Bald Hill, Coastal summit near Stanwell Park, Australia

Bald Hill is a summit in the Illawarra Range in New South Wales that rises to about 180 meters above sea level. From the top, views stretch across the Tasman Sea and the coastal plain, with parking areas and a memorial cairn positioned nearby.

Bald Hill was granted to Matthew Gibbons in 1832; Campbell Mitchell bought it and sold his 1,325 acres to Justice Hargrave in 1872 for £2,650. Lawrence Hargrave lived at 'Hillcrest' from 1893 to 1899 and built monoplanes and cellular kites there. On 12 November 1894 four of his box kites lifted him 16 feet above Stanwell Park Beach. A sandstone memorial with a bronze portrait was unveiled on the hill on 3 August 1940.

The hill and surrounding land are the country of the Tharawal people, its traditional custodians. The reserve is also a gathering point for motorcyclists, whose groups use it as a regular stop on rides along Lawrence Hargrave Drive, and a sculpture of a hang glider above the escarpment stands in the reserve.

The location is known for paragliding and hang gliding, with designated launch zones available year-round for these sports. The winds here are strong and reliable, making it a popular spot for these activities.

The name is becoming a misnomer: weeds and grasses now cover much of the mid slopes rising from the base. Look for the sculpture of a hang glider above the escarpment, and note that Stony Batter, a sandstone outcrop just north, is reached by a short track entering Royal National Park.