Kiama Blowhole

by Mark Dwyer
(Kiama)

The Kiama Blowhole is a blowhole in the town of Kiama, New South Wales, Australia. It's the town's major tourist attraction.
Under certain sea conditions, the blowhole can spray water up to 25 metres (82 ft) in the air, in quantities that thoroughly drench any bystanders. There is actually a second, less famous blowhole in Kiama, commonly referred to as the "Little Blowhole" by the locals. It's much smaller than the other (called the 'Big Blowhole'), but due to its narrow shape, it is actually more reliable than the Big Blowhole, and in the right conditions can be equally spectacular.

The blowhole attracts 600,000 tourists a year. Kiama Blowhole is just a few meters beyond the coastline. The 'little blowhole' is located a few minutes south of the main blowhole.

History

The name Kiama itself is derived from a local aboriginal word which means 'where the sea makes noise'. The aboriginal people call the blowhole Khanterinteree.

The first European to see the blowhole was George Bass on 6 December 1797 when he stopped there on his whaleboat voyage to Bass Strait.

In January 1889 a performer by the name of Charles Jackson attracted large crowds to see his crossings of the mouth of the Blow Hole on a tightrope.