Wollongong, 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'. Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 85 kilometres south of central Sydney. 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. The city's current Lord Mayor is Gordon Bradbery AM who was elected in 2021.
The Illawarra is a coastal region in the southeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour and the coastal town of Kiama. Wollongong is the largest city of the Illawarra with a population of 240,000, then Shellharbour with a population of 70,000 and Kiama with a population of 10,000. These three cities have their own suburbs. Wollongong stretches from Otford in the north to Windang in the south, with Maddens Plains and Cordeaux in the west.
Wollongong Wolves Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in Wollongong, in the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues NSW, the second-tier of soccer in Australia. The club plays its home games at WIN Stadium.
Rockdale Ilinden Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in Sydney suburb of Rockdale. Founded in 1969, by Macedonian Australians, the club competes in the highest men's competition in New South Wales, the National Premier League NSW. The club's home ground is Ilinden Sports Centre, located in the suburb of Rockdale, New South Wales.
The St. George Illawarra Dragons are an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing both the Illawarra and St George regions of New South Wales. The club has competed in the National Rugby League (NRL) since 1999 after a joint-venture was formed between the St. George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers. The club officially formed as the game's first joint-venture club on 23 September 1998 and remains the only inter-city team in the NRL. The team has its headquarters and leagues clubs in both Wollongong and the Sydney suburb of Kogarah, and trains and plays games regularly at WIN Stadium in Wollongong, as well as at Jubilee Oval in Kogarah. From 1999 to 2006 the club was jointly owned by the St. George Dragons 50% and Illawarra Steelers 50%. In 2006 WIN Corporation purchased 50% of the Illawarra Steelers stake in the club before purchasing the rest of the Illawarra Steelers' share in August 2018.
The Illawarra Hawks are an Australian professional basketball team based in Wollongong, New South Wales. The Illawarra Hawks compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at WIN Entertainment Centre, known colloquially as "The Sandpit". The Illawarra Hawks are the only remaining NBL team to have competed in every season since the league's inception in 1979. The team won their first and so far only NBL Championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005, 2010 and 2017.
South Coast Group 7 Rugby League is the divisional boundary drawn from the Southern Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia and is governed by the NSWCRL. The main semi-professional competition,, comprises ten (10) teams from across the region. Group 7 Rugby League also administers reserve grade, third grade, and under-18s competitions, Ladies League Tag, as well as looking over many junior competitions.
The Illawarra Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Wollongong, NSW. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1911 with five clubs. The area provides a nursery of juniors for the Illawarra Steelers and St George Illawarra Dragons. The season is contested by seven teams and concludes with a finals series involving the top four teams.
South Coast United Soccer Club is a semi-professional Australian soccer club from the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club was founded in 1984 by Wollongong's Croatian Australian community. The club plays in the Illawarra Premier League.
The Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles are an Australian rugby league football team based in Albion Park, a country town of the Illawarra region. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and have competed in both the Illawarra and South Coast competitions, where it competes today. The club's greatest achievement to date is winning the Clayton Cup in 2007.
The Warilla-Lake South Gorillas are an Australian rugby league football team based in Lake Illawarra, a costal town of the Illawarra region. The club is a part of Country Rugby League and have competed in the South Coast first grade competition since 1970. The club's greatest achievement to date is losing the Clayton Cup in 1982.
The Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs are an Australian rugby league football team based in Ulladulla, a coastal town in the South Coast region. The club is a part of Country Rugby League and has competed in the South Coast first grade competition since the 1930s.
The Berkeley Eagles are an Australian rugby league football team based in Berkeley, a suburb of Wollongong. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and has competed in the Illawarra competition.
The Helensburgh Tigers are an Australian rugby league football team based in Helensburgh, a country town of the Illawarra region. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and has competed in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership since its inception in 1911.
The Corrimal Cougars are an Australian rugby league football team based in Corrimal, a northern suburb of the city of Wollongong. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and has competed in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership since 1912.
The Western Suburbs Red Devils are an Australian rugby league football team based in Figtree, a suburb of Wollongong. The club is a member of the Country Rugby League and compete in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership. The club play out of Figtree Oval, Figtree. Wests wear red and blue jerseys and have won 16 premierships. Wests Illawarra Leagues club is a thriving club in Unanderra.
Football South Coast is a sport governing body and soccer competition based in the Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales. All competitions and soccer activity of Football South Coast is under control of Football New South Wales.
Bulli FC, commonly known as Bulli Football Club are a semi-professional association football team based in Bulli, New South Wales. They compete in the Illawarra Premier League, and are considered one of the most successful teams in the competition having finished Premiers 4 times, the most recently in 2014. The team plays out of Balls Paddock, a small ground located at Woonona, just south of Bulli which was opened in 1988. Bulli FC has had several well known, high-profile players both play, and coach at the club including Socceroos players Adrian Alston, and Dean Heffernan. In addition to their Illawarra Premier League team, Bulli FC also fields junior teams and women's teams in local club competitions in Wollongong.
Cringila Lions FC is an Australian soccer club based in Cringila, New South Wales. The team currently participates in the Illawarra Premier League.
Wollongong Olympic Football Club, often referred to as "Olympic" are semi-professional association football team based in North Wollongong, New South Wales. They compete in the Illawarra Premier League. The club was formed during the 20th century, initially called "Aris FC" and then renamed "Wollongong Olympic FC" in 1990. The club has won the Illawarra Premier League Premiership on two occasions in 1994 and 2019 and the Grand Final on one occasion in 1985. They play out of Herb Clunis Oval which is in the North Wollongong branch of the PCYC.
