Wollongong Locations
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Our Wollongong Main Locations
Here are the four main locations we service in Wollongong. Don’t see a location near you? Give us a call and we should still be able to assist!
Shellharbour
We regularly visit Shellharbour, if you live here call us today for a free quote!
If you reside in Port Kembla or surrounding areas, feel free to give us a call to arrange a no-obligation on-site estimation for roof replacement.
All About Wollongong
Wollongong is also known as “The Gong” and is located in New South Wales, Australia’s Illawarra region. It is believed that the name comes from the word woolyungah, which means five islands in the Aboriginal language at the time of settlement. Wollongong is located on the narrow coast strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean 85 kms (53 mi) south of Sydney. At June 2018, Wollongong was home to 302,739 people, making it third in New South Wales behind Sydney and Newcastle. It is also the tenth largest city in Australia in terms of population. Gordon Bradbery AM, the current Lord Mayor of Wollongong, was elected to office in 2021.
The Wollongong region extends from Helensburgh to Windang and Yallah south. Geologically, the city lies in the southern-eastern portion of the Sydney basin that stretches from Newcastle to Nowra.
Wollongong is known for its heavy industry, port activity, and quality of its physical setting. It occupies a narrow coastal plain, between a nearly continuous chain of surf beaches, and the cliffline at the Illawarra escarpment, which is covered in rainforest. There are two cathedrals, many churches and the Nan Tien Temple. Wollongong’s coal mining history and industry is long. It is home to many tourists every year, and it is also a regional hub for the South Coast’s fishing industry. Around 38,000 students attend the University of Wollongong.
History of Wollongong
Original inhabitants of the area were the Dharawal (alternatively Turuwal, Tharawal), Indigenous Australians. Matthew Flinders and George Bass, navigators, were the first Europeans to reach the region. They arrived at Lake Illawarra in 1796. Cedar cutters were the first to settle the area in the early 19th century. They were followed by graziers, in 1812. Charles Throsby built a stockman’s house in the region in 1815. In 1816, the first land grants were made. A military barracks was built near the harbour in 1830. In 1834, settlers began to arrive and a town was built. The first town was officially established on 26 November 1834. George Brown built the first courthouse. Convict labor was used to build the main road that runs down the Escarpment via Bulli Pass in 1835-6. However, other passes were also built during the 19th Century, including O’Briens Road, Rixons Pass, and Rixons Pass. In 1856, Wollongong was home to 864 people.
Wollongong (Ilawarra) in 1800's
A courthouse was built in 1858. A horse-drawn tramway linking Mount Keira with the harbour was built in 1861. In 1862, a telegraph line opened between Wollongong & Bellambi. The first gas supply to Wollongong came from a Corrimal Street gas plant. Lady Belmore opened the Belmore Basin extension to the harbour in 1868. Patrick Lahiff set up a coke plant at Wollongong Harbor in the 1870s. Between the north eastern end and Pulpit Rock, he constructed two beehive coke ovens. In 1892, the ovens were destroyed. The coke ovens’ remains were discovered and are now protected beneath the hill with a plaque that explains their history.
Wollongong Lighthouse
The old lighthouse was built in 1871. However, Queen of Nations, a British clipper, ran ashore at the mouth of Towradgi Creek in 1881. Her cargo contained 24,000 bottles Hennessy Cognac. The NSW Customs and local police recovered at most 5,000 bottles. However, others were stolen by the public,
Queen of Nations Wreckage
The Queen of Nations wreckage is located just 70m (230 ft.) away from shore in water 3 to 5 meters (10 to 16 feet) deep. Sometimes, the wreck is exposed by a strong storm. In 1991, after one such storm, looting began again, even of Cognac. The Commonwealth Government immediately issued an order to protect the wreck under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976. The wreck and its contents have been protected by the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018, which was passed in 2018.
Wollongong Industry
The region was a magnet for heavy industry due to its abundant coal supply. Hoskins, then Australian Iron & Steel, opened a steelworks in Port Kembla in 1928. It is located just a few kilometres from Wollongong. After merging with Billiton plc, the former Broken Hill Proprietary Company acquired AI&S in 1935. However, BlueScope has since created a separate steel division. The steelworks is a global flat rolled steel producer with an annual production of 5 million tonnes. The massive Port Kembla industrial complex, which is the largest concentration of heavy industry in Australia, also houses a fertiliser and electrolytic copper smelter. A locomotive workshop, an export shipping terminal for coal, a grain export shipping container, and an industrial gases manufacturing facility.
Wollongong as a City
In 1942, Wollongong became a city. In 1947, the City of Greater Wollongong began to be formed. The population of Wollongong reached 90,852 in 1954. In 1956, new Wollongong City Council Chambers opened. The Wollongong University College opened its doors in 1961. The Wollongong Teachers College opened in 1963. 1965 saw the opening of Westfield’s Figtree shopping centre.
1999 saw the unification of the Gateway and Crown Central malls buildings into Wollongong Central. A pedestrian walkway/cafe was constructed to connect the buildings via an elevated bridge. As part of the Sydney Olympics 2000, the Olympic torch was carried through Wollongong. The population of Wollongong grew to 181,612 in 2001. The 25th anniversary of the Wollongong City Gallery was celebrated in 2004. Qantas launched a daily flight from Wollongong, Australia to Melbourne in 2005. It lasted until 2008.
The library was renovated in 2006/2007 as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations. The beachfront was also renovated, with a new lookout as well as a walkway upgrade. The worst erosion in 30 years was caused by storms on the beaches in June 2007.
Wollongong Now
Many of these industrial facilities still exist despite the loss of blue-collar and traditional manufacturing industries following the abandonment protectionist economic policies. The city’s economy is on the rebound thanks to diversification in economic activity, including higher education, tourism, residential construction, and eco-friendly electric generation. However, heavy industry still remains the mainstay of the city’s economy and will continue to do so in the future.
There are many meanings for the Aboriginal word Wollongong, including:’seas in the South’, great feast of fish, hard ground near water, song of the sea, sound of waves, many snakes, and five islands.
Wollongong Heritage Listings
There are many heritage-listed places in Wollongong, including:
Church Street: St Michael’s Cathedral
Cliff Road: North Beach Precinct
Cliff Road and Endeavour Drive: Wollongong Harbour Precinct
87 Crown Street: The 87 Crown Street
91 Crown Street, Old Wollongong East Post Office
Illawarra railway: Wollongong railway station
197 Keira Street, Regent Theatre
11 Market Street: Old Wollongong Telegraph and Post Office
31-33 Smith Street, Little Milton
Wollongong Geography
Wollongong is known for its unique geography. It is located on a narrow coastal plain, flanked by the Tasman Sea and the Illawarra Escarpment. The city centre is located at midway between the two ends of the coastal plain. It is narrowest in the south, and widest in north. Lake Illawarra is a large lagoon located south of the city center but still within the urban area. Wollongong is located on the coast but lies at the same longitude with Greater Western Sydney.
Wollongong Escarpment
The escarpment is 150 to 750m (490-2460 ft.) above sea level. It includes famous mountains like Mount Keira (464m), Mount Kembla (534m), Broker’s Nose (440m) and Mount Murray (768m). The escarpment is covered with coal measures and many coal mine entrances can be found along its slopes. Suburbia has begun to encroach on the escarpment’s lower slopes in certain areas. However, the majority of the area remains in a natural state with pockets of temperate rainforest and dry sclerophyll. The State Conservation Area and local scenic protection zones protect the escarpment, which provides the backdrop for the city.
The escarpment meets with the coast in the north, and the coastal road Lawrence Hargrave Drive follows the cliff line in the north. Due to the unstable geology of the Escarpment, rockfalls caused the road’s closure. In 2005, part of Lawrence Hargrave Drive, which crosses the submerged rock shelf, was closed. It can carry both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. To reach Sydney, the Illawarra railway line has to go through many tunnels. Alternative inland routes include the Southern Freeway or Princes Highway, which descends the escarpment further south at Bulli Pass and Mount Ousley. They enter just north of Wollongong’s city centre.
The southernmost point of the plain is Albion Park, where it reaches its greatest extent. It contains a large coastal saltwater lagoon known as Lake Illawarra. This lagoon is separated from the Pacific Ocean via a long sandy spur.
Wollongong Coastline
It is made up of fertile alluvium that makes Wollongong attractive to agriculturists. Many hills are found within the area, including the lower slopes of the escarpment. These give the city an undulating appearance. Many swift-flowing, flood-prone streams and creeks traverse the coastal strip, including Fairy Creek (Para Creek), Cabbage Tree Creek and Allans Creek. Many beaches along the coastline are made up of fine, pale-gold-coloured sands. However, prominent and rocky headlands such as Tego Rock can sometimes be seen jutting into water. These headlands have been used to build artificial harbours in Wollongong and Shellharbour, Shellharbour, Kiama and Port Kembla. A group of five islands, known collectively as The Five Islands, lie just off the coast of Wollongong Centre, near Port Kembla. These islands are a wildlife refuge.
Wollongong Centre CBD
The suburbs of Wollongong & North Wollongong are included in the inner city. It extends from Fairy Creek to the north, west to include Wollongong Hospital and south to Greenhouse Park. The population of Wollongong was 18,442 at the 2016 census.
The CBD is a major commercial center that houses many specialty shops, department stores, offices, and entertainment venues. It is located in the heart of Wollongong Central and Crown Street Mall. The area bordered by Market, Corrimal and Burelli streets as well as the railway line is also its boundaries. A mix of residential and commercial properties, parks, reserves, houses, and light commercial property surrounds the CBD. Smith’s Hill is north-east of CBD and features multi-story housing. This is a reflection of the popularity of combining inner city living with coastal views and a beachside lifestyle.
Flagstaff Point is located east of the city. It’s a rocky island with low, erosional cliffs that are topped by a green hill. Convict labor was used to excavate the northern side of this point, forming Belmore Basin. Later, this was extended to form Wollongong Harbor with the northern breakwater. This area contains a colonial fort, several restored cannons, and two lighthouses. It is a unique feature on the east coast of Australia. The Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse, which is located at the harbour’s entrance, was built of wrought iron plates and has been an iconic symbol of the city. Built on top of Flagstaff Hill, the newer Wollongong head Lighthouse was built in 1936. It is still in use in the early 21st Century. The commercial fishing fleet is housed in Belmore Basin, as well as Fisherman’s Co-op. Private vessels are kept at the main harbour.
The main beaches in central Wollongong include North Wollongong (or simply North) Beach which stretches from the harbour to the Fairy lagoon, Puckeys Estate Reserve and Wollongong City Beach that stretches south from Flagstaff Point into Coniston Beach.
Wollongong Climate
Wollongong is an oceanic climate (Koppen Cfb), with humid subtropical influences. Its warmest month average of 21.9 degrees Celsius (71.4 degrees F) is just below its subtropical isotherm 22.0 degC (71.6degF). The highest temperature recorded is 44.1 degrees Celsius (111.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on January 2006. The lowest recorded temperature was 0.8 degrees Celsius (33.4 degF), on July 27, 1986. Wollongong has 107.4 days of clear weather each year.
Rainfall is distributed over the years, but tends to be more concentrated in the first half. This is often due to the orographic lift of the escarpment, its exposed location on Tasman Sea, and makes it more susceptible to moist easterlies. On 18 August 1998, Wollongong saw 316mm of rain. Mt Ousley was nearby and recorded more than 445mm. Most of the rainfall fell in three hours. Wollongong experiences thunderstorms in the warmer months, with lightning, heavy rain, and sometimes hail.
July and August are the windy months. Westerly gales can reach speeds of over 100 km/h in July and August. These are usually dry foehn winds that originate from the Great Dividing Range and are prevalent at this time of year in southeast Australia, on the leeward side.