From eTripTips Wiki
Wollongong is a city in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, a state of Australia some 70km south of the state capital Sydney. It is the third largest city in the state behind Sydney and Newcastle and is thinly wedged on a coastal plain between an escarpment and the Pacific Ocean.
[edit] Understand
The city and surrounding conurbation is located on a coastal plain and backed by a forested escarpment. Its modern origins are in coal mining and steel production, industries which persist, notably the BlueScope steel facility at Port Kembla to the south. A dedicated port exists for the transport of materials whereas private craft and fishing boats use a separate facility nearer the city centre in Belmore Basin.
Geography defines Wollongong, as the city is never more than roughly six kilometers at its widest but stretches over forty kilometers from south to North. Its growth was limited by mountains which are not so much high as steep and the ever present sea, Wollongong has grown to include a whole chain of coastal towns, from Dapto and Port Kembla in the south to Bulli in the north. Continuous development has recently stretched the city as far as Kiama in the distant south but those areas are serviced by the growing center of Shellharbour.
The population of Wollongong is predominately young, due to the prominence of the University and the many young families living in the area. As a result, everything is reasonably priced. Due to post war migration involving heavy industry, Wollongong also includes a large Mediterranean (Macedonian, Italian, Greek, Turkish) population which has left its mark on the city.
There are many interesting and beautiful locations within easy reach. The immediate area possesses some fine beaches and reasonable body surfing.
[edit] Get In
[edit] By car
From Sydney take MetRoad 1 and the Princes Highway south direct to Wollongong. Expect to take around 75 minutes from the Sydney CBD. Longer in the afternoon peak.
One alternate route is via the Bulli Pass which throws itself straight down the escarpment and along the Wollongong coastal beaches. The exit is well signposted after the end of the freeway. Add 10 minutes for this diversion.
A second interesting and very scenic alternative (if you are in no particular hurry) is to take the road through Royal National Park from Loftus to Otford, then drive through the seaside towns such as Stanwell Park and Coalcliff to Wollongong. Rain had washed part of this road away so a spectacular roadway was built and completed in December 2005, known as the "Sea Cliff Bridge". It is built over the sea and runs adjacent to the coast leaving a gap to allow for landslides. The bridge is located between Coalcliff and Scarborough. There is no need to pay the National Park entry fee if you are just driving through.
From the South Coast region, take the Princes Highway north to Wollongong.
From Canberra or Melbourne, you can access Wollongong via the Illawarra Highway or via Picton Road. Picton Road offers a faster, straighter trip, while the Illawarra Highway offers scenery with windy roads and the occasional waterfall and picnic areas.
[edit] By train
There are hourly train services between Sydney and Wollongong. The South Coast Cityrail line between Sydney and Nowra passes through Wollongong. This train can be crowded during the morning and evening peaks heading towards and away from Sydney respectively. The views of the ocean and rainforest from the train are spectacular so sit on the left hand side of the train (looking in the direction of travel) when travelling from Sydney or the right hand side travelling to Sydney.
The trip takes around 90 minutes.
Transport Infoline provides up-to-date information on train, bus and ferry travel statewide.
[edit] By plane
Wollongong is primarily serviced by Sydney Airport.
To get to Wollongong by car from Sydney airport drive 60 minutes south along the Princes Hwy. Wollongong is signposted from the airport.
To get to Wollongong by train from Sydney airport, you should catch an airport train to Wolli Creek, and then change for a train to Hurstville, and then change again for a train to Wollongong. The Wollongong trains all stop at Hurstville, but mostly do not stop at Wolli Creek.
Private bus companies operate shuttle services from the airport to any destination door to door in the Illawarra / Wollongong region.
Wollongong's grandly titled Illawarra Regional Airport (WOL) is more often referred to as Albion Park Airport, and is located to the south of the city at the intersection of the Princes Highway (F6) and the Illawarra Highway. Qantas running twice daily flights between Illawarra Regional Airport and Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport, which is about $150 each way. See WollongongAirport.com for full details on fares and schedules. It is around 20 minutes drive south from the CBD.
The airport is still mostly used by private pilots, flying schools and possibly charter services. It is a base of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS).
A regular shuttle service which will meet each Qantaslink arrival at Illawarra Regional Airport, with a uniformed driver standing inside the terminal ready to transport passengers to their destination in the Wollongong CBD or Shellharbour. Passengers only need to book with the driver and they will be shown to the vehicle parked outside ready for departure although it is highly recommended that you pre-book to guarantee a seat is available as otherwise it is on a first come basis. Pre-book with the Service to take you from your place of residence/accommodation to the Illawarra Regional Airport when catching an outgoing Qantaslink flight. Approx cost is $15 per head.
- Wollongong City Shuttle Phone: (02) 4261 7393 Fax: (02) 4262 2990 Book online at: www.leisurecoastlimousine.com.au Email: leisurecoastlimo@bigpond.com
[edit] Get around
You can walk from the train station to the Wollongong CBD, and down to Wollongong City Beach.
[edit] By Bike
If you stick the the coast and beaches Wollongong offers easy cycling. Off-road cycle facilities follow the beaches from Bulli at the north of Wollongong down to Shellharbour in the south. Further inland the hills provide a challenge to the more energetic. [1]
[edit] By Train
The northern coastal suburbs of Wollongong are well serviced by train, however depending on the station, you can still be a kilometre or so from the beach.
[edit] By Car
A car will take you everywhere in the region you want to go. There is free parking in the Wollongong CBD, and along the Wollongong beaches.
[edit] By Bus
Premier Illawarra, Website: http://www.premierillawarra.com.au/. Operates buses from Wollongong and North Wollongong, as far south as Kiama.<listing>
<listing name="Dions Bus Service" url="http://www.dions.com.au/">Operates buses north along the Wollongong coastal beaches
- Beaches. The Wollongong coastline offers 17 sparkling surf beaches that are patrolled by lifesavers from September to April. All beaches are in easy walking distance from shops, hotels and clubs. Why not bring your bicycle and enjoy over 60 kilometres of easy bicycle/walkway as you make your way from Bulli Beach in the north to Lake Illawarra in the south. free
- Bulli Pass Lookout (Ten minutes North of Wollongong on the main Sydney road, only accessible by car). Spectacular views over Wollongong and up and down the coast are available from the lookouts at the top of the Bulli Pass. Barbecues, picnic tables and kiosks are available at the lookouts. free
- Mount Keira Lookout. More spectacular views from the top, as well as some walks and views of the hang-gliders launching. As of June 2007, the main walk is closed because of the falling rocks danger. free
- Nan Tien Temple,
: Berkeley Rd, Berkeley, 
: 02 4272 0600, 
: nantien@fgs.org.au, Website: http://www.nantien.org.au/. Tuesday to Sunday: 9am - 5pm (open Mondays on public holidays). Opened in October 1995 it is a branch temple of Fo Guang Shan and the biggest Buddhist Temple in the Southern Hemisphere. "Nan Tien" in Chinese means "Paradise of the South". Received awards for lighting (yes, architectural lighting!!), gardening, architecture and tourism. free
- BHP Australian Historical Flying Museum, Illawarra Regional Airport(intersection of the Princes Highway (F6) and the Illawarra Highway). A project was started to build an exhibition facility for the aircraft of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society who have an existing base there. HARS recently completed it major hanger, part of an ongoing project.
- WIN Sports & Entertainment Centres (the WEC), : Corner of Crown and Harbour Streets (southern end of the Central Business District), : 024220 2800, : info@wec.org.au, Website: http://www.wec.org.au. The Sports stadium hosts rugby league (''Illawarra Steelers & St.George Illawarra''), rugby union, and soccer (''Wollongong Wolves'') and has a capacity of 18,500 (11,000 seated). The Entertainment Centre is situated to the north of the stadium and hosts a variety of sports and special events. An AUD37m redevelopment of the ocean-side western stand is scheduled to complete in 2006 which will provide conference facilities, 100 room 4* hotel, replacement 2,500 seat grandstand, and retail outlets.
- Wollongong Botanical Gardens (Gwynneville. Just adjacent to the Wollongong University. Take the university exist from the Sydney Road). Bring some bread for the ducks, and a picnic. free
- Australia's Industry World - Port Kembla Steelworks, : Visitor Centre at the BlueScope Steel Northgate Entrance, Springhill Rd Coniston. The entrance is marked with extremely large Australian and BlueScope Steel flags, : 02 4275 7023, : tours@aiw.org.au. The Port Kembla Steelworks is located 80 kilometres south of Sydney in the heart of Port Kembla, an industrial suburb in the Greater City of Wollongong, A fully integrated plant with steelmaking capacity of 5 million tonnes a year, the Steelworks is situated on an area of 800 hectares and directly employs up to 6000 people. The Steelworks is one of the world's most technically advanced producers of high quality slab, plate and strip products. It has become arguably one of Australia's most valuable industries, competing for overseas markets and providing valuable export dollars for the Australian economy. A drive through the area at night can be interesting, with the flames more visible. You can even sometimes see the glow of the hot steel.
- Minnamurra Rainforest (Budderoo National Park, near Jamberoo, head along Jamberoo Mountain Road). Visitors centre and boardwalks through sub-tropical rainforest. Go early in the morning for the best chance at seeing wildlife such as lyre birds and wombats. [http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/parks.nsf/ParkContent/N0069?OpenDocument&ParkKey=N0069&Type=Xh Website]
- Science Centre and Planetarium (Squires Way, Fairy Meadow), : 02 4283 6665, Website: http://www.uow.edu.au/science_centre. Two-storey museum with lots of stuff to do for kids aged 1 to 15 (and their parents, of course). Don't miss the 3PM Planetarium show ($3/person).
- Diving. Some of the best temperate water diving to be encountered anywhere can be found in Wollongong and areas to the south. Bass Point should be your stopping off point as it offers at least a dozen dives suitable to all standards of diver. Shellharbour Scuba Centre is a PADI 5 Star centre about three minutes drive from Bass point offering all facilities including boat dives, nitrox and courses.
- Hit the Beach. During the summer months, Wollongong has a selection offering less crowds and more space than Sydney beaches. Wollongong City Beach is accessible from the city centre, but the better beaches are to be found north and south of the city. Try Towradgi beach. Port Kembla beach has a free salt water Olympic pool as well as a surf beach. Beaches are patrolled during the summer months.
- Cockatoo Run, TollFree: 1300 65 3801, Website: http://www.3801limited.com.au/cockatoo.htm. Sundays. The Cockatoo Run is a vintage train that climbs through the Morton National Park Rainforest to Robertson and Moss Vale.
University of Wollongong NSW 2522 (main campus Northfields Avenue, Gwynneville, next to the Botanical Gardens, shuttle bus service operates from North Wollongong Station). 4221-3555 (fax 4221 4322, email for prospective students <uniadvice@uow.edu.au>).
http://www.uow.edu.au/
Twice awarded the prestigious accolade of Australia's "University of the Year" and always highly rated in the Good Universities Guide, the University sits nestled below a sub-tropical rain-forest overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The campus is one of the most attractive in Australia.
The food! The choices! The price! Everything about Wollongong's eateries is excellent. People even flock from Sydney to get a 5 star meal at a great price. There is something for everyone...
[edit] Budget
- Monsoon Located on Keira Street, it is perhaps Wollongong's premier eating venue. Monsoon offers an excellent eating experience, surpassing all Asian restaurants in the area. Recommended is the Satay Chicken and the small bowl of chill paste that comes out with the cutlery. You will be hard up to get a seat without reservations due to the restaurants popularity. It has different lunchtime (cheaper) and dinner (a little more expensive) menus.
- Coconut Thai Also located on Keira Street, Coconut Thai is an affordable yet yummy thai restaurant that offers a variety of excellent thai dishes. Meals range from $10-20 per person. Recommended for vegetarians and vegans, as they offer alot of excellent non-meat dishes, as well as a wide array of beef, chicken and seafood orientated meals.
- Ahmed's (between North Wollongong station and the Crown Street Mall). A kebab shop run by a sometimes-professor for the University of Wollongong, named, surprisingly, Ahmed. Always open late, recommended is the regular chicken, extra extra extra hot.
- Food World Just next to Ahmed's. Chinese/Vietnamese food, big meals and dirt cheap. Mains $6-$8. Great atmosphere. Don't be put off by some of the ugliest decor ever allowed to grace a restaurant, they have some of the most satisfying Chinese food for prices that don't ever seem to be affected by inflation. Highly recommended if you want a quick, cheap and filling meal (Defiently try the Chicken and Rice)
- Amigo's Mexican Restaurant A casual mexican place which does huge tasty Mexican meals for fantastic prices. Recommended are the Lunchtime Special (meal and drink for A$8.50) and $3 Tacos (Tuesday nights, 5:30pm - 9:30pm), which is very popular with students. http://www.amigosmexican.com.au/
- Chef's Choice A favourite restaurant for the budget gourmet. All meals served with rice and complimentary green tea. Great quality ingredients and healthy serving sizes make this great value for money. On the corner opposite the Hotel Illawarra.
- Fujiyama Teppanyaki Restaurant A Japanese restaurant with a difference. These master chefs cook the food at the BBQ in front of your eyes. A delight to the senses at budget prices.
- MyLan There is a number of Veitnamese restaurants around (Mylan, Monsoon, Twins, Ahmeds etc) MyLan is by far the best and is always busy, book ahead if you can!
- Okuma Located on Keira Street the Okuma Sushi Train is a great budget meal. Each plate of food is coded by colour. You choose what plates from the train, starting at $2 and up to $5. Try their famous Green Tea Icecream for $3.50.
- FU's Next to Amigos. Has some of the most authentic Chinese food outside in Australia and the meals are massive. It is also a great place to go with a group because they do meal deals making it a great place to feed the family or for a delicious meal before you go out without breaking the budget.
- Roppongi Located in Market street, close to Extreme surf store and the Illawarra Hotel, this restaurant sells the best Japanese in Wollongong, Choose from the freshest Sashimi(raw fish) to delicious Japanese salad and schnitzel with special sauce. If you want to indulge in a more cultural experience you can also sit in the Japanese style room where you sit on cushions. The lunch time special is also great for those on a budget as they continue the Japanese tradition of offering cheaper prices for the dinner meals. Highly recommended
[edit] Mid-range
- City Diggers Wollongong (RSL) Located at 82 Church St, Wollongong. Phone: 02 4225 2563, fax: 02 4225 2685. Mains: $13-17. Beer: $4-6. Nice atmosphere, but on weekends reservations are highly suggested. Food gets served within 10-15 minutes.
- Marco's Located in Wollongong's Cafe district on Corrimal Street, Marco's offers a excellent range of dishes concentrating predominantly on Italian cuisine. Portions at Marco’s will challenge even the most avid eaters.
- Hideaway Cafe Located in the centre of Wollongong city (Between the amphitheatre and Greater Union cinema) the Hideaway has delicious food ranging between $13 - $20 and the nicest, most down to earth staff around.
Come on a Thursday or Saturday if you wish to enjoy your meal while listening to some excellent tunes by some of Wollongong’s finest local artists including Patrick Arnold of the Inanimate Objects and Noah Hampson of ATE and Pettibone.
[edit] Splurge
- Lorenzo's Diner The first restaurant in Wollongong to receive a single hat from the Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide, Lorenzo Pagnan's diner serves modern and some traditional Italian cuisine in very slick modern surrounds. Meals average at $40, $20 for mains and $12 and up for entree. Directly across the road from Caveau (see below).
- Caveau Opened mid 2005, Caveau is the creation of former Banc (Sydney) sous chef Peter Sheppard. Caveau as expected serves French meals, with prices beginning at $50. Only the second Wollongong restaurant to receive a hat from the Good Food Guide and as such a friendly rivalry has developed between Lorenzo's and Caveau - one that has seen the North Kiera street area develop into an important restaurant district for the City. Location 122 - 124 Keira Street (immediately next door to Ahmeds).
- Dunes Restaurant and Cocktail Bar A recently opened establishment which serves modern Australian cuisine and quality cocktails. A main meal costs $20 on average. The feature of Dunes is that it overlooks the famous North and South Beaches from Flagstaff Hill (http://larkin.net.au/flagstaff_hill/index.html)
A growing city, Wollongong city holds a wide variety of bars. Word to the wise, security guards in the 'Gong are paid higher than their Sydney counterparts for a very important reason - something that will become readily apparent if you look at the wrong girl/guy, say the wrong thing, spill your drink on someone or just look slightly different. Generally, pubs close to the city but not in the actual CBD/North Wollongong proper tend to have unsavoury reputations.
- The North Wollongong Pub, or North 'Gong for short (North Wollongong train station), is the "local" for the University of Wollongong, across the Princes Highway from the North Wollongong train station. Featuring "Toss the Boss," a three-times-weekly and hour long game of chance with drinks as a shimmering reward. After ordering your imbibements (three is the limit for this game, unfortunately), the bartender grabs a shaker with two dice or coins and dumps the contents on the bar. Two heads (or T's on the dice) and your drinks are free. One of each and they're half price. The unlucky recipients of two tails (or H's) pays full price... but with essentially nothing to lose, lines form, especially in the final 15 minutes of the dwindling hour, to try their luck. Tuesday,Thursday and Friday 5-6pm.
http://www.northgong.com.au/
- Hotel Illawarra or just the 'Illawarra', recently refurbished in wood and chrome, is a large hotel/pub that receives the early morning crowd as it is the only bar that consistently closes at 3am most nights of the week.
- Cooney's Tavern is an old pub at the south end of Kiera street that is famous for its plethora of pool tables. Vaguely Irish themed, serves Guinness and slightly green tinged. Upper bar and beer garden is occasionally converted into a door-fee-charging nightclub.
- Glasshouse is a tavern and nightclub which is practically inhabited by young people on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. If you go before 10pm, you get cheap drinks and before 11pm free nightclub entry - the downstairs bar is always free. Plays popular dance music, shows sporting events on a large screen tv (which you usually can't hear over the people and music) and serves any drink you can think of (as long as it involves ginger beer). Serves all tap beer in pints for $4, making for the cheapest Stella Artois in town (and the most expensive Toohey's New).
http://www.wollongongnightlife.com.au/
- Castro's a nightclub tucked into Victoria Street. Previously known as Rusty's, Castro's was recently refurbished to cater for the local gay community, although the club still remains popular with the younger crowd regardless of sexuality.
- Harp Hotel on Corrimal St is the city's oldest pub. The crowd is late twenties-early thirties of the after-work variety, on Fridays this is probably the best patroned bar in the city. Three bars, look out of the often missed underground bar.
- Abbies is the opposite of Glasshouse' age-of-clientel-wise, catering to the overflow from the Harp Hotel. Directly across Corrimal St. from the Harp.
- Oxford Tavern is an unreconstructed relic of the eighties, with a very darkly dressed clientele. Has live music most days of the week - usually a form of hard rock, metal or punk though jazz and even hip-hop have occasionally been spotted. Outdoors area next to the Crown St. entrance is highly recommended during the Summer. Scheduled ot be redeveloped within the next 3 years (2008).
- Bourbon St ({closed down at the moment}) two doors north of the Illawarra on Kiera street, is famed in the Gong for having a crowd even younger than the Glasshouse although that should not technically be legal. Three bars in total, actually opens only on certain nights, possibly in concert with the stars and planetary alignment.
- Five Islands Brewery, Win Entertainment Centre (for directions see below), 4220-2854 (fax 4220-2855, email <fiveislandsbrew@1earth.net>). Brew their own beer and the Sixth Island bar serves bar food and has a fantastic terrace (with BBQ); there is also an 80 seat restaurant. Sit and drink watching the surf roll in from the Pacific Ocean just 50 metres away. http://www.fiveislandsbrewery.com/
- The Beach Bar. On Cliff Road beneath the Novotel North Beach, is the place to be on Sundays when the rest of the city is closed. The only bar in the city that serves James Squire Pilsener on tap - not to be missed.
- CBD Sports Bar. Extremely new bar opened on Auburn St. just off Crown near the City train station, very relaxed atmosphere that translates into very high drink prices. Only 'non-leagues club' bar in the city that serves Resches Draught, a traditional Sydney beer that used to be far more common.
- Dicey Riley's, dicey is the word as this bar sits next to the railway bridge that marks the border betweeen rough West Wollongong and the City. One of the oldest pubs in the city, the odd Irish theme does not hide the vaguely sinister atmosphere of this dark and smoky bar. Dicey's is likely to improve (depending on your point of view) as West Wollongong is heavily redeveloped over the next few years.
- Blue Note sits two stories above an Adult Book store on the corner of Atchison and Crown, it is the source of the perplexing "nite club" sign that shines over that part of Crown Street. Not A Nice Place At All.
[edit] Budget
- YHA Hostel - on Flinders St
- Sovereign Inn Wollongong , : Lot 1 Princes Highway Figtree NSW Australia, : (02) 4271 1122. The Sovereign Inn Wollongong offers great location, with comfortable and enviable proximity to the region's Central Business District, several shops of good repute, secluded beaches, and the tourist attraction known as Kembla Grange Racecourse. Best rates on official website start at AUD$85
[edit] Mid-range
- Best Western City Sands - 151-161 Corrimal Street, Wollongong NSW 2500. Ph: 02 4222 3111 F: 02 4222 3100 E: reception@wollongonggolfclub.com.au - Part of Wollongong Golf Club and close to the CBD, WIN Stadium, WIN Entertainment Centre, and local beaches.
- Hotel Ibis Wollongong - Cnr Market & Church Streets, Wollongong NSW 2500. Ph: 02 42236000. F: 02 42236006 E: H6377@accor.com - Hotel Ibis Wollongong is located in the heart of the city, in the main entertainment and business precinct.
- Novotel Northbeach Wollongong - 2-14 Cliff Road, North Wollongong NSW 2500. Ph: 02 4224 3111, F: +61 (0)2 4226 2072, E: stay@novotelnb.com.au - offers great beach views, a Day Spa and is just five minutes from the Wollongong CBD and retail precinct. Rooms cost approx $175 - $300 a night.
[edit] Splurge
[edit] Contact
[edit] Stay safe
There are some cases of drink spiking so it is a good idea to never leave your drink unattended.
[edit] Get out
- Royal National Park. Travel north to the [[Royal National Park]] and camp by the beach
- Kiama Blowhole. Travel south by train or car to [[Kiama]], and visit the blowhole
- Kangaroo Valley. [[Kangaroo Valley]] is a peaceful location, inland of Nowra, and hour south of Wollongong
