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Grand Pacific Drive: Otford to Thirroul, Illawarra coast, New South Wales
Photo: Joe “velojo” A · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped

Drives New South Wales, Australia The Illawarra and South Coast

Grand Pacific Drive: Otford to Thirroul

Lawrence Hargrave Drive · Otford → Thirroul

Twisty8.1 mi20 min800 ft climbHigh point ≈ 300 ftOne way
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The drive

Grand Pacific Drive is Lawrence Hargrave Drive, 13 km (8 mi) of cliff-edge road running south from Otford, through Stanwell Park, across the Sea Cliff Bridge and into Thirroul. It is the coastal route along the Illawarra escarpment, with bends in the road beside the cliffs and the Tasman Sea below.

The Sea Cliff Bridge is the landmark. It is 455.6 m long, opened on 11 December 2005, and replaced a section of road that was closed permanently in August 2003 because of repeated rock falls. Lawrence Hargrave Drive was the only direct road between Coalcliff, Stanwell Park, Otford and Helensburgh and northern Wollongong, so the closure caused a public outcry. The bridge links Coalcliff and Clifton.

It starts where Royal National Park Drive ends at Otford, so the two make a natural day out south of Sydney.

Along the way

  1. Otford (Lawrence Hargrave Drive)
  2. Stanwell Park
  3. Sea Cliff Bridge
  4. Thirroul (Lawrence Hargrave Drive)
Elevation
800 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 300 ft
OtfordThirroul
Curves
Mostly moderate, with three twisty stretches
OtfordThirroul
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • There is no separate cycleway on the Sea Cliff Bridge; cyclists share the two traffic lanes, with narrow shoulders.
  • A 2.5 m pedestrian path runs along the bridge.
  • Cycling events use the road, and the cliffs have a history of rockfalls and landslips, which have caused closures and repairs.
  • The drive has no toll.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Live Traffic NSW.

Questions about this drive

How long is Grand Pacific Drive from Otford to Thirroul?

Otford to Thirroul on Lawrence Hargrave Drive is 13 km (8 mi) and takes about 20 minutes.

What is the Sea Cliff Bridge?

The Sea Cliff Bridge on Lawrence Hargrave Drive is 455.6 m long and was opened on 11 December 2005, built out over the sea to replace a section of road closed because of rock falls.

Is Lawrence Hargrave Drive the same as Grand Pacific Drive?

Yes. Lawrence Hargrave Drive, including the Sea Cliff Bridge, is also called Grand Pacific Drive.

What you get in the app

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More drives near here

All 25 drives in New South Wales, Australia ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Grand Pacific Drive: Otford to Thirroul, from Otford to Thirroul