-Art trail features16 studios,galleries,creative spaces and street art. See visitwollongong.com.au

One more thing

The Illawarra has any number of places to enjoy a cocktail with an ocean view,but for this Wollongong local,the heart of the city’s drinking scene is found in its boutique bars. Juniper Bar serves more than 60 varieties of gin; Night Parrot is a wine bar serving Asian-inspired street food; Ilu Ilu is a cocktail bar and Indian tapas lounge;and Five Barrel Brewing is a craft brewery housed in a former paint warehouse. My insider tip? South Coast Distillery,tucked inside an industrial estate in the suburb of Mount Saint Thomas.

The writer was a guest of Hotel TOTTO and Destination Wollongong. Seehoteltotto.com andvisitwollongong.com.au