In 1796 William Clark and others trekking north to Port Jackson from the wrecked ship Sydney Cove noticed coal exposed at the cliffs there and made a fire from it, attracting rescuers, giving the area its name.

The mine entrance was an adit driven into six-foot thick coal seam that was exposed in face of the sea-cliff, less than forty feet above sea level.

It was very exposed to ocean swell, and shifting sand shoals added to the danger by changing the depth of water near the jetty.

Those ships were designed to have a shallow draft and self-trimming hatches, to minimise the chance of touching bottom during loading and to allow quick departures to be made.

It sold, amongst other household items, milk, bread, butter, drinks, meat, stationery, cigarettes and other tobacco paraphernalia, jams, preserves, poultry and bakery products.

The same year the shop was burned to the ground via unknown causes and remained a vacant lot until 1910 when another store was erected and opened by a Mr. L. Jameson.

There are splendid views offered towards Wollongong and Port Kembla in the south and Bald Hill and the Royal National Park in the north.

Coalcliff hosts its own Surf Life Saving Club with events like Nippers in summertime and assuring beach safety.