Wollongong 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.
Kiama is a coastal country town 120 kilometres south of Sydney in the Illawarra. One of the main tourist attractions is the Kiama Blowhole. Kiama features several popular surfing beaches and caravan parks, and numerous alfresco cafes and restaurants. Its proximity to the south of Sydney makes it an attractive destination for many day-trippers and weekenders. Kiama also has historically been a farming and agricultural centre. Even to today it maintains a country and agricultural community with a weekly farmers markets held on Wednesday afternoons.
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 2021 census, the suburb had a population of 10,954.
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".
Cronulla is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Boasting numerous surf beaches and swimming spots, the suburb attracts both tourists and Greater Sydney residents. Cronulla is 26 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire.
Gerringong is a town located about ten minutes drive south of Kiama, and about twenty minutes north of Nowra in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia in the Municipality of Kiama. At the 2016 census, Gerringong had a population of 3,966. One theory says that the name derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "fearful place".
Sawtell is a suburb of the City of Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales, Australia. It borders Toormina to the West.
Albion Park is a suburb situated in the Macquarie Valley in the City of Shellharbour, which is in turn one of the three local government areas that comprise the Wollongong Metropolitan Area, New South Wales, Australia. Although it is surrounded by a 'green belt' of farms, Albion Park had a population of 13,316 at the 2016 census.
Stockton is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located 600 m (0.4 mi) from Newcastle's central business district. It is the only residential suburb of the City of Newcastle that lies north of the Hunter River.
Warilla is a seaside suburb of the City of Shellharbour, Australia within the Wollongong urban area. It is one of the more established areas and is between the suburbs of Mount Warrigal in the west, Barrack Heights and Barrack Point in the south and Lake Illawarra in the north.
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.
Oak Flats is a suburb of Shellharbour, New South Wales, Australia situated on the south western shores of Lake Illawarra and within the Illawarra region of New South Wales. It is a residential area, which had a population of 6,415 at the 2016 census.
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.
Bellambi is a suburb of Wollongong in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It has a railway station on the NSW TrainLink South Coast Line.
Mount Warrigal is a large suburb of Shellharbour, New South Wales, Australia. The population, according to the 2016 Australian Census, was 4,909. The suburb is in the Shellharbour City LGA.
Shell Cove is a seaside suburb in the Shellharbour area located just south of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Shell Cove adjoins Bass Point and Killalea State Park and includes a variety of facilities and amenities such as: parks and bush reserves, The Links Golf Course, Shell Cove Public School & pre-schools, Shellharbour Anglican College, Family Health Medical Centre and of course The newly developed Shell Cove Marina.
Flinders is a southern suburb of Shellharbour, located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Flinders is located approximately 111 kilometres south-southwest of New South Wales' capital city of Sydney. Flinders is close to a number of beaches and to and over 60 hectares of green open spaces including bush reserves, waterways and landscaped parks. Flinders adjoins neighbouring suburbs of Shellharbour, Shell Cove, Blackbutt and Shell Heights.
Bass Point Reserve is a heritage-listed former cedar timber industry, Aboriginal camping, meeting place, pastoral property and basalt mine and now nature conservation and passive recreation area located at Boollwarroo Parade, Shell Cove in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It is also known as Long Point. The property is owned by Department of the Environment and Shellharbour City Council. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 January 2013.
The Stone Fleet was the colloquial name for the small coastal ships that carried crushed-stone construction aggregate to Sydney from the Illawarra ports of Kiama and Shellharbour and the nearby ocean jetties at Bombo and Bass Point.
