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Wikipedia

Wollongong

May 04, 2023

This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. For the local government area, see City of Wollongong.

Wollongong (/ˈwʊlənɡɒŋ/ WUUL-ən-gong; Dharawal: Woolyungah), colloquially referred to as The Gong, is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near water' or 'sound of the sea'.[2] Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 85 kilometres (53 miles) south of central Sydney.[3] Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302,739 at June 2018, making it the third-largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle and the tenth-largest city in Australia by population.[4] The city's current Lord Mayor is Gordon Bradbery AM who was elected in 2021.[5]

Wollongong
New South Wales
Top to bottom, left to right: Wollongong Harbour and Foreshore, Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse and Fort, Bulli Heritage Hotel, Sea Cliff Bridge, panorama of Wollongong
Wollongong
Coordinates34°25′38″S 150°53′38″E / 34.427243°S 150.893915°E / -34.427243; 150.893915
Population280,153 (UCL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)2500
Elevation5 m (16 ft)
Area572.2 km2 (220.9 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST)AEDT (UTC+11)
Location
LGA(s)
RegionIllawarra
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
21.8 °C
71 °F		 13.3 °C
56 °F		 1,320.9 mm
52 in

The Wollongong area extends from Helensburgh in the north to Windang and Yallah in the south. Geologically, the city is located in the south-eastern part of the Sydney basin, which extends from Newcastle to Nowra.[6]

Wollongong is noted for its heavy industry, its port activity and the quality of its physical setting, occupying a narrow coastal plain between an almost continuous chain of surf beaches and the cliffline of the rainforest-covered Illawarra escarpment. It has two cathedrals, churches of many denominations and the Nan Tien Temple. Wollongong has a long history of coal mining and industry. The city attracts many tourists each year[7] and is a regional centre for the South Coast fishing industry. The University of Wollongong has around 38,000 students.[8]

History

 
View of the town of Wollongong, Illawarra in 1857

The area was originally inhabited by the Dharawal Indigenous Australians. The first Europeans to visit the area were the navigators George Bass and Matthew Flinders, who landed at Lake Illawarra in 1796. The first settlers in the region were cedar cutters in the early nineteenth century, followed by graziers in 1812. Charles Throsby established a stockman's hut in the area in 1815. The first land grants were made in 1816. In 1830, a military barracks was constructed near the harbour. Further settlers arrived and in 1834 a town was planned. On 26 November 1834, the town was first gazetted and George Brown erected the first court house. The main road down the Escarpment through Bulli Pass was built by convict labour in 1835–6, although other passes were built during the 19th century as well, such as O'Briens Road and Rixons Pass. By 1856 Wollongong had a population of 864.

In 1858, a court house was built. In 1861, a horse-drawn tramway from Mount Keira to the harbour was completed. In 1862 a telegraph line was opened between Wollongong and Bellambi. In 1865 the first gas supply in Wollongong was provided from a gas plant in Corrimal Street. In 1868 the extensions to the harbour were opened by Lady Belmore and named Belmore Basin. Patrick Lahiff established a coke works at Wollongong Harbour in the 1870s. He erected two beehive coke ovens between the north eastern end of the basin and Pulpit Rock. The ovens were demolished in 1892. The remains of the coke ovens were uncovered and recovered and are now preserved beneath the hill, with a plaque explaining their history.

In 1871 the old lighthouse was completed.[citation needed] Nevertheless, in 1881 a British clipper, Queen of Nations, ran ashore off the mouth of Towradgi Creek. Her cargo included 24,000 bottles of Hennessy Cognac. Local police and NSW Customs recovered at least 5,000 bottles, but others were looted by members of the public.[9]

The surviving part of the Queen of Nations wreck is only about 70 metres (230 ft) from the shore, in water only 3 to 5 metres (10 to 16 ft) deep. From time to time, a violent storm uncovers part of the wreck. After one such storm in 1991, looting resumed, including of the Cognac. The Commonwealth Government quickly issued an order protecting the wreck under the then Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976.[10] Since 2018 the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 has automatically protected the wreck and its contents, as they are more than 75 years old.

 
Wollongong N.S.W. 1887; Aerial view of Wollongong Harbour. From the "Illustrated Sydney News" of 15 October 1887.

In 1880 steam locomotives were introduced to haul coal from Mount Keira mine to the harbour. Gas street lighting was introduced in 1883. In 1885 a new court house was erected in Market Street. Like many Australian court houses, it was designed in a Classical Revival style considered appropriate for public buildings. It is now listed on the Register of the National Estate.[11] In 1886 the first town hall was erected. The Illawarra Railway to Wollongong was completed in 1887, and now continues as far south as the town of Bomaderry on the Shoalhaven River. The navigator George Bass first documented the Illawarra coal deposits in 1797. There have been many coalmines in the district. Australia's worst coal mining disaster occurred in 1902, at the Mount Kembla mine when an explosion killed 94 men and boys, the youngest aged 14, the oldest 69. Two other men died attempting to rescue survivors. Survivors were treated at the "A. M. (Albert Memorial) Hospital",[12] which opened in 1864 and closed when the Wollongong Hospital opened in 1907[13] on Garden Hill. In 1916 the Wollongong High School was opened.

 
Wollongong in 1937

Heavy industry was attracted to the region by the ready availability of coal. In 1928, Hoskins, later Australian Iron & Steel, started a steelworks at Port Kembla, a few kilometres south of Wollongong. The former Broken Hill Proprietary Company (now BHP after merging with Billiton plc) acquired AI&S in 1935, but has since spun-out their steel division as a separate company, now known as BlueScope. The steelworks has grown to become a world-class flat rolled steel producer, operating as a fully integrated steel plant with a production of around 5 million tonnes per year. Other industries to have set up in the massive Port Kembla industrial complex—the largest single concentration of heavy industry in Australia—include a fertiliser plant, an electrolytic copper smelter, a locomotive workshop, a coal export shipping terminal, a grain export shipping terminal and an industrial gases manufacturing plant.

 
Crown Street in the 1940s

In 1936, the new Wollongong Lighthouse was finished on Flagstaff Point.[14] In 1942 Wollongong was proclaimed a City. In 1947 City of Greater Wollongong was formed. In 1954 the population of Wollongong was 90,852. In 1956 new Wollongong City Council Chambers were opened. In 1961 the Wollongong University College was established. In 1963, the Wollongong Teachers College was established. In 1965 the Westfield shopping centre at Figtree opened.

In 1985, the railway line was electrified to Wollongong, and in 1993 to Dapto. In 1986 the Wollongong Mall was completed. For a short while, trams (trackless trains) were used in the mall, though this ceased due to dangers involved. The mall was re-opened to traffic after the initial test but re-zoned a pedestrian area after and has remained one since.

In 1987 the council chambers and library building were completed, replacing the old council building at the present art gallery site. The Crown Gateway Shopping Centre was completed. Wollongong Mall was opened. In 1988, the current council administration building was completed, as well as the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC), across the road on Burelli Street. IPAC was officially opened by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1988.[citation needed] A sculpture recognizing Lawrence Hargrave was placed via \ helicopter on the eastern foothills of Mount Keira. In 1998 the 6000 seat Wollongong Entertainment Centre was opened.

In 1999, the Gateway and Crown Central mall buildings were unified as Wollongong Central and a pedestrian walkway/café was built connecting the buildings in an above ground bridge. In 2000, as part of the Sydney Olympics, the Olympic torch was carried through Wollongong as part of its journey. In 2001, the population of Wollongong reached 181,612 people. In 2004 the Wollongong City Gallery celebrated its 25th anniversary. In 2005 Qantas established a daily air service from Wollongong to Melbourne that lasted till 2008.

In 2006/2007, the library was renovated, including new facilities, as part of the tenth anniversary of the library's current site. Also at this time the beachfront was renovated with a new lookout and walkway upgrade. In June 2007, erosion was caused via storms to the beaches, the worst in 30 years.

Despite the decline of traditional manufacturing and blue-collar industries due to the abandonment of protectionist economic policies in the 1980s, many of these industrial installations still exist. The city's economy is, however, on the rebound, thanks to diversification of economic activity including higher education, the fine arts, tourism, residential construction and eco-friendly electricity generation; however, the city's economy still relies primarily on heavy industry, and will continue to in the near future.

Various meanings are given for the Aboriginal word ' Wollongong' including 'seas of the South', ' great feast of fish' , 'hard ground near water', 'song of the sea' ' sound of the waves' 'many snakes' and ' five islands'.

Heritage listings

 
Former Post Office

Wollongong has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Geography

Main article: Geography of Wollongong
 
Scenic view of Wollongong's northern coastline from Bald Hill, overlooking Stanwell Park

The city of Wollongong has a distinct geography. It lies on a narrow coastal plain flanked by the Tasman Sea to the east and a steep sandstone precipice known as the Illawarra Escarpment to the west. The coastal plain is widest in the south and narrowest in the north, with the city centre located about midway. South of the city centre but within the urban area is Lake Illawarra, a large lagoon. Although Wollongong sits on the immediate coast, it lies on the same longitude as Greater Western Sydney.

 
Cliff faces of Wollongong's coastline, from the Coalcliff Rock Pools

The escarpment ranges between 150 and 750 metres (490–2,460 ft) above sea level, with locally famous mountains such as Mount Keira (464m), Mount Kembla (534m), Broker's Nose (440m) and Mount Murray (768m) to the south. It contains strata of coal measures, and the adit entrances to many coal mines have been established along the slopes of the escarpment throughout Wollongong. Suburbia encroaches on the escarpment's lower slopes in some areas, but the majority remains in a relatively natural state forested with dry sclerophyll and pockets of temperate rainforest. The escarpment is largely protected by a State Conservation Area and local scenic protection zoning, and provides the visual backdrop to the city.

In the north the escarpment meets the coastline, and north of this the coastal road Lawrence Hargrave Drive hugs the cliff line. The unstable geology of the escarpment resulted in rockfalls, forcing the closure of the road. Subsequently, part of Lawrence Hargrave Drive was replaced in 2005 by the Sea Cliff Bridge just off the coast, crossing the submerged rock shelf. The bridge carries both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The Illawarra railway line must go through several tunnels to reach the Sydney metropolitan area. The Southern Freeway and Princes Highway provide alternative inland routes, descending the escarpment further south at Bulli Pass or at Mount Ousley, entering just north of Wollongong's city centre.

To the south the plain reaches its maximum extent around Albion Park where it incorporates a large coastal saltwater lagoon called Lake Illawarra, separated from the Pacific Ocean by a long sandy spit.

 
Wollongong's coastline on the outskirts of the city

The coastal strip consists of highly fertile alluvium, which made Wollongong so attractive to agriculturists in the nineteenth century. It contains many hills including the foothills of the escarpment's lower slopes, and while these generally do not exceed one hundred metres in height they give much of the city an undulating character. The coastal strip is traversed by several short but flood-prone and fast-flowing streams and creeks such as Fairy Creek (Para Creek), Cabbage Tree Creek, Allans Creek, Nostaw Ravine, Jimbob Creek, Mullet Creek and Macquarie Rivulet.

The coastline consists of many beaches characterised by fine pale gold-coloured sands; however, these beaches are sometimes interrupted by prominent and rocky headlands, such as Tego Rock, jutting into the sea. In places these headlands have been excavated or extended to create artificial harbours at Wollongong, Port Kembla, Shellharbour and Kiama. Just off the coast south of Wollongong centre, near Port Kembla, lies a group of five islands known collectively as The Five Islands. The islands are a wildlife refuge.

 
Lookout from the Illawarra escarpment above the Wollongong metropolitan area

Inner city

 
Wollongong city centre

The inner city area includes the suburbs of Wollongong and North Wollongong, extending from Fairy Creek in the north, west to include the Wollongong Hospital, and south to the Greenhouse Park. At the 2016 census, the suburb of Wollongong had a population of 18,442.[25]

The CBD is a major commercial hub containing many department stores and specialty shops, offices, and entertainment venues. It is centred on the Crown Street Mall and Wollongong Central, and approximates the area bounded by Market, Corrimal, and Burelli streets and the railway line. Surrounding the CBD lies a mixture of parks, reserves, light commercial property, houses and multi-story residential units. Multi-story housing is evident particularly on Smith's Hill, north-east of the CBD, reflecting the popularity of combining inner-city living, coastal views and a beachside lifestyle.

 
Wollongong Court House

To the east of the city lies Flagstaff Point, a rocky headland with eroded low cliffs topped by a grassy hill. The northern side of the point was excavated by convict labour to form Belmore Basin. This was later extended with the northern breakwater to create Wollongong Harbour. The area is the site of a historic colonial fort, several restored cannons and two lighthouses, a feature peculiar to the east coast of Australia. The older Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse located at the harbour entrance was made of wrought iron plates in 1871 and has become an icon of the city. The newer Wollongong Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1936 atop the Flagstaff Hill and is still used in the early 21st century. Belmore Basin houses the commercial fishing fleet and Fisherman's Co-op, while the main harbour shelters private vessels.

The main beaches of central Wollongong are North Wollongong (or simply North) Beach, extending from the harbour up to the Fairy lagoon and Puckeys Estate Reserve, and Wollongong City Beach, extending south from Flagstaff Point and into Coniston Beach.

Climate

Wollongong has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb), but with humid subtropical (Cfa) influences[26] as its warmest month mean of 21.9 °C (71.4 °F) is just below the subtropical isotherm of 22 °C (72 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 44.1 °C on 1 January 2006, and the lowest 0.8 °C on 27 July 1986. Annually, Wollongong receives 107.4 clear days.[27]

Rainfall is spread through the months but has a bias to the first half of the year. It is often associated with orographic lift caused by the escarpment and its exposed location on the Tasman Sea, which makes it more prone to moist easterlies. A significant flood event occurred on 18 August 1998 when Wollongong recorded 316 mm of rainfall (the nearby suburb of Mt Ousley recorded in excess of 445 mm), mostly falling in a 3-hour period.[28][29] Wollongong also experiences thunderstorms during the warmer months bringing lightning, heavy rain and occasionally hail.

July and August are known as the windy months, with westerly gales that can gust at over 100 km/h.[27] These are generally dry foehn winds from the Great Dividing Range, which are common at this time of the year in southeast Australia on the leeward side of the Ranges.

Climate data for Wollongong University
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 44.1
(111.4) 		41.7
(107.1) 		40.2
(104.4) 		35.4
(95.7) 		28.5
(83.3) 		24.7
(76.5) 		25.7
(78.3) 		30.3
(86.5) 		34.2
(93.6) 		38.8
(101.8) 		40.6
(105.1) 		41.5
(106.7) 		44.1
(111.4)
Average high °C (°F) 25.8
(78.4) 		25.8
(78.4) 		24.5
(76.1) 		22.6
(72.7) 		20.1
(68.2) 		17.9
(64.2) 		17.2
(63.0) 		18.6
(65.5) 		20.7
(69.3) 		22.5
(72.5) 		23.1
(73.6) 		24.9
(76.8) 		22.0
(71.6)
Average low °C (°F) 17.9
(64.2) 		18.1
(64.6) 		16.6
(61.9) 		13.8
(56.8) 		11.6
(52.9) 		9.6
(49.3) 		8.4
(47.1) 		8.6
(47.5) 		10.5
(50.9) 		12.5
(54.5) 		14.2
(57.6) 		16.3
(61.3) 		13.2
(55.8)
Record low °C (°F) 9.6
(49.3) 		10.3
(50.5) 		9.1
(48.4) 		5.1
(41.2) 		3.1
(37.6) 		2.0
(35.6) 		0.8
(33.4) 		2.0
(35.6) 		3.3
(37.9) 		4.7
(40.5) 		5.4
(41.7) 		8.3
(46.9) 		0.8
(33.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 130.3
(5.13) 		156.4
(6.16) 		160.4
(6.31) 		129.3
(5.09) 		106.4
(4.19) 		112.4
(4.43) 		63.4
(2.50) 		83.3
(3.28) 		67.4
(2.65) 		100.5
(3.96) 		115.6
(4.55) 		94.6
(3.72) 		1,320.9
(52.00)
Average rainy days 13.8 13.7 14.5 11.2 10.8 9.7 8.5 7.8 9.3 11.4 13.6 13.0 137.3
Average afternoon relative humidity (%) 68 69 66 63 62 59 54 52 55 61 64 64 61
Source: [27]

Demographics

The Wollongong metropolitan area includes the suburbs, outlying towns and rural localities stretching from Helensburgh in the north to Kiama in the south. According to the 2016 census, it had a population of 285,678 people.

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.9% of the population.
  • 74.1% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 4.2%, North Macedonia 1.3%, China 1.1%, Italy 1.1% and New Zealand 1.0%.
  • 80.4% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Macedonian 2.2%, Italian 1.5%, Mandarin 1.1%, Arabic 1.1% and Spanish 0.8%.
  • The most common responses for religion were No Religion 27.2%, Catholic 26.1% and Anglican 17.9%.
  • 4.2% of employed people worked in Hospitals (except Psychiatric Hospitals). Other major industries of employment included Aged Care Residential Services 2.6%, Higher Education 2.6%, Supermarket and Grocery Stores 2.4% and Cafes and Restaurants 2.4%.[30]

It is the third largest city in New South Wales and the tenth largest in Australia. Using 2006 ABS geography, around 89% of the statistical district's population reside in the built-up urban centre extending from Clifton to Shell Cove.[31][32][33]

The following table includes selected 2006 census figures for these areas, together with those for the central suburb of Wollongong.

 
Wollongong City Council

Wollongong is continuing to grow with a population growth of 3.1% for the period 2001 to 2006, although the supply of new residential land is limited by the geography particularly in the northern suburbs. The west Dapto area is a major centre of future growth with plans for 19,000 new dwellings and 50,000 people within 40 years.[37][38] New residential areas are also being developed further south around the Albion Park, Shell Cove and Kiama areas.

Wollongong has a distinctly multicultural population. Many migrants were attracted to the area by the job opportunities at the Port Kembla steelworks in the post-war period, and settled in surrounding suburbs such as Cringila, Warrawong and Coniston. By 1966 about 60% of the wage earners at the Australian Iron and Steel steelworks were born overseas coming from over 100 countries.[39] These included British, Irish, Macedonians, Spaniards, Portuguese, Greeks, Italians, Arabs, Russians, Bosnians, Croatians, Serbians, Germans, Turks, Chileans and Brazilians.[39] With the end of the White Australia policy these were followed by Indo-Chinese refugees in the 1970s, Indians, Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, Malaysians, Singaporeans, Koreans and Pacific Islanders in the 1980s and 1990s.[39] The University of Wollongong continues to attract students and staff from all over the world, with around 5,000 overseas student enrolments.[8]

Around 20,000 people commute daily to jobs in Sydney by road and rail, making it one of the busiest commuter corridors in Australia.[41]

Education

Tertiary and further education

There are two campuses of the Illawarra Institute of TAFE. The Wollongong Campus is the network's largest campus, and it offers a variety of courses.

Wollongong has one university, the University of Wollongong, which was formerly part of the University of New South Wales. The University was awarded the "Australian University of the Year" in two consecutive years (1999–2000, 2000–2001) by the Good Universities Guide, and is internationally recognised.[42] It has two main campuses: the primary campus on Northfields Avenue, and the Innovation Campus on Squires Way. The University's Sydney Business School also has a secondary campus in Sydney.

Schools

Wollongong has a number of primary and high schools, including public, denominational and independent.

Media

Wollongong has one daily newspaper, The Illawarra Mercury published and issued Monday to Saturday by Australian Community Media (ACM). Additionally, ACM publishes several free community newspapers including the Advertiser incorporating Lake Times and Kiama Independent.[43]

Wollongong and the Illawarra region are serviced by three commercial television networks – WIN Television, the Seven Network and Southern Cross 10. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) also broadcast television services to Wollongong. In addition to these channels, ten new channels broadcasting in are also available in Wollongong and the greater Illawarra region. These channels include ABC HD, ABC Kids, ABC TV Plus, ABC Me, ABC News, 7HD, 7two, 7mate, 7flix, 7Bravo, 9HD, 9Go!, 9Gem, 9Life, 10 HD, 10 Bold, 10 Peach and SBS Viceland. In some areas it is also possible to pick up Sydney channels. Subscription Television service Foxtel (formerly Austar) is also available via satellite.

Of the three main commercial networks:

  • WIN Television airs a half-hour local WIN News each weeknight at 5:30pm, produced and broadcast from the network's headquarters in the city.
  • Southern Cross 10 airs short news & weather updates of 10 News First throughout the day from Hobart.
  • The Seven Network airs short local news and weather updates throughout the day, produced and broadcast from its Canberra studios.

The region receives five ABC radio services – ABC Illawarra 97.3FM, Triple J 98.9, and Radio National 1431 AM, ABC Classic FM 95.7 and Newsradio 90.9FM. There are two commercial radio stations i98FM 98.1 and WAVE FM 96.5 – formerly 2WL, and two community radio stations Vox FM 106.9 and Christian broadcaster 94.1 FM.[44]

On the 17th of November 2021 the board game Monopoly launched a 'Wollongong' Edition.[45] It showcases a number of Wollongong attractions including: Nan Tien Temple, Mount Keira, and the Sea Cliff Bridge.[45]

Transport

Road

Main article: Princes Motorway
 
The Sea Cliff Bridge on Lawrence Hargrave Drive bypasses a dangerous section of the Illawarra Escarpment.

The main road connecting Wollongong is the M1 Princes Motorway (formerly the F6). The motorway, part of National Route 1, descends the escarpment via Mount Ousley Road to enter the city near the University of Wollongong and exits at its southern fringe. A second freeway, Memorial Drive (formerly the Northern Distributor), continues northward from the university to connect Wollongong's northern suburbs, Bulli Pass and the scenic Lawrence Hargrave Drive. The Illawarra Highway connects Wollongong's southern suburbs to the Southern Highlands via Macquarie Pass.

Rail

 
Wollongong railway station
Main article: Illawarra railway line

Wollongong is served by the Illawarra railway line. Passenger rail services on this line connect the centres of Nowra and Kiama to the south and Sydney to the north. A branch line connects suburbs between the CBD and Port Kembla. A passenger rail service connecting Wollongong to the Southern Highlands has since been replaced with a coach service. Wollongong railway station is the city's main train station, and serves Wollongong's CBD.

Freight services connect Sydney markets with Port Kembla and the Manildra Group factory at Bomaderry. The Southern Highlands line is used primarily for freight, providing an important bypass for Sydney's congested rail network.

Bus

Route services in Wollongong are provided by Premier Illawarra and Dion's Bus Service who also provide school/charter services together with some other companies. Wollongong railway station serves as the network's hub. Services connect Wollongong suburbs to Shellharbour, Lake Illawarra and the Royal National Park. There is also a Free Shuttle Bus service that connects the CBD, University and the suburbs of North Wollongong, Fairy Meadow and Gwynneville.[46]

Air

Main article: Shellharbour Airport

Wollongong is serviced by Shellharbour Airport, also known as Illawarra Regional Airport and Wollongong Airport. The Airport is located in Albion Park Rail, 18km south of Wollongong CBD in the Shellharbour City LGA.

Regular Public Transport (RPT) air services to Melbourne (Essendon) and Brisbane airports were recommenced by Fly Corporate in 2018, following the cancellation of previous services offered by JetGo and QantasLink. Fly Corporate operates 34 seat SAAB 340B turboprop aircraft.

There are multiple air charter businesses including NSW Air, EliteJet and Touchdown Helicopters. The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) is also based at the airport.

Culture

Arts

 
Gleniffer Brae Manor House, home to the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music

Wollongong maintains an active arts scene. In the area of music the city is home to various music and jazz ensembles. The Wollongong Conservatorium of Music provides musical tuition for instruments and voice in classical, jazz and contemporary styles. It is one of the largest regional conservatoriums in Australia and located in the historic Gleniffer Brae Manor House, part of the Wollongong Botanic Gardens.

 
Wollongong Art Gallery

The local professional theatre company, Merrigong Theatre Company, is located at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. Merrigong also manages the city's key civic and community venue, the Wollongong Town Hall, and presents a diverse range of events in the heart of the city. Other local theatre groups include The Arcadians, The Phoenix Theatre and Wollongong Workshop Theatre.

The annual Wollongong Eisteddfod showcases local talent in music, theatre and dance.

The Wollongong Art Gallery houses a significant collection of the art of the Illawarra, contemporary Australian, Aboriginal and Asian art.

The popular 1990s stoner rock band Tumbleweed were formed and based in Wollongong, as are Surf-Rock duo Hockey Dad.

Yours and Owls Festival is an annual music festival that attracts 12,000 people and features the best up and coming Australian and international bands.

Cyrus Villanueva, winner of the seventh season of The X Factor Australia, was born and raised in Wollongong.[47]

Wollongong also hosts Wonderwalls, an annual street art festival featuring local and internationally acclaimed street artists.

 
The Heritage Hotel in the northern suburb of Bulli

Entertainment and nightlife

Entertainment venues include the Crown Street Mall, many restaurants and cafes, the town cinemas and the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. Adjacent to WIN Stadium, the home ground of the NRL team St. George Illawarra Dragons, is the WIN Entertainment Centre: a multipurpose venue which hosts concerts and sporting events (including Southern Stars, basketball and motocross stunt shows). There are numerous city nightclubs, pubs & registered clubs; Including The Illawarra Master Builders Club, The Grand Hotel (back to its original name, after being called Cooney's for a few years), Mr Crown, Ron De Vu, The Illawarra Hotel, The Harp Hotel, and The North Wollongong Hotel. Most suburbs also have their own hotels, each with individual character.

Recreation

 
Ocean baths on the coastline

Wollongong has 17 seasonally-patrolled local beaches: Stanwell Park, Coalcliff, Scarborough/Wombarra, Coledale, Austinmer, Thirroul, Sandon Point, Bulli, Woonona, Bellambi, Corrimal, Towradgi, Fairy Meadow, North Wollongong, Wollongong City, Port Kembla and Windang. Surfing, rock fishing, swimming, skimboarding are common activities. The Wollongong to Thirroul Bike Track, a thirteen kilometre Heart Foundation walking/biking pathway which runs northwards adjacent to the Illawarra coastline starting at Wollongong Beach, is frequented by walkers, joggers, skaters and bicycle riders. Bushwalking on nearby Mount Keira and Mount Kembla, and motorbike riding at the Motocross Track on the escarpment west of Wollongong, are also popular activities.

Wollongong has many parks. In the city centre is MacCabe Park, featuring a playground, the local youth centre, a war memorial, community hall, a sculpture called "Nike" and a brick amphitheatre. Lang Park, adjacent to the city beach, has a number of shelters built in the 1950s. These were subject for demolition but were saved by a community vote. Stuart Park, to the coastal north of the city but south of Fairy Lagoon and Puckeys Estate Reserve, is well known as a landing spot for skydivers as well as a place for outdoor recreation and social gatherings. Stuart Park is also distinctive for its Norfolk Island Pines, planted during the North Wollongong tourism boom in the 1920s. J.J.Kelly Park to the south is used by circuses, as well as a protected area of creek leading to the Greenhouse Park north of the Port Kembla Steelworks, containing a revegetated area of once waste and a lookout, as well as the small remnants of Tom Thumb Lagoon, which once stretched north to Swan Street. Beaton Park in Gwynneville is home to Tennis Wollongong and the Leisure Centre with an athletics complex, indoor heated swimming pool, gymnasium and multipurpose sports hall.

Sport

Rugby league

 
WIN stadium, one of two home grounds used by the St. George Illawarra Dragons.

The St George Illawarra Dragons Rugby league club represents the city in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The club was formed in a merger between the St. George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers in 1999, and they play half their home games at WIN Stadium in Downtown Wollongong. They won the 2010 NRL Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters.

Prior to the merger the Illawarra Steelers had represented the area in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership and NRL between 1982 and 1998. The Illawarra Steelers continue to represent the Illawarra region in all four NSWRL Junior Representative Competitions: the SG Ball Cup, Harold Matthews Cup, Tarsha Gale Cup, and the Lisa Fiaola Cup.

Rugby League has been played in Wollongong since 1911, and the area has produced at least 41 international players.[48] At the local level league continues to have a strong following with a number of teams playing in the Illawarra Rugby League and Group 7 Rugby League competitions. The Illawarra League features 14 senior clubs north of Lake Illawarra, and 5 of Group 7's clubs are located in the Wollongong urban area around the Shellharbour district.

Basketball

The Illawarra Hawks basketball team play in the National Basketball League and are the only NBL club to have competed in every season since the league's inception in 1979. Home games are played at the WIN Entertainment Centre, nicknamed as "The Sandpit" in the NBL due to its close proximity to the beach.[49] This makes the Hawks the only professional sports team to play all home games in the Illawarra. The Hawks won the 2001 NBL Championship.

In addition to the NBL side, local community basketball competitions are run by Basketball Illawarra. Basketball Illawarra's representative side, also called the Illawarra Hawks, compete in the Basketball NSW competition, the Waratah League.

Football

Wollongong Wolves compete in the National Premier Leagues NSW, the second-tier of football in Australia. In late 2008, the club folded due to debts incurred over the past season, but was rescued financially by community support,[50] and as a community-owned not-for-profit organisation has been successful in competitions.[citation needed] A consortium named Great South Football is preparing the Illawarra's South Coast A-League bid. Scott Chipperfield, a Wollongong native who became a professional football player in Europe, has expressed an interest in being involved in a Wollongong football club playing in the A-League.[citation needed] It is proposed that a new community-based entity would then take on their Football NSW licence.

Other sports

The city does not have a senior cricket team representing it. Ireland captain Trent Johnston grew up in Dapto and played for New South Wales before leaving for Ireland. Australian internationals and New South Wales players Brett and Shane Lee were raised in Oak Flats and played for the local cricket club Oak Flat Rats.

The Illawarriors were a rugby union club based in the Illawarra, who contest the Shute Shield NSW club competition. The club played some of their home games at WIN Stadium Local rugby union is played in the Illawarra Rugby Union.

The first recorded match of water polo in Wollongong came in 1894, in a men's match between the Wollongong and Kiama Swim Clubs at Brighton Beach. The Kiama Swim Club prevailed, winning 3-0.[51] Water polo is currently played at UOW Pool through the Illawarra Water Polo Club. Each year, Illawarra also compete at the NSW Country Club Championships, whereby the Illawarra U14's boys won in 2021.[52]

The Illawarra Cycling Club holds road cycle races almost every week of the year. During the summer, velodrome racing is also promoted at the Unanderra Velodrome on the Princes Highway. A recent focus within the club has seen a shift to encompass a stronger emphasis on youth development programs alongside its already strong commitment to competitive under 19's, 23's and adult road racing. The club is represented at a state and national level regularly and has had several riders compete at international levels.

The Gong Scorpions are the local Floorball team from the Wollongong area. The Club plays socially at the Wollongong University and has recently been re-established in order to compete in the NSW Elite Series.

Baseball has been played in the region with structured competitions conducted since 1938. The Illawarra District Baseball Association was the governing body from this year until 1991 when the Illawarra Baseball League was created. The Illawarra Junior Baseball League was inaugurated in 1984 to accommodate a growing number of juniors that peaked at around 950 players in 1995. Eight regional clubs from four Local Government Areas play in the I B L. A regional club, the Illawarra Flame Baseball Club, fielded teams in four grades in the New South Wales Baseball League Sydney Major League from 1994 to 2007. The first grade team made the Grand Final in their inaugural season. The Club won a total of four premierships while participating. The IFBC played their inaugural games against the All Kawasaki Baseball Club in August 1994 the games being the first sporting exchange between the Sister Cities, Wollongong and Kawasaki.

The Wollongong Whales compete against Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club, South Maroubra Dolphins Winter Swimming Club, Cronulla Polar Bears Winter Swimming Club, Maroubra Seals Winter Swimming Club, Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club, Clovelly Eskimos Winter Swimming Club, Bronte Splashers, Coogee Penguins Winter Swimming Club and Cottesloe Crabs in the Winter Swimming Association of Australia Championships.[53]

Other popular sports in the Illawarra include golf, rock climbing, surfing, cup stacking, triathlon, ultimate frisbee and mountain biking.

In the book Quidditch Through the Ages by J. K. Rowling, the Wollongong Warriors are listed as one of Australia's quidditch teams. They have a rivalry with the Thundelarra Thunderers, and are the inventors of the Wollongong Shimmy, a high-speed zig-zag move designed to confuse and distract opposing Chasers. Wollongong Warriors is now a real club in Australian Quidditch Association, a Muggle quidditch league.

Wollongong hosted the UCI Road World Championships in 2022.[54]

AFL South Coast is a park football competition in the region.

Attractions

 
Pier at the Wollongong Foreshore Park

In addition to numerous swimming, skate spots and surfing beaches, major visitor attractions to Wollongong City include:

Sister and friendship cities

Wollongong has sister city and friendship city arrangements with:[55]

  • Kawasaki, Japan, formally established 1988
  • Ohrid, North Macedonia, established 1981, lapsed, formally re-established 1999
  • Longyan, People's Republic of China (friendship city), formally established 2001

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Wollongong

See also

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wollongong (Urban Centre and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 10 December 2022.  
  2. ^ Croucher, John S. (2020). A Concise History of New South Wales. Woodslane Press. ISBN 978-1-92-586839-5. The name 'Wollongong' is thought to come from the Dharawal language, although its meaning is debated. One interpretation is 'five islands/clouds', another is that it means 'ground near water', yet another that it means 'sound of the sea'.
  3. ^ Distance from Hyde Park in Sydney city center to Wollongong railway station in Wollongong city center – Google Maps
  4. ^ "Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2016–17". ABS. 24 April 2018. from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Your Council Officials". Wollongong City Council. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Basin gif". Dept of Primary Industries. from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  7. ^ . Tourism NSW. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  8. ^ a b . University of Wollongong. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  9. ^ "The Queen of Nations". The Daily Telegraph. 5 July 1881. p. 3. Retrieved 30 May 2022 – via Trove.
  10. ^ Nutley, David (April 2006). "The Queen of Nations: A Shipwreck with Influence" (PDF). Underwater Cultural Heritage at Risk: Managing Natural and Human Impacts / Heritage at Risk – Special Edition. International Council on Monuments and Sites. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  11. ^ Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Publishers, 1981, p.2/173
  12. ^ "Kembla Disaster Notes". South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus. New South Wales, Australia. 16 August 1902. p. 7. Retrieved 3 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Opening of the Wollongong Hospital". The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser. Vol. LXXXIV, no. 2386. New South Wales, Australia. 31 July 1907. p. 291. Retrieved 3 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "The Wollongong Head Lighthouse". from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  15. ^ "St. Michael's Cathedral & Rectory". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00602. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  16. ^ "North Beach Precinct". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01737. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  17. ^ "Wollongong Harbour Precinct". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01823. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  18. ^ "Shop". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00467. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  19. ^ "Wollongong East Post Office". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01616. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  20. ^ "Wollongong Hospital Nurses Home". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00836. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  21. ^ "Wollongong Railway Station Group". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01289. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  22. ^ "Regent Theatre". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01735. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  23. ^ "Original Wollongong Telegraph and Post Office". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01940. Retrieved 18 February 2020.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  24. ^ "Little Milton". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00272. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  25. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Wollongong (state suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 July 2017.  
  26. ^ "Wollongong, New South Wales Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  27. ^ a b c "Bureau of Meteorology – Summary statistics WOLLONGONG UNIVERSITY". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  28. ^ "SIGNIFICANT WEATHER – AUGUST 1998". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
  29. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
  30. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "2016 Community Profiles: Wollongong (SUA)". 2016 Census of Population and Housing. Retrieved 29 November 2018.  
  31. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Wollongong (NSW) (Statistical District)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
  32. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Wollongong (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  33. ^ a b "Wollongong Urban Centre/Locality Map". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
  34. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Wollongong (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  35. ^ "Wollongong Statistical District Map". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  36. ^ "Wollongong State Suburb Map". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
  37. ^ . Wollongong City Council. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  38. ^ . Wollongong City Council. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  39. ^ a b c d Hagan, Jim, ed. (1997). "14. The Emergence of Multicultural Wollongong". A History of Wollongong. The University of Wollongong Press. ISBN 0-86418-446-8.
  40. ^ "Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2009–10". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 31 March 2011. from the original on 29 January 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  41. ^ (PDF). Illawarra Business Chamber. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  42. ^ "Awards and Achievements". University of Wollongong. from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  43. ^ ACM Ad Centre
  44. ^ . Scanner Australia. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  45. ^ a b "Wollongong Monopoly Game Launch - Where to Buy". wollongongcbd.com.au. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  46. ^ "| transportnsw.info". transportnsw.info. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  47. ^ Savage, Desirée (2 October 2015). "Illawarra cheer squad backing Cyrus". Illawarra Mercury. from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  48. ^ . St George Illawarra Dragons. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  49. ^ . Basketball Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  50. ^ Supporters save Wollongong FC – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  51. ^ "WOLLONGONG SWIMMING CLUB". Trove.
  52. ^ "Why Illawarra Water Polo". Illawarra Water Polo.
  53. ^ "Winter Smimming Association of Australia". from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  54. ^ "Wollongong To Host 2022 UCI World Championships". Bicycling Australia. from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  55. ^ "Sister cities". Wollongong City Council. 26 July 2010. from the original on 17 October 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.

External links

 
Look up Wollongong in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wollongong.
 
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Wollongong".
 
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Wollongong.
  • Wollongong City Council
  • "Illawarra From Above" – Satellite and Aerial Video
  • Tourism Wollongong
  • Wollongong – Visit NSW
  • Wollongong Advertiser incorporating Lake Times
  • Kiama Independent
  • Merrigong Theatre Company
  • Wollongong Town Hall
  • Wollongong TV Guide – All channels currently broadcasting in the Wollongong and surrounding areas

May 04, 2023
wollongong, this, article, about, metropolitan, area, australia, local, government, area, city, wuul, gong, dharawal, woolyungah, colloquially, referred, gong, city, located, illawarra, region, south, wales, australia, name, believed, originate, from, dharawal. This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia For the local government area see City of Wollongong Wollongong ˈ w ʊ l e n ɡ ɒ ŋ WUUL en gong Dharawal Woolyungah colloquially referred to as The Gong is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales Australia The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language meaning either five islands clouds ground near water or sound of the sea 2 Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean 85 kilometres 53 miles south of central Sydney 3 Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302 739 at June 2018 making it the third largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle and the tenth largest city in Australia by population 4 The city s current Lord Mayor is Gordon Bradbery AM who was elected in 2021 5 Wollongong New South WalesTop to bottom left to right Wollongong Harbour and Foreshore Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse and Fort Bulli Heritage Hotel Sea Cliff Bridge panorama of WollongongWollongongCoordinates34 25 38 S 150 53 38 E 34 427243 S 150 893915 E 34 427243 150 893915Population280 153 UCL 2021 1 Postcode s 2500Elevation5 m 16 ft Area572 2 km2 220 9 sq mi Time zoneAEST UTC 10 Summer DST AEDT UTC 11 Location85 km 53 mi S of Sydney40 km 25 mi N of Kiama73 km 45 mi E of Bowral72 km 45 mi NE of Nowra244 km 152 mi ENE of CanberraLGA s City of WollongongCity of ShellharbourMunicipality of KiamaRegionIllawarraState electorate s WollongongKeiraFederal division s CunninghamWhitlamMean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall21 8 C 71 F 13 3 C 56 F 1 320 9 mm 52 inLocalities around Wollongong Gwynneville North Wollongong Pacific OceanMangerton Wollongong Pacific OceanMount Saint Thomas Coniston Pacific OceanThe Wollongong area extends from Helensburgh in the north to Windang and Yallah in the south Geologically the city is located in the south eastern part of the Sydney basin which extends from Newcastle to Nowra 6 Wollongong is noted for its heavy industry its port activity and the quality of its physical setting occupying a narrow coastal plain between an almost continuous chain of surf beaches and the cliffline of the rainforest covered Illawarra escarpment It has two cathedrals churches of many denominations and the Nan Tien Temple Wollongong has a long history of coal mining and industry The city attracts many tourists each year 7 and is a regional centre for the South Coast fishing industry The University of Wollongong has around 38 000 students 8 Contents 1 History 2 Heritage listings 3 Geography 3 1 Inner city 3 2 Climate 4 Demographics 5 Education 5 1 Tertiary and further education 5 2 Schools 6 Media 7 Transport 7 1 Road 7 2 Rail 7 3 Bus 7 4 Air 8 Culture 8 1 Arts 8 2 Entertainment and nightlife 8 3 Recreation 8 4 Sport 8 4 1 Rugby league 8 4 2 Basketball 8 4 3 Football 8 4 4 Other sports 9 Attractions 10 Sister and friendship cities 11 Notable people 12 See also 13 References 14 External linksHistory Edit View of the town of Wollongong Illawarra in 1857The area was originally inhabited by the Dharawal Indigenous Australians The first Europeans to visit the area were the navigators George Bass and Matthew Flinders who landed at Lake Illawarra in 1796 The first settlers in the region were cedar cutters in the early nineteenth century followed by graziers in 1812 Charles Throsby established a stockman s hut in the area in 1815 The first land grants were made in 1816 In 1830 a military barracks was constructed near the harbour Further settlers arrived and in 1834 a town was planned On 26 November 1834 the town was first gazetted and George Brown erected the first court house The main road down the Escarpment through Bulli Pass was built by convict labour in 1835 6 although other passes were built during the 19th century as well such as O Briens Road and Rixons Pass By 1856 Wollongong had a population of 864 Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse In 1858 a court house was built In 1861 a horse drawn tramway from Mount Keira to the harbour was completed In 1862 a telegraph line was opened between Wollongong and Bellambi In 1865 the first gas supply in Wollongong was provided from a gas plant in Corrimal Street In 1868 the extensions to the harbour were opened by Lady Belmore and named Belmore Basin Patrick Lahiff established a coke works at Wollongong Harbour in the 1870s He erected two beehive coke ovens between the north eastern end of the basin and Pulpit Rock The ovens were demolished in 1892 The remains of the coke ovens were uncovered and recovered and are now preserved beneath the hill with a plaque explaining their history A painting of Queen of Nations by Richard Ball Spencer In 1871 the old lighthouse was completed citation needed Nevertheless in 1881 a British clipper Queen of Nations ran ashore off the mouth of Towradgi Creek Her cargo included 24 000 bottles of Hennessy Cognac Local police and NSW Customs recovered at least 5 000 bottles but others were looted by members of the public 9 The surviving part of the Queen of Nations wreck is only about 70 metres 230 ft from the shore in water only 3 to 5 metres 10 to 16 ft deep From time to time a violent storm uncovers part of the wreck After one such storm in 1991 looting resumed including of the Cognac The Commonwealth Government quickly issued an order protecting the wreck under the then Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 10 Since 2018 the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 has automatically protected the wreck and its contents as they are more than 75 years old Wollongong N S W 1887 Aerial view of Wollongong Harbour From the Illustrated Sydney News of 15 October 1887 Wollongong Head Lighthouse and the Flagstaff Hill FortIn 1880 steam locomotives were introduced to haul coal from Mount Keira mine to the harbour Gas street lighting was introduced in 1883 In 1885 a new court house was erected in Market Street Like many Australian court houses it was designed in a Classical Revival style considered appropriate for public buildings It is now listed on the Register of the National Estate 11 In 1886 the first town hall was erected The Illawarra Railway to Wollongong was completed in 1887 and now continues as far south as the town of Bomaderry on the Shoalhaven River The navigator George Bass first documented the Illawarra coal deposits in 1797 There have been many coalmines in the district Australia s worst coal mining disaster occurred in 1902 at the Mount Kembla mine when an explosion killed 94 men and boys the youngest aged 14 the oldest 69 Two other men died attempting to rescue survivors Survivors were treated at the A M Albert Memorial Hospital 12 which opened in 1864 and closed when the Wollongong Hospital opened in 1907 13 on Garden Hill In 1916 the Wollongong High School was opened Wollongong in 1937 Heavy industry was attracted to the region by the ready availability of coal In 1928 Hoskins later Australian Iron amp Steel started a steelworks at Port Kembla a few kilometres south of Wollongong The former Broken Hill Proprietary Company now BHP after merging with Billiton plc acquired AI amp S in 1935 but has since spun out their steel division as a separate company now known as BlueScope The steelworks has grown to become a world class flat rolled steel producer operating as a fully integrated steel plant with a production of around 5 million tonnes per year Other industries to have set up in the massive Port Kembla industrial complex the largest single concentration of heavy industry in Australia include a fertiliser plant an electrolytic copper smelter a locomotive workshop a coal export shipping terminal a grain export shipping terminal and an industrial gases manufacturing plant Crown Street in the 1940s In 1936 the new Wollongong Lighthouse was finished on Flagstaff Point 14 In 1942 Wollongong was proclaimed a City In 1947 City of Greater Wollongong was formed In 1954 the population of Wollongong was 90 852 In 1956 new Wollongong City Council Chambers were opened In 1961 the Wollongong University College was established In 1963 the Wollongong Teachers College was established In 1965 the Westfield shopping centre at Figtree opened In 1985 the railway line was electrified to Wollongong and in 1993 to Dapto In 1986 the Wollongong Mall was completed For a short while trams trackless trains were used in the mall though this ceased due to dangers involved The mall was re opened to traffic after the initial test but re zoned a pedestrian area after and has remained one since In 1987 the council chambers and library building were completed replacing the old council building at the present art gallery site The Crown Gateway Shopping Centre was completed Wollongong Mall was opened In 1988 the current council administration building was completed as well as the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre IPAC across the road on Burelli Street IPAC was officially opened by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1988 citation needed A sculpture recognizing Lawrence Hargrave was placed via helicopter on the eastern foothills of Mount Keira In 1998 the 6000 seat Wollongong Entertainment Centre was opened In 1999 the Gateway and Crown Central mall buildings were unified as Wollongong Central and a pedestrian walkway cafe was built connecting the buildings in an above ground bridge In 2000 as part of the Sydney Olympics the Olympic torch was carried through Wollongong as part of its journey In 2001 the population of Wollongong reached 181 612 people In 2004 the Wollongong City Gallery celebrated its 25th anniversary In 2005 Qantas established a daily air service from Wollongong to Melbourne that lasted till 2008 In 2006 2007 the library was renovated including new facilities as part of the tenth anniversary of the library s current site Also at this time the beachfront was renovated with a new lookout and walkway upgrade In June 2007 erosion was caused via storms to the beaches the worst in 30 years Despite the decline of traditional manufacturing and blue collar industries due to the abandonment of protectionist economic policies in the 1980s many of these industrial installations still exist The city s economy is however on the rebound thanks to diversification of economic activity including higher education the fine arts tourism residential construction and eco friendly electricity generation however the city s economy still relies primarily on heavy industry and will continue to in the near future Various meanings are given for the Aboriginal word Wollongong including seas of the South great feast of fish hard ground near water song of the sea sound of the waves many snakes and five islands Heritage listings Edit Former Post Office Wollongong has a number of heritage listed sites including Church Street St Michael s Cathedral 15 Cliff Road North Beach Precinct 16 Cliff Road and Endeavour Drive Wollongong Harbour Precinct 17 87 Crown Street 87 Crown Street 18 91 Crown Street Old Wollongong East Post Office 19 Darling Street Elouera House 20 Illawarra railway Wollongong railway station 21 197 Keira Street Regent Theatre 22 11 Market Street Old Wollongong Telegraph and Post Office 23 31 33 Smith Street Little Milton 24 Geography EditMain article Geography of Wollongong Scenic view of Wollongong s northern coastline from Bald Hill overlooking Stanwell ParkThe city of Wollongong has a distinct geography It lies on a narrow coastal plain flanked by the Tasman Sea to the east and a steep sandstone precipice known as the Illawarra Escarpment to the west The coastal plain is widest in the south and narrowest in the north with the city centre located about midway South of the city centre but within the urban area is Lake Illawarra a large lagoon Although Wollongong sits on the immediate coast it lies on the same longitude as Greater Western Sydney Cliff faces of Wollongong s coastline from the Coalcliff Rock Pools The escarpment ranges between 150 and 750 metres 490 2 460 ft above sea level with locally famous mountains such as Mount Keira 464m Mount Kembla 534m Broker s Nose 440m and Mount Murray 768m to the south It contains strata of coal measures and the adit entrances to many coal mines have been established along the slopes of the escarpment throughout Wollongong Suburbia encroaches on the escarpment s lower slopes in some areas but the majority remains in a relatively natural state forested with dry sclerophyll and pockets of temperate rainforest The escarpment is largely protected by a State Conservation Area and local scenic protection zoning and provides the visual backdrop to the city In the north the escarpment meets the coastline and north of this the coastal road Lawrence Hargrave Drive hugs the cliff line The unstable geology of the escarpment resulted in rockfalls forcing the closure of the road Subsequently part of Lawrence Hargrave Drive was replaced in 2005 by the Sea Cliff Bridge just off the coast crossing the submerged rock shelf The bridge carries both vehicular and pedestrian traffic The Illawarra railway line must go through several tunnels to reach the Sydney metropolitan area The Southern Freeway and Princes Highway provide alternative inland routes descending the escarpment further south at Bulli Pass or at Mount Ousley entering just north of Wollongong s city centre To the south the plain reaches its maximum extent around Albion Park where it incorporates a large coastal saltwater lagoon called Lake Illawarra separated from the Pacific Ocean by a long sandy spit Wollongong s coastline on the outskirts of the city The coastal strip consists of highly fertile alluvium which made Wollongong so attractive to agriculturists in the nineteenth century It contains many hills including the foothills of the escarpment s lower slopes and while these generally do not exceed one hundred metres in height they give much of the city an undulating character The coastal strip is traversed by several short but flood prone and fast flowing streams and creeks such as Fairy Creek Para Creek Cabbage Tree Creek Allans Creek Nostaw Ravine Jimbob Creek Mullet Creek and Macquarie Rivulet The coastline consists of many beaches characterised by fine pale gold coloured sands however these beaches are sometimes interrupted by prominent and rocky headlands such as Tego Rock jutting into the sea In places these headlands have been excavated or extended to create artificial harbours at Wollongong Port Kembla Shellharbour and Kiama Just off the coast south of Wollongong centre near Port Kembla lies a group of five islands known collectively as The Five Islands The islands are a wildlife refuge Lookout from the Illawarra escarpment above the Wollongong metropolitan area Inner city Edit Wollongong city centre The inner city area includes the suburbs of Wollongong and North Wollongong extending from Fairy Creek in the north west to include the Wollongong Hospital and south to the Greenhouse Park At the 2016 census the suburb of Wollongong had a population of 18 442 25 The CBD is a major commercial hub containing many department stores and specialty shops offices and entertainment venues It is centred on the Crown Street Mall and Wollongong Central and approximates the area bounded by Market Corrimal and Burelli streets and the railway line Surrounding the CBD lies a mixture of parks reserves light commercial property houses and multi story residential units Multi story housing is evident particularly on Smith s Hill north east of the CBD reflecting the popularity of combining inner city living coastal views and a beachside lifestyle Wollongong Court House To the east of the city lies Flagstaff Point a rocky headland with eroded low cliffs topped by a grassy hill The northern side of the point was excavated by convict labour to form Belmore Basin This was later extended with the northern breakwater to create Wollongong Harbour The area is the site of a historic colonial fort several restored cannons and two lighthouses a feature peculiar to the east coast of Australia The older Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse located at the harbour entrance was made of wrought iron plates in 1871 and has become an icon of the city The newer Wollongong Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1936 atop the Flagstaff Hill and is still used in the early 21st century Belmore Basin houses the commercial fishing fleet and Fisherman s Co op while the main harbour shelters private vessels The main beaches of central Wollongong are North Wollongong or simply North Beach extending from the harbour up to the Fairy lagoon and Puckeys Estate Reserve and Wollongong City Beach extending south from Flagstaff Point and into Coniston Beach Climate Edit Wollongong has an oceanic climate Koppen Cfb but with humid subtropical Cfa influences 26 as its warmest month mean of 21 9 C 71 4 F is just below the subtropical isotherm of 22 C 72 F The highest recorded temperature is 44 1 C on 1 January 2006 and the lowest 0 8 C on 27 July 1986 Annually Wollongong receives 107 4 clear days 27 Rainfall is spread through the months but has a bias to the first half of the year It is often associated with orographic lift caused by the escarpment and its exposed location on the Tasman Sea which makes it more prone to moist easterlies A significant flood event occurred on 18 August 1998 when Wollongong recorded 316 mm of rainfall the nearby suburb of Mt Ousley recorded in excess of 445 mm mostly falling in a 3 hour period 28 29 Wollongong also experiences thunderstorms during the warmer months bringing lightning heavy rain and occasionally hail July and August are known as the windy months with westerly gales that can gust at over 100 km h 27 These are generally dry foehn winds from the Great Dividing Range which are common at this time of the year in southeast Australia on the leeward side of the Ranges Climate data for Wollongong UniversityMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 44 1 111 4 41 7 107 1 40 2 104 4 35 4 95 7 28 5 83 3 24 7 76 5 25 7 78 3 30 3 86 5 34 2 93 6 38 8 101 8 40 6 105 1 41 5 106 7 44 1 111 4 Average high C F 25 8 78 4 25 8 78 4 24 5 76 1 22 6 72 7 20 1 68 2 17 9 64 2 17 2 63 0 18 6 65 5 20 7 69 3 22 5 72 5 23 1 73 6 24 9 76 8 22 0 71 6 Average low C F 17 9 64 2 18 1 64 6 16 6 61 9 13 8 56 8 11 6 52 9 9 6 49 3 8 4 47 1 8 6 47 5 10 5 50 9 12 5 54 5 14 2 57 6 16 3 61 3 13 2 55 8 Record low C F 9 6 49 3 10 3 50 5 9 1 48 4 5 1 41 2 3 1 37 6 2 0 35 6 0 8 33 4 2 0 35 6 3 3 37 9 4 7 40 5 5 4 41 7 8 3 46 9 0 8 33 4 Average rainfall mm inches 130 3 5 13 156 4 6 16 160 4 6 31 129 3 5 09 106 4 4 19 112 4 4 43 63 4 2 50 83 3 3 28 67 4 2 65 100 5 3 96 115 6 4 55 94 6 3 72 1 320 9 52 00 Average rainy days 13 8 13 7 14 5 11 2 10 8 9 7 8 5 7 8 9 3 11 4 13 6 13 0 137 3Average afternoon relative humidity 68 69 66 63 62 59 54 52 55 61 64 64 61Source 27 Demographics EditThe Wollongong metropolitan area includes the suburbs outlying towns and rural localities stretching from Helensburgh in the north to Kiama in the south According to the 2016 census it had a population of 285 678 people Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2 9 of the population 74 1 of people were born in Australia The next most common countries of birth were England 4 2 North Macedonia 1 3 China 1 1 Italy 1 1 and New Zealand 1 0 80 4 of people spoke only English at home Other languages spoken at home included Macedonian 2 2 Italian 1 5 Mandarin 1 1 Arabic 1 1 and Spanish 0 8 The most common responses for religion were No Religion 27 2 Catholic 26 1 and Anglican 17 9 4 2 of employed people worked in Hospitals except Psychiatric Hospitals Other major industries of employment included Aged Care Residential Services 2 6 Higher Education 2 6 Supermarket and Grocery Stores 2 4 and Cafes and Restaurants 2 4 30 St Michael s Cathedral St Francis Xavier Cathedral Nan Tien TempleIt is the third largest city in New South Wales and the tenth largest in Australia Using 2006 ABS geography around 89 of the statistical district s population reside in the built up urban centre extending from Clifton to Shell Cove 31 32 33 The following table includes selected 2006 census figures for these areas together with those for the central suburb of Wollongong Selected 2006 Census Statistics Metropolitan Area 31 Urban Area 32 Inner City 34 Area Helensburgh to Kiama 35 Clifton to Shell Cove 33 Wollongong Suburb 36 Population 263 535 234 482 14 363 Indigenous persons 4 744 1 8 4 415 1 9 183 1 3 Age Groups 0 4 years 16 478 6 3 14 780 6 3 540 3 8 5 14 36 435 13 8 32 020 13 7 887 6 2 15 24 36 329 13 8 32 590 13 9 3 055 21 3 25 54 106 038 40 2 94 564 40 3 6 100 42 5 55 64 28 447 10 8 25 167 10 7 1 427 9 9 65 39 806 15 1 35 361 15 1 2 355 16 4 People born overseas 53 102 20 1 49 501 21 1 4 151 28 9 Country of birth 1 Australia 194 197 73 7 Australia 170 058 72 5 Australia 8 579 59 7 2 England 12 964 4 9 England 11 503 4 9 England 437 3 0 3 North Macedonia 4 276 1 6 North Macedonia 4 261 1 8 China 409 2 8 4 Italy 3 746 1 4 Italy 3 613 1 5 North Macedonia 329 2 3 5 Scotland 2 681 1 0 Scotland 2 452 1 0 Croatia 220 1 5 6 New Zealand 2 358 0 9 New Zealand 2 051 0 9 Italy 195 1 4 Language Spoken at Home 1 English only 215 079 81 6 English only 187 944 80 2 English only 9 308 64 8 2 Macedonian 6 857 2 6 Macedonian 6 814 2 9 Macedonian 522 3 6 3 Italian 5 275 2 0 Italian 5 097 2 2 Mandarin 389 2 7 4 Spanish 2 456 0 9 Spanish 2 390 1 0 Serbian 371 2 6 5 Greek 2 353 0 9 Greek 2 272 1 0 Italian 320 2 2 6 Serbian 1 782 0 7 Serbian 1 738 0 7 Greek 311 2 2 Religious Affiliation 1 Catholic 76 875 29 2 Catholic 68 751 29 3 Catholic 3 453 24 0 2 Anglican 62 640 23 8 Anglican 54 694 23 3 No Religion 2 462 17 1 3 No Religion 38 901 14 8 No Religion 34 070 14 5 Anglican 2 236 15 6 4 Eastern Orthodox 14 199 5 4 Eastern Orthodox 13 910 5 9 Eastern Orthodox 1 459 10 2 5 Uniting Church 14 060 5 3 Uniting Church 12 073 5 1 Uniting Church 516 3 6 Total labour force 119 542 105 316 7 110 Wollongong City Council Wollongong is continuing to grow with a population growth of 3 1 for the period 2001 to 2006 although the supply of new residential land is limited by the geography particularly in the northern suburbs The west Dapto area is a major centre of future growth with plans for 19 000 new dwellings and 50 000 people within 40 years 37 38 New residential areas are also being developed further south around the Albion Park Shell Cove and Kiama areas Wollongong Population Growth 1947 2010 Statistical Local Area Year Population Increase Growth1947 70 135 1954 100 725 30 590 43 6 1961 150 387 49 662 49 3 1966 177 432 27 045 18 0 1971 202 800 25 368 14 3 1976 222 250 19 450 9 6 1981 231 400 9 150 4 1 1986 232 240 840 0 4 1991 244 930 12 690 5 5 1996 255 740 10 810 4 4 2001 269 597 13 857 5 4 2006 277 984 8 387 3 1 2010 292 190 14 206 5 1 Source 1947 1996 39 2001 2010 40 Wollongong has a distinctly multicultural population Many migrants were attracted to the area by the job opportunities at the Port Kembla steelworks in the post war period and settled in surrounding suburbs such as Cringila Warrawong and Coniston By 1966 about 60 of the wage earners at the Australian Iron and Steel steelworks were born overseas coming from over 100 countries 39 These included British Irish Macedonians Spaniards Portuguese Greeks Italians Arabs Russians Bosnians Croatians Serbians Germans Turks Chileans and Brazilians 39 With the end of the White Australia policy these were followed by Indo Chinese refugees in the 1970s Indians Filipinos Chinese Japanese Malaysians Singaporeans Koreans and Pacific Islanders in the 1980s and 1990s 39 The University of Wollongong continues to attract students and staff from all over the world with around 5 000 overseas student enrolments 8 Around 20 000 people commute daily to jobs in Sydney by road and rail making it one of the busiest commuter corridors in Australia 41 Education Edit The SMART Infrastructure Facility on the University of Wollongong campus Tertiary and further education Edit There are two campuses of the Illawarra Institute of TAFE The Wollongong Campus is the network s largest campus and it offers a variety of courses Wollongong has one university the University of Wollongong which was formerly part of the University of New South Wales The University was awarded the Australian University of the Year in two consecutive years 1999 2000 2000 2001 by the Good Universities Guide and is internationally recognised 42 It has two main campuses the primary campus on Northfields Avenue and the Innovation Campus on Squires Way The University s Sydney Business School also has a secondary campus in Sydney Schools Edit Wollongong has a number of primary and high schools including public denominational and independent Media EditWollongong has one daily newspaper The Illawarra Mercury published and issued Monday to Saturday by Australian Community Media ACM Additionally ACM publishes several free community newspapers including the Advertiser incorporating Lake Times and Kiama Independent 43 Wollongong and the Illawarra region are serviced by three commercial television networks WIN Television the Seven Network and Southern Cross 10 The Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABC and the Special Broadcasting Service SBS also broadcast television services to Wollongong In addition to these channels ten new channels broadcasting in are also available in Wollongong and the greater Illawarra region These channels include ABC HD ABC Kids ABC TV Plus ABC Me ABC News 7HD 7two 7mate 7flix 7Bravo 9HD 9Go 9Gem 9Life 10 HD 10 Bold 10 Peach and SBS Viceland In some areas it is also possible to pick up Sydney channels Subscription Television service Foxtel formerly Austar is also available via satellite Of the three main commercial networks WIN Television airs a half hour local WIN News each weeknight at 5 30pm produced and broadcast from the network s headquarters in the city Southern Cross 10 airs short news amp weather updates of 10 News First throughout the day from Hobart The Seven Network airs short local news and weather updates throughout the day produced and broadcast from its Canberra studios The region receives five ABC radio services ABC Illawarra 97 3FM Triple J 98 9 and Radio National 1431 AM ABC Classic FM 95 7 and Newsradio 90 9FM There are two commercial radio stations i98FM 98 1 and WAVE FM 96 5 formerly 2WL and two community radio stations Vox FM 106 9 and Christian broadcaster 94 1 FM 44 On the 17th of November 2021 the board game Monopoly launched a Wollongong Edition 45 It showcases a number of Wollongong attractions including Nan Tien Temple Mount Keira and the Sea Cliff Bridge 45 Transport EditRoad Edit Main article Princes Motorway The Sea Cliff Bridge on Lawrence Hargrave Drive bypasses a dangerous section of the Illawarra Escarpment The main road connecting Wollongong is the M1 Princes Motorway formerly the F6 The motorway part of National Route 1 descends the escarpment via Mount Ousley Road to enter the city near the University of Wollongong and exits at its southern fringe A second freeway Memorial Drive formerly the Northern Distributor continues northward from the university to connect Wollongong s northern suburbs Bulli Pass and the scenic Lawrence Hargrave Drive The Illawarra Highway connects Wollongong s southern suburbs to the Southern Highlands via Macquarie Pass Rail Edit Wollongong railway station Main article Illawarra railway line Wollongong is served by the Illawarra railway line Passenger rail services on this line connect the centres of Nowra and Kiama to the south and Sydney to the north A branch line connects suburbs between the CBD and Port Kembla A passenger rail service connecting Wollongong to the Southern Highlands has since been replaced with a coach service Wollongong railway station is the city s main train station and serves Wollongong s CBD Freight services connect Sydney markets with Port Kembla and the Manildra Group factory at Bomaderry The Southern Highlands line is used primarily for freight providing an important bypass for Sydney s congested rail network Bus Edit Route services in Wollongong are provided by Premier Illawarra and Dion s Bus Service who also provide school charter services together with some other companies Wollongong railway station serves as the network s hub Services connect Wollongong suburbs to Shellharbour Lake Illawarra and the Royal National Park There is also a Free Shuttle Bus service that connects the CBD University and the suburbs of North Wollongong Fairy Meadow and Gwynneville 46 Air Edit Main article Shellharbour Airport Shellharbour Airport terminal Wollongong is serviced by Shellharbour Airport also known as Illawarra Regional Airport and Wollongong Airport The Airport is located in Albion Park Rail 18km south of Wollongong CBD in the Shellharbour City LGA Regular Public Transport RPT air services to Melbourne Essendon and Brisbane airports were recommenced by Fly Corporate in 2018 following the cancellation of previous services offered by JetGo and QantasLink Fly Corporate operates 34 seat SAAB 340B turboprop aircraft There are multiple air charter businesses including NSW Air EliteJet and Touchdown Helicopters The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society HARS is also based at the airport Culture EditArts Edit Gleniffer Brae Manor House home to the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music Wollongong maintains an active arts scene In the area of music the city is home to various music and jazz ensembles The Wollongong Conservatorium of Music provides musical tuition for instruments and voice in classical jazz and contemporary styles It is one of the largest regional conservatoriums in Australia and located in the historic Gleniffer Brae Manor House part of the Wollongong Botanic Gardens Wollongong Art Gallery The local professional theatre company Merrigong Theatre Company is located at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre Merrigong also manages the city s key civic and community venue the Wollongong Town Hall and presents a diverse range of events in the heart of the city Other local theatre groups include The Arcadians The Phoenix Theatre and Wollongong Workshop Theatre The annual Wollongong Eisteddfod showcases local talent in music theatre and dance The Wollongong Art Gallery houses a significant collection of the art of the Illawarra contemporary Australian Aboriginal and Asian art The popular 1990s stoner rock band Tumbleweed were formed and based in Wollongong as are Surf Rock duo Hockey Dad Yours and Owls Festival is an annual music festival that attracts 12 000 people and features the best up and coming Australian and international bands Cyrus Villanueva winner of the seventh season of The X Factor Australia was born and raised in Wollongong 47 Wollongong also hosts Wonderwalls an annual street art festival featuring local and internationally acclaimed street artists The Heritage Hotel in the northern suburb of Bulli Entertainment and nightlife Edit Entertainment venues include the Crown Street Mall many restaurants and cafes the town cinemas and the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre Adjacent to WIN Stadium the home ground of the NRL team St George Illawarra Dragons is the WIN Entertainment Centre a multipurpose venue which hosts concerts and sporting events including Southern Stars basketball and motocross stunt shows There are numerous city nightclubs pubs amp registered clubs Including The Illawarra Master Builders Club The Grand Hotel back to its original name after being called Cooney s for a few years Mr Crown Ron De Vu The Illawarra Hotel The Harp Hotel and The North Wollongong Hotel Most suburbs also have their own hotels each with individual character Recreation Edit Ocean baths on the coastline Wollongong has 17 seasonally patrolled local beaches Stanwell Park Coalcliff Scarborough Wombarra Coledale Austinmer Thirroul Sandon Point Bulli Woonona Bellambi Corrimal Towradgi Fairy Meadow North Wollongong Wollongong City Port Kembla and Windang Surfing rock fishing swimming skimboarding are common activities The Wollongong to Thirroul Bike Track a thirteen kilometre Heart Foundation walking biking pathway which runs northwards adjacent to the Illawarra coastline starting at Wollongong Beach is frequented by walkers joggers skaters and bicycle riders Bushwalking on nearby Mount Keira and Mount Kembla and motorbike riding at the Motocross Track on the escarpment west of Wollongong are also popular activities Wollongong Botanic Garden Wollongong has many parks In the city centre is MacCabe Park featuring a playground the local youth centre a war memorial community hall a sculpture called Nike and a brick amphitheatre Lang Park adjacent to the city beach has a number of shelters built in the 1950s These were subject for demolition but were saved by a community vote Stuart Park to the coastal north of the city but south of Fairy Lagoon and Puckeys Estate Reserve is well known as a landing spot for skydivers as well as a place for outdoor recreation and social gatherings Stuart Park is also distinctive for its Norfolk Island Pines planted during the North Wollongong tourism boom in the 1920s J J Kelly Park to the south is used by circuses as well as a protected area of creek leading to the Greenhouse Park north of the Port Kembla Steelworks containing a revegetated area of once waste and a lookout as well as the small remnants of Tom Thumb Lagoon which once stretched north to Swan Street Beaton Park in Gwynneville is home to Tennis Wollongong and the Leisure Centre with an athletics complex indoor heated swimming pool gymnasium and multipurpose sports hall Sport Edit Rugby league Edit WIN stadium one of two home grounds used by the St George Illawarra Dragons The St George Illawarra Dragons Rugby league club represents the city in the National Rugby League NRL competition The club was formed in a merger between the St George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers in 1999 and they play half their home games at WIN Stadium in Downtown Wollongong They won the 2010 NRL Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters Prior to the merger the Illawarra Steelers had represented the area in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership and NRL between 1982 and 1998 The Illawarra Steelers continue to represent the Illawarra region in all four NSWRL Junior Representative Competitions the SG Ball Cup Harold Matthews Cup Tarsha Gale Cup and the Lisa Fiaola Cup Rugby League has been played in Wollongong since 1911 and the area has produced at least 41 international players 48 At the local level league continues to have a strong following with a number of teams playing in the Illawarra Rugby League and Group 7 Rugby League competitions The Illawarra League features 14 senior clubs north of Lake Illawarra and 5 of Group 7 s clubs are located in the Wollongong urban area around the Shellharbour district Basketball EditThe Illawarra Hawks basketball team play in the National Basketball League and are the only NBL club to have competed in every season since the league s inception in 1979 Home games are played at the WIN Entertainment Centre nicknamed as The Sandpit in the NBL due to its close proximity to the beach 49 This makes the Hawks the only professional sports team to play all home games in the Illawarra The Hawks won the 2001 NBL Championship WIN Entertainment CentreIn addition to the NBL side local community basketball competitions are run by Basketball Illawarra Basketball Illawarra s representative side also called the Illawarra Hawks compete in the Basketball NSW competition the Waratah League Football Edit Wollongong Wolves compete in the National Premier Leagues NSW the second tier of football in Australia In late 2008 the club folded due to debts incurred over the past season but was rescued financially by community support 50 and as a community owned not for profit organisation has been successful in competitions citation needed A consortium named Great South Football is preparing the Illawarra s South Coast A League bid Scott Chipperfield a Wollongong native who became a professional football player in Europe has expressed an interest in being involved in a Wollongong football club playing in the A League citation needed It is proposed that a new community based entity would then take on their Football NSW licence Other sports Edit The city does not have a senior cricket team representing it Ireland captain Trent Johnston grew up in Dapto and played for New South Wales before leaving for Ireland Australian internationals and New South Wales players Brett and Shane Lee were raised in Oak Flats and played for the local cricket club Oak Flat Rats The Illawarriors were a rugby union club based in the Illawarra who contest the Shute Shield NSW club competition The club played some of their home games at WIN Stadium Local rugby union is played in the Illawarra Rugby Union The first recorded match of water polo in Wollongong came in 1894 in a men s match between the Wollongong and Kiama Swim Clubs at Brighton Beach The Kiama Swim Club prevailed winning 3 0 51 Water polo is currently played at UOW Pool through the Illawarra Water Polo Club Each year Illawarra also compete at the NSW Country Club Championships whereby the Illawarra U14 s boys won in 2021 52 The Illawarra Cycling Club holds road cycle races almost every week of the year During the summer velodrome racing is also promoted at the Unanderra Velodrome on the Princes Highway A recent focus within the club has seen a shift to encompass a stronger emphasis on youth development programs alongside its already strong commitment to competitive under 19 s 23 s and adult road racing The club is represented at a state and national level regularly and has had several riders compete at international levels The Gong Scorpions are the local Floorball team from the Wollongong area The Club plays socially at the Wollongong University and has recently been re established in order to compete in the NSW Elite Series Baseball has been played in the region with structured competitions conducted since 1938 The Illawarra District Baseball Association was the governing body from this year until 1991 when the Illawarra Baseball League was created The Illawarra Junior Baseball League was inaugurated in 1984 to accommodate a growing number of juniors that peaked at around 950 players in 1995 Eight regional clubs from four Local Government Areas play in the I B L A regional club the Illawarra Flame Baseball Club fielded teams in four grades in the New South Wales Baseball League Sydney Major League from 1994 to 2007 The first grade team made the Grand Final in their inaugural season The Club won a total of four premierships while participating The IFBC played their inaugural games against the All Kawasaki Baseball Club in August 1994 the games being the first sporting exchange between the Sister Cities Wollongong and Kawasaki The Wollongong Whales compete against Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club South Maroubra Dolphins Winter Swimming Club Cronulla Polar Bears Winter Swimming Club Maroubra Seals Winter Swimming Club Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club Clovelly Eskimos Winter Swimming Club Bronte Splashers Coogee Penguins Winter Swimming Club and Cottesloe Crabs in the Winter Swimming Association of Australia Championships 53 Other popular sports in the Illawarra include golf rock climbing surfing cup stacking triathlon ultimate frisbee and mountain biking In the book Quidditch Through the Ages by J K Rowling the Wollongong Warriors are listed as one of Australia s quidditch teams They have a rivalry with the Thundelarra Thunderers and are the inventors of the Wollongong Shimmy a high speed zig zag move designed to confuse and distract opposing Chasers Wollongong Warriors is now a real club in Australian Quidditch Association a Muggle quidditch league Wollongong hosted the UCI Road World Championships in 2022 54 AFL South Coast is a park football competition in the region Attractions Edit Pier at the Wollongong Foreshore Park In addition to numerous swimming skate spots and surfing beaches major visitor attractions to Wollongong City include Five Islands Brewery Wollongong Botanic Gardens Cockatoo Run scenic train ride from Wollongong to Robertson Fairy Meadow Skatepark Cycling to Sandon Point from North Wollongong Rad Bar Wollongong Wollongong Harbour Belmore Basin Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse Wollongong Head Lighthouse and surrounding foreshores Illawarra Light Railway Museum with light and miniature train rides Illawarra Museum iPac Theatre Wollongong Town Hall Wollongong Crown Street Mall Wollongong City Library Wollongong Art Gallery Bulli Tops Sublime Point and Cliffhanger Restaurant Mount Keira Port Kembla Illowra Battery Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk Nan Tien Temple Hill 60 Port Kembla Fisherman s Beach Science Centre and Planetarium WIN Stadium WIN Entertainment Centre Wodi Wodi TrackSister and friendship cities EditWollongong has sister city and friendship city arrangements with 55 Kawasaki Japan formally established 1988 Ohrid North Macedonia established 1981 lapsed formally re established 1999 Longyan People s Republic of China friendship city formally established 2001Notable people EditMain article List of people from WollongongSee also Edit New South Wales portalList of Wollongong suburbs Norman Gunston and Aunty Jack Sings Wollongong HMAS Wollongong Newcastle GeelongReferences Edit Australian Bureau of Statistics 28 June 2022 Wollongong Urban Centre and Locality Australian Census 2021 QuickStats Retrieved 10 December 2022 Croucher John S 2020 A Concise History of New South Wales Woodslane Press ISBN 978 1 92 586839 5 The name Wollongong is thought to come from the Dharawal language although its meaning is debated One interpretation is five islands clouds another is that it means ground near water yet another that it means sound of the sea Distance from Hyde Park in Sydney city center to Wollongong railway station in Wollongong city center Google Maps Regional Population Growth Australia 2016 17 ABS 24 April 2018 Archived from the original on 26 April 2018 Retrieved 6 October 2018 Your Council Officials Wollongong City Council 23 May 2022 Retrieved 29 May 2022 Basin gif Dept of Primary Industries Archived from the original on 17 September 2011 Retrieved 12 July 2011 Illawarra Facts amp Figures Tourism NSW Archived from the original on 25 May 2009 Retrieved 2 January 2009 a b Key Statistics University of Wollongong Archived from the original on 17 December 2008 Retrieved 2 January 2009 The Queen of Nations The Daily Telegraph 5 July 1881 p 3 Retrieved 30 May 2022 via Trove Nutley David April 2006 The Queen of Nations A Shipwreck with Influence PDF Underwater Cultural Heritage at Risk Managing Natural and Human Impacts Heritage at Risk Special Edition International Council on Monuments and Sites Retrieved 30 May 2022 Heritage of Australia Macmillan Publishers 1981 p 2 173 Kembla Disaster Notes South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus New South Wales Australia 16 August 1902 p 7 Retrieved 3 January 2022 via National Library of Australia Opening of the Wollongong Hospital The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser Vol LXXXIV no 2386 New South Wales Australia 31 July 1907 p 291 Retrieved 3 January 2022 via National Library of Australia The Wollongong Head Lighthouse Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 15 March 2016 St Michael s Cathedral amp Rectory New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H00602 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence North Beach Precinct New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H01737 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Wollongong Harbour Precinct New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H01823 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Shop New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H00467 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Wollongong East Post Office New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H01616 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Wollongong Hospital Nurses Home New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H00836 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Wollongong Railway Station Group New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H01289 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Regent Theatre New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H01735 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Original Wollongong Telegraph and Post Office New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H01940 Retrieved 18 February 2020 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Little Milton New South Wales State Heritage Register Department of Planning amp Environment H00272 Retrieved 18 May 2018 Text is licensed by State of New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment under CC BY 4 0 licence Australian Bureau of Statistics 27 June 2017 Wollongong state suburb 2016 Census QuickStats Retrieved 16 July 2017 Wollongong New South Wales Koppen Climate Classification Weatherbase Weatherbase Archived from the original on 6 September 2015 Retrieved 15 February 2019 a b c Bureau of Meteorology Summary statistics WOLLONGONG UNIVERSITY Australian Bureau of Meteorology Archived from the original on 29 November 2014 Retrieved 20 November 2014 SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AUGUST 1998 Australian Bureau of Meteorology Archived from the original on 12 February 2008 Retrieved 24 February 2008 Geography Stimulus Booklet Wollongong Floods PDF Archived from the original PDF on 27 June 2008 Retrieved 24 February 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics 27 June 2017 2016 Community Profiles Wollongong SUA 2016 Census of Population and Housing Retrieved 29 November 2018 a b Australian Bureau of Statistics 25 October 2007 Wollongong NSW Statistical District 2006 Census QuickStats Retrieved 7 September 2008 a b Australian Bureau of Statistics 25 October 2007 Wollongong Urban Centre Locality 2006 Census QuickStats Retrieved 7 September 2007 a b Wollongong Urban Centre Locality Map Australian Bureau of Statistics Retrieved 7 September 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics 25 October 2007 Wollongong State Suburb 2006 Census QuickStats Retrieved 7 September 2007 Wollongong Statistical District Map Australian Bureau of Statistics Retrieved 2 January 2009 Wollongong State Suburb Map Australian Bureau of Statistics Retrieved 7 September 2008 West Dapto Wollongong City Council Archived from the original on 22 July 2008 Retrieved 16 January 2009 West Dapto Implementation Wollongong City Council Archived from the original on 23 July 2008 Retrieved 16 January 2009 a b c d Hagan Jim ed 1997 14 The Emergence of Multicultural Wollongong A History of Wollongong The University of Wollongong Press ISBN 0 86418 446 8 Regional Population Growth Australia 2009 10 Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Bureau of Statistics 31 March 2011 Archived from the original on 29 January 2012 Retrieved 30 July 2014 Illawarra transport infrastructure priorities PDF Illawarra Business Chamber Archived from the original PDF on 25 February 2009 Retrieved 17 January 2009 Awards and Achievements University of Wollongong Archived from the original on 17 December 2008 Retrieved 2 January 2009 ACM Ad Centre All Current Sydney FM Stations Scanner Australia Archived from the original on 19 July 2008 Retrieved 31 August 2008 a b Wollongong Monopoly Game Launch Where to Buy wollongongcbd com au Retrieved 29 May 2022 transportnsw info transportnsw info Retrieved 29 May 2022 Savage Desiree 2 October 2015 Illawarra cheer squad backing Cyrus Illawarra Mercury Archived from the original on 24 November 2015 Retrieved 24 November 2015 Illawarra History St George Illawarra Dragons Archived from the original on 27 February 2012 Retrieved 9 November 2010 Venue and Season by Season results Basketball Australia Archived from the original on 10 November 2010 Retrieved 7 November 2010 Supporters save Wollongong FC ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation WOLLONGONG SWIMMING CLUB Trove Why Illawarra Water Polo Illawarra Water Polo Winter Smimming Association of Australia Archived from the original on 4 February 2015 Retrieved 4 February 2015 Wollongong To Host 2022 UCI World Championships Bicycling Australia Archived from the original on 15 October 2018 Retrieved 15 October 2018 Sister cities Wollongong City Council 26 July 2010 Archived from the original on 17 October 2010 Retrieved 7 November 2010 External links Edit Look up Wollongong in Wiktionary the free dictionary Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wollongong Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Wollongong Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Wollongong Wollongong City Council Illawarra From Above Satellite and Aerial Video Tourism Wollongong Wollongong Visit NSW Wollongong Advertiser incorporating Lake Times Kiama Independent Merrigong Theatre Company Wollongong Town Hall Wollongong TV Guide All channels currently broadcasting in the Wollongong and surrounding areas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wollongong amp oldid 1150827686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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