Port Kembla, Australia Cruises

Port Kembla, Australia Cruise Port

• Military history buffs: A memorial in the park in front of the currently closed Port Kembla RSL Club has a granite plinth notating conflicts in which Australian soldiers fought. There's also a German field gun that was obtained during World War I, along with other commemorative plaques on the walls and pavement.
   
• The protected Five Islands Nature Reserve is made up of five continental islands (and rocks around 250 million years old); the park is significant for biological and Aboriginal heritage values. It's especially important for seabird research, including species such as the little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, silver gull, and Australian pelican.
   
• The award-winning Port Kembla Beach on Olympic Boulevard is patrolled from September to April, and is popular among tourists for its cleanliness and sea life; there's also a pool if wary of swimming in the ocean. The café offers food as well as a great cup of coffee.
   
• The Buddhist Nan Tien Temple is about 4 miles from town and is a fascinating look at the area's religious beliefs. One of the largest in the southern hemisphere, it's relatively new: Built in 1995, it was created using traditional Chinese techniques. Don't miss the architecturally superb eight-level high pagoda.