Kiama Heights residents are sick of being in the ‘most forgotten suburb’ in Kiama. 

The exact boundaries of Kiama Heights are somewhat ambiguous. According to the residents' group, the housing area off South Kiama Drive from Anembo Crescent, including the three streets of Attunga Avenue, Kalang Road and Elandra Road before Loves Bay, as well as the entry to Loves Bay for the Kiama Coastal Walk to Werri Beach, are considered part of Kiama Heights.

Some even refer to the area around the Little Blowhole on Marsden Head as ‘Kiama Heights.’ 

One feature is the Kiama Coastal Walk picnic and lookout area at the end of Attunga Avenue overlooking the Tasman Sea. There’s no specific name for the headland which Kiama Heights sits on.

The Kiama Heights Residents Group is calling on Kiama Municipal Council to develop the three pocket parks at Kiama Heights for local community use and to facilitate access to Easts Beach for Kiama Heights locals, even those with limited mobility.



The Kiama Heights Residents Group has brought forth data indicating that Kiama Council spends the least amount of money in their area by resident numbers. The numbers are sourced from Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Community Needs Assessment, 2021, Measuring health and well being for the Illawarra Shoalhaven and public information from Kiama Council.

Here is the data sets supplied by Kiama Heights Community Group

This data was compiled and supplied to The Bugle by the Kiama Heights Community Group from data publicly available at Kiama Council’s Parks site

A representative told The Bugle:

“We believe that the Council has a moral obligation to address this need. It is grossly inequitable that the amenity enjoyed in other localities, in their local parks, is not available to residents and ratepayers of Kiama Heights. We all pay the same rates, and yet we not only have poorer amenities, but we are also, in effect, subsidising the expenditure made on other areas. I know that many other residents in Kiama Heights are becoming increasingly agitated and distressed by this inequity, and what is being perceived as Council indifference. “

Kiama Heights Residents Group also noted the promise made by the (now) Mayor Neil Reilly. In a letter sent prior to the most recent election, Mayor Reilly did an analysis of the available open space problems in Kiama Heights. He referred to the outcomes of this study and undertook to “ensure fairly distributed service provision throughout the municipality. “

In response to claims that Kiama Heights is underserviced, Mayor Reilly stated that Kiama Council should look into the issue of neglected parkland in Kiama Heights and the loss of access to Easts Beach. 

“These have proven to be empty promises. We have been unable to get any improvement either to the walking track or to our pocket parks, despite the fact that we have consistently engaged in a respectful way using Council’s engagement processes.”

The Bugle was shown three parcels of public land the resident committee says are owned by Kiama Council but only one is developed as a children’s playground. They would like to see the large, open space turned into community use land where residents could host events for all residents, or local families could gather for special occasions. The residents also referenced railway land over the tunnels and along the rail corridor as possible redevelopment for local use. 

Traditionally, local residents have had stiles or short stairs over their fences and were able to access the public beach at Easts Beach but are complaining the locked gates now impede normal progress.

“You can access the beach along the rocks, but a mother with a pram or young children would be unable to reach the beach except along the paths behind the now locked gates.”

The group stated: “Kiama Heights also has (in practical terms) no access to Easts Beach. The Coastal Walking Track, which could potentially provide access, is in a very degraded state, with the track narrowed in places to a deep rut approximately 30cm wide. The grass and blackberry bushes on either side are overhead. "

The track surface is littered with trip hazards such as tree roots and rocks. This makes it impossible for families with small children or anyone with any mobility issues to access. It is also a lengthy walk, with most places in Kiama Heights (if using the coastal walking track) faced with a walk of over 3km to get to and from the beach.

“Kiama Heights is in this position because its open space/recreational needs were not properly planned in at inception, and in 65 years since the establishment of the suburb, the Council has neglected to plan for and invest in remediating this original deficit.”

It also lacks any local shops or similar amenities.

The historic access through the field to the north of Kiama Heights, which provided access for over 60 years is now blocked by barbed wire and padlocked gates, despite the subdivision originally being marketed as “an easy level walk to Easts Beach”. 

The group noted the correspondence from Jane Stroud in April 2023 undertaking to make some improvements.

The walking track between Attunga Avenue Reserve and Easts Beach is part of the Kiama Coast Walk and is typically maintained as a rough mown track. However, this section of the coast walk is also used by residents of Kiama Heights as the access point to the beach. As such it requires a better walking surface suitable for families rather than trekkers of the coastal walk. The state of the track has deteriorated considerably after the extensive wet rain over recent years.  

Council will apply for funding to upgrade this track to a sealed graded surface to prevent accidents from trip hazards and slippery surfaces. 

The Kiama Heights Resident Group finished by asking “If any of your readers wish to support our ongoing work to improve our open space amenity, please contact us at [email protected]”