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| Founded | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Wollongong, Australia |
| Website | iris |
The Illawarra Regional Information Service, commonly called IRIS Research or IRIS, is an Australian research organisation that specialises in economic, community and industry research for government, business and academic institutions. IRIS Research commenced operations in 1980 and is headquartered in Wollongong, New South Wales.
The original idea of a regional information service for the Illawarra was first proposed in 1977. With the help of the University of Wollongong, Wollongong City Council, Shellharbour City Council and the Government of New South Wales, the Illawarra Regional Information Service commenced operations in July 1980. [1] Its primary responsibility was to provide sufficient information to enhance the economic and social development of the region. [2]
Since that time, the activities of IRIS Research have spread across Australia. IRIS Research currently conducts projects for over 40 local councils across New South Wales and Queensland, [3] a range of State government and Federal government departments and major private sector organisations such as BHP, BlueScope, IMB Bank and the WIN Corporation. [2]
When IRIS Research began in 1980, it was Australia's first computer-based information service. A practice that has since become standard in research companies nationwide. [4]
IRIS Research conducts both market and social research. The contract research provided is tailored to the client's specific needs and can be both qualitative and quantitative. The organisation interprets raw data and draws implications for social and marketing strategy. IRIS Research conducts all fieldwork services in-house in its IQCA accredited Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing facility. The organisation also runs focus groups, in-depth interviews and online surveys. [5]
IRIS Research has had extensive experience in research and consultancy for local government. It specialises in social and strategic planning, local government specialisation, economic analysis, tourism, regional development and skills audits. This long history has helped IRIS Research to become the leading research organisation for local governments in Australia. [6]
IRIS Research conducts a number of economic analyses for regions across Australia. Through surveys, data series and intimate knowledge of the local economy, IRIS Research is able to provide feasibility, market potential and economic impact statements for each region. [7]
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 University of Wollongong (UOW) is an Australian public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney. As of 2023, the university had an enrolment of more than 33,000 students, an alumni base of more than 176,000 [LC1] and over 2,400 staff members including 16 Distinguished professors.
WIN Television is an Australian television network owned by WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single television station covering the Wollongong region. The WIN Network has since grown to cover much of regional Australia. The network's name, WIN, originates from its first station, Wollongong's WIN-4. WIN has a programme supply agreement with metropolitan broadcaster Nine Network, covering its stations in Regional Queensland, Southern and Western New South Wales, Griffith, Regional Victoria, Mildura, Tasmania, Eastern South Australia, and Regional Western Australia. WIN also has a programme supply agreement with third-placed metropolitan broadcaster Network 10 for its Northern New South Wales station. WIN also produces and broadcasts weeknight half-hour local news bulletins across its Queensland, southern New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania markets as WIN News.
Lake Illawarra is an open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary or large coastal lagoon, is located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, situated about 100 kilometres (62 mi) south of Sydney, Australia.
Dapto is a suburb of Wollongong in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, located on the western side of Lake Illawarra and covering 7.15 square kilometres (2.76 sq mi). As at the 2016 census, the suburb had a population of 10,730.
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.
Port Kembla is a suburb of Wollongong 10 km south of the CBD and part of the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The suburb comprises a seaport, industrial complex, a small harbour foreshore nature reserve, and a small commercial sector. It is situated on the tip of Red Point: its first European sighting was by Captain James Cook in 1770. The name "Kembla" is an Aboriginal word meaning "plenty [of] wild fowl".
The Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line is a commuter railway line on the Sydney Trains network in the eastern and southern suburbs of Sydney. The line was constructed in the 1880s to Wollongong to take advantage of agricultural and mining potentials in the Illawarra area. In March 1926, it became the first railway in New South Wales to run electric train services.
Stephen Paul Martin is an Australian former politician, senior academic and rugby league referee. He served as an Australian Labor Party (ALP) member of the Australian House of Representatives for the seat of Macarthur, south west of Sydney, from 1984 to 1993; and, following redistribution, represented Cunningham from 1993 until his resignation in 2002. Martin was the Chief Executive of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) from January 2011 until his retirement in April 2017.
The South Coast Railway is a commuter and goods railway line from Sydney to Wollongong and Bomaderry in New South Wales, Australia. Beginning at the Illawarra Junction, the line services the Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales.
The South Coast Line (SCO) is an intercity rail service operated by NSW TrainLink that services the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The service runs from Central, and runs the entire length of the eponymous South Coast railway line to Bomaderry. The service also runs along the Eastern Suburbs railway line at peak hours and the Port Kembla railway line to Port Kembla. It is operated with NSW TrainLink H sets and Sydney Trains T sets, with Endeavour railcars operating the service on the non-electrified line between Kiama and Bomaderry.
Bald Hill is a hill on the Illawarra Range, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. With an elevation of approximately 180 metres (590 ft) AMSL, Bald Hill is one of the best known and most popular lookouts in the Illawarra region providing panoramic vistas across the Illawarra escarpment and over the Illawarra plain and the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean.
The City of Wollongong is a local government area in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is situated adjacent to the Tasman Sea, the Princes Motorway and the Illawarra railway line.
The City of Shellharbour is a local government area in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The city is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) south of Sydney and covers the southern suburbs of the Wollongong urban area centred on Shellharbour and it had an estimated population of 68,460 at the 2016 census.
Wollongong Conservatorium of Music is a centre for music education, community music-making and performance, serving the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
Shellharbour Airport, formerly Illawarra Regional Airport, also referred as Albion Park Aerodrome or Wollongong Airport, is an airport located in Albion Park Rail, New South Wales, Australia.
WIN News is a local television news service in parts of regional Australia, produced by WIN Television. 12 regional bulletins and news update services are presented from WIN's headquarters in Wollongong, and until 2021 included production of a national compilation programme shared between the city and Maroochydore.
In the state of New South Wales, Australia, there are many areas which are commonly known by regional names. Regions are areas that share similar characteristics. These characteristics may be natural such as the Murray River, the coastline, or the Snowy Mountains. Alternatively, the characteristics may be cultural, such as a viticulture land use. New South Wales is divided by numerous regional boundaries, based on different characteristics. In many cases boundaries defined by different agencies are coterminous.
The Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) is an independent health and medical research institute based in Wollongong, New South Wales.
The Old Wollongong Telegraph and Post Office is a heritage-listed former government offices, telegraph station and post office and now local history museum at 11 Market Street, Wollongong, in the City of Wollongong local government area of New South Wales, Australia. James Barnet designed the 1882 extension and expansion. The telegraph and post office was built from 1864 to 1882 in varying stage by S. E. Bloomfield (1864), George Brown (1870), George Billings (1882), Andrew Herd (1885) and the NSW Government. It is also known as Illawarra Historical Society Museum; Wollongong Museum; and Illawarra Museum. The property is owned by Wollongong City Council. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 27 February 2015.
