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Wollongong
City in New South Wales, Australia

Wollongong

Wollongong is a city in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia.

Plan a trip to Wollongong→

It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 85 kilometres south of 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 Tania Brown who was elected in 2024.

Get in

Getting to Wollongong

The quickest way from Sydney is to take A1/M1 south. You leave Sydney, and enter greater Wollongong just before the motorway starts. It's about a 50 minutes drive to this point, and around another 20 minutes down the motorway to the Wollongong CBD. Expect to take longer in the afternoon peak, Wollongong is a part of the Sydney commuter belt.

  1. 01
    Shellharbour Airport
See

Worth seeing

The escarpment next to Wollongong provides spectacular views over the coastline and city. Bulli Pass (10 min 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.

  1. 01
    Sublime Point is probably

    Sublime Point can be reached by car, or by a steep hike.

  2. 02
    Science Space
  3. 03
    Nan Tien Temple

    Berkeley Rd, Berkeley, fax: +61 2 4272 0601, nantien@fgs.org.au.

  4. 04
    St Francis Xavier Cathedral
  5. 05
    WIN Sports & Entertainment Centres
  6. 06
    Inside Industry - Port Kembla Steelworks

    Visitor Centre at the BlueScope Steel Northgate Entrance, Springhill Rd Coniston.

Do

Things to do

During the summer months, Wollongong has 17 surf beaches to choose from, each with less crowds and more space than most Sydney beaches. All have free foreshore parking, and most are accessible by public transport and bicycle. To the north of the city try... North Beach. One of the most popular beaches, in front of Stuart Park and the Novotel.

Eat

Where to eat

Everything about Wollongong's eateries is excellent. Most restaurants are located on either Keira St or Corrimal St, but don't be afraid to venture down a laneway, or further north or south to the outer suburbs, to find great food. There is something for everyone.

  1. 01
    Food World

    Chinese and Vietnamese food, big meals and very cheap.

  2. 02
    Amigo's Mexican Restaurant

    A casual Mexican place which serves huge tasty Mexican meals.

  3. 03
    City Diggers Wollongong
  4. 04
    Dagwood
  5. 05
    Jasmine Rice

    Thai food with traditional seating on cushions in one room or tables and chairs in another.

How locals move

Getting around Wollongong the local way

  • Get aroundA good cycle route could take 60 km mostly off-road from Bulli to Kiama, hugging the coast and headlands the whole way, and passing close to all Wollongong has to offer.
  • Go nextIf you are staying in Wollongong, Sydney is a fairly comfortable day trip.

From Wikivoyage: Wollongong, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.