Macquarie Pass

Steep, tight hairpin climb of the Illawarra escarpment between Albion Park and Robertson.

Macquarie Pass is the escarpment section of the Illawarra Highway, climbing from Albion Park near the coast up through rainforest to Robertson in the Southern Highlands. The pass packs steep grades and several genuine hairpins into a short distance, with single-lane pinch points where buses and trucks sometimes have to shuffle. It is a long-standing favourite with drivers and motorcyclists despite its accident reputation. Mind the tight hairpin bends, slippery rainforest surface and rockfall, and oncoming vehicles taking the centre line on blind curves.