85-501: Macarthur is a region in the south-west part of the Greater Sydney area, in the state of New South Wales , Australia . The region includes the local government areas of the City of Campbelltown , Camden Council , and Wollondilly Shire . It covers an area of 3,067 square kilometres and has a population of close to 310,000 residents. The region geographically forms the foothills between
170-407: A State Conservation Area and local scenic protection zoning, and provides the visual backdrop to the city. In the north the escarpment meets the coastline, and north of this the coastal road Lawrence Hargrave Drive hugs the cliff line. The unstable geology of the escarpment resulted in rockfalls, forcing the closure of the road. Subsequently, part of Lawrence Hargrave Drive was replaced in 2005 by
255-511: A clubhouse and brasserie. Major attractions of Wollondilly are: Sydney Skydivers is Australia's largest multi-state skydive operator in Australia and operates a Skydiving Centre off the Hume Highway junction off Picton . This Skydiving Centre is the closest self-contained Skydiving Centre near Sydney that does tandem and various other forms of skydiving . The Centre is located 55min from
340-573: A damage total of $ 2.8 million, with some minor damage in Bowral and Wollongong . The earthquakes had a magnitude scale of 4.8 and 5.6, respectively. The administrative towns of the Macarthur Region are: Camden Council announced in May 2012 that it will transfer its administrative headquarters to Oran Park. The history of the region begins over 40,000 years ago and is contained in the continuing culture of
425-714: A distinctly multicultural population. Many migrants were attracted to the area by the job opportunities at the Port Kembla steelworks in the post-war period , and settled in surrounding suburbs such as Cringila , Warrawong and Coniston . By 1966 about 60% of the wage earners at the Australian Iron and Steel steelworks were born overseas coming from over 100 countries. These included British , Irish , Macedonians , Spaniards , Portuguese , Greeks , Italians , Arabs , Russians , Bosnians , Croatians , Serbians , Germans , Turks , Lebanese , Chileans and Brazilians . With
510-444: A new lookout and walkway upgrade. In June 2007, erosion was caused via storms to the beaches, the worst in 30 years. Despite the decline of traditional manufacturing and blue-collar industries due to the abandonment of protectionist economic policies in the 1980s, many of these industrial installations still exist. The city's economy is, however, on the rebound, thanks to diversification of economic activity including higher education,
595-458: A number of different boundaries and definitions for Sydney's South-West with majority of definitions including the suburbs within City of Liverpool as well as surrounding areas. This can also include the Macarthur region which is often referred to as 'Outer South-West', particularly referring to the local government area of City of Campbelltown as well as Camden Council and occasionally also
680-482: A stockman's hut in the area in 1815. The first land grants were made in 1816. In 1830, a military barracks was constructed near the harbour. Further settlers arrived and in 1834 a town was planned. On 26 November 1834, the town was first gazetted and George Brown erected the first court house. The main road down the Escarpment through Bulli Pass was built by convict labour in 1835–6, although other passes were built during
765-523: A very small portion of Kiama being in the far southern suburbs of the city. The city of Wollongong has traditionally voted for the centre-left Labor Party over the centre-right Liberal Party . Labor holds both of the two federal seats mostly or entirely located in Wollongong, as well as all four of the state seats that are mostly or entirely located in Wollongong. However, the Liberal Party has held
850-547: A world-class flat rolled steel producer, operating as a fully integrated steel plant with a production of around 5 million tonnes per year. Other industries to have set up in the massive Port Kembla industrial complex—the largest single concentration of heavy industry in Australia—include a fertiliser plant, an electrolytic copper smelter, a locomotive workshop, a coal export shipping terminal, a grain export shipping terminal and an industrial gases manufacturing plant. In 1936,
935-530: Is a 416-acre (1.68 km) botanic garden opened in 1988. It is currently the largest botanic gardens in Australia and is administered by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney . It is home to a large collection of native plants, and includes facilities such as picnic areas (with barbecues ), walking trails and a restaurant. Camden Park Estate was the country property of Australian Wool Pioneers John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth Macarthur , and became
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#17328526417121020-676: 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 (53 miles) south of central Sydney . Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302,739 at June 2018, making it
1105-604: Is a regional centre for the South Coast fishing industry. The University of Wollongong has around 38,000 students. The area was originally inhabited by the Dharawal Indigenous Australians . The first Europeans to visit the area were the navigators George Bass and Matthew Flinders , who landed at Lake Illawarra in 1796. The first settlers in the region were cedar cutters in the early nineteenth century, followed by graziers in 1812. Charles Throsby established
1190-459: Is a small 95 hectare reserve and property that is under the authority of the National Trust of Australia that was given by Thistle Harris who opened the park in the 1960s. Thistle opened reserve as a tribute to her late husband and preserve 'Bargo Brush' plants and animals as Bargo is believed to be the first areas where colonial explorers saw the lyrebird , koala and wombat . The sanctuary
1275-417: Is also available via satellite. Of the three main commercial networks: The region receives five ABC radio services – ABC Illawarra 97.3FM, Triple J 98.9, and Radio National 1431 AM, ABC Classic FM 95.7 and Newsradio 90.9FM. There are two commercial radio stations i98FM 98.1 and WAVE FM 96.5 – formerly 2WL, and two community radio stations Vox FM 106.9 and Christian broadcaster 94.1 FM. On
1360-554: Is also found within the arts centre. It was a gift from the Japanese city of Koshigaya , the sister city of Campbelltown. The Campbelltown Sports Stadium caters for 21,000 and has grandstand seating for 9,000. It is one of the home stadiums for the Wests Tigers NRL Team. Moreover, the team's leagues club is located adjacent to the stadium as well as an athletics centre and large tennis court complex. Campbelltown Sports Stadium
1445-621: Is also the home of the region's new A-League club Macarthur FC . Campbelltown Catholic Club is the largest club in the Macarthur Region. The club notably owns and has shares in The Cube (Campbelltown Convention Centre), Aquafit Gym and the Rydges Hotel located adjacent to the club. The Campbelltown Rotary Observatory is located at the University of Western Sydney (Campbelltown Campus) and Macarthur Astronomical Society holds public lectures at
1530-512: Is continuing to grow with a population growth of 3.1% for the period 2001 to 2006, although the supply of new residential land is limited by the geography particularly in the northern suburbs. The west Dapto area is a major centre of future growth with plans for 19,000 new dwellings and 50,000 people within 40 years. New residential areas are also being developed further south around the Albion Park , Shell Cove and Kiama areas. Wollongong has
1615-412: Is just below the subtropical isotherm of 22 °C (72 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 44.1 °C on 1 January 2006, and the lowest 0.8 °C on 27 July 1986. Annually, Wollongong receives 107.4 clear days. Rainfall is spread through the months but has a bias to the first half of the year. It is often associated with orographic lift caused by the escarpment and its exposed location on
1700-487: Is noted for its heavy industry , its port activity and the quality of its physical setting, occupying a narrow coastal plain between an almost continuous chain of surf beaches and the cliffline of the rainforest-covered Illawarra escarpment. It has two cathedrals, churches of many denominations and the Nan Tien Temple . Wollongong has a long history of coal mining and industry. The city attracts many tourists each year and
1785-408: Is one of the largest art galleries and exhibitions centres in the Macarthur Region. It is home to Campbelltown Bicentennial Art Gallery, which contains both permanent contemporary art collections and temporary exhibitions. The centre also does art workshops and performing arts. The centre is well known for promoting multicultural -themed art and Indigenous Australian art . The Japanese Tea Garden
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#17328526417121870-562: Is open to the public where it promotes Australian environmental and wildlife issues, propagates Australian native plants and showcase native Australian animals. Currently, a dingo sanctuary is being constructed. Mushroom Tunnel is located just off the Remembrance Driveway ( Old Hume Highway ) heading towards Tahmoor and was built in 1867. It is considered one of the earliest pre-Federation railway tunnels in New South Wales. In 1919
1955-512: Is part of the Blue Mountains Heritage Area in which the park consists of 5 important freshwaters lakes that are abundant in waterbirds and native reeds. The lakes are among the last undisturbed lakes within the proximity of Sydney and are believed to have high ecosystem-related and environmental scientific value. ( For more information, see Thirlmere Lakes National Park .) Major attractions of Campbelltown are: Macarthur Square
2040-505: Is the biggest shopping centre in the Macarthur region and caters for the entire region. It contains over 300 shops and includes the department stores Big W , Target and David Jones . Macarthur Square is located in the suburb of Ambarvale, New South Wales , which is about 1 km south of Campbelltown's CBD . It is located adjacent to Macarthur railway station and University of Western Sydney, Macarthur . Campbelltown City Arts Centre
2125-500: Is the lyrebird. European history began in 1788 shortly after settlement at Sydney Cove , when the colony's entire herd of cattle (four cows and two bulls) strayed from their enclosure and were lost. In 1795 a greatly enlarged herd of 61 cattle were discovered on the grassy land between the Nepean River and Georges River . This area was promptly named the "Cowpastures" – and was deemed a restricted area to provide ongoing protection for
2210-519: Is the network's largest campus, and it offers a variety of courses. Wollongong has one university, the University of Wollongong , which was formerly part of the University of New South Wales . The university was awarded the "Australian University of the Year" in two consecutive years (1999–2000, 2000–2001) by the Good Universities Guide, and is internationally recognised. It has two main campuses:
2295-699: The Advertiser incorporating Lake Times and Kiama Independent . Wollongong and the Illawarra region are serviced by three commercial television networks – WIN Television , the Seven Network and Southern Cross 10 . The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) also broadcast television services to Wollongong. In addition to these channels, ten new channels broadcasting in are also available in Wollongong and
2380-464: The Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands regions. The region is bounded at the north by Glenfield ; at the south by Yanderra ; at the east by the town of Appin ; and at the west by the hamlet Nattai . Most of the area is taken up by the semi- rural Wollondilly Shire; most of the population lives within the satellite city of Campbelltown and its surrounding suburbs. The region is one of
2465-518: The Greenhouse Park . At the 2016 census , the suburb of Wollongong had a population of 18,442. The CBD is a major commercial hub containing many department stores and specialty shops, offices, and entertainment venues. It is centred on the Crown Street Mall and Wollongong Central , and approximates the area bounded by Market, Corrimal, and Burelli streets and the railway line . Surrounding
2550-662: The Illawarra Escarpment to the west. The coastal plain is widest in the south and narrowest in the north, with the city centre located about midway. South of the city centre but within the urban area is Lake Illawarra, a large lagoon. Although Wollongong sits on the immediate coast, it lies on the same longitude as Greater Western Sydney . The escarpment ranges between 150 and 750 m (490 and 2,460 ft) above sea level, with locally famous mountains such as Mount Keira (464 m (1,522 ft)), Mount Kembla (534 m (1,752 ft)), Broker's Nose (440 m (1,440 ft)) and Mount Murray (768 m (2,520 ft)) to
2635-559: The Macarthur Astronomy Forum and public observing nights at selected locations. South Western Sydney South Western Sydney is a region of the city of Sydney , New South Wales , Australia . It is situated in the south-west of the larger Sydney metropolitan area, and is part of the predominantly working class area of Greater Western Sydney . Geographically, the region lies in the Cumberland Plain . There are
Macarthur, New South Wales - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-589: The Mount Kembla mine when an explosion killed 94 men and boys, the youngest aged 14, the oldest 69. Two other men died attempting to rescue survivors. Survivors were treated at the "A. M. (Albert Memorial) Hospital", which opened in 1864 and closed when the Wollongong Hospital opened in 1907 on Garden Hill. In 1916 the Wollongong High School was opened. Heavy industry was attracted to the region by
2805-578: The Register of the National Estate . In 1886 the first town hall was erected. The Illawarra Railway to Wollongong was completed in 1887, and now continues as far south as the town of Bomaderry on the Shoalhaven River . The navigator George Bass first documented the Illawarra coal deposits in 1797. There have been many coalmines in the district. Australia's worst coal mining disaster occurred in 1902, at
2890-554: The Sea Cliff Bridge just off the coast, crossing the submerged rock shelf. The bridge carries both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The Illawarra railway line must go through several tunnels to reach the Sydney metropolitan area. The Southern Freeway and Princes Highway provide alternative inland routes, descending the escarpment further south at Bulli Pass or at Mount Ousley , entering just north of Wollongong's city centre. To
2975-517: The Tharawal people. The land still contains reminders of their past lives in rock engravings, cave paintings, axe grinding grooves and shell middens. Their culture also remains in the surviving songs, stories and descendants. The lands of the Tharawal language Nation extended from approximately Botany Bay to Shoalhaven and to the foothills of the mountain ranges. The principal symbol of the Tharawal nation
3060-474: The University of Wollongong and exits at its southern fringe. A second freeway, Memorial Drive (formerly the Northern Distributor), continues northward from the university to connect Wollongong's northern suburbs, Bulli Pass and the scenic Lawrence Hargrave Drive . If one continues up Bulli Pass one will either merge onto The M1 towards Sutherland and Sydney or B69 towards Campbelltown and
3145-624: The Wollondilly Shire . In the broadest sense, South-Western Sydney can also include Fairfield City Council as it is south of Prospect Reservoir even though geographically the council is west of Sydney CBD and not south-west. Several institutions have 'South Western Sydney' in their title, including: This article related to the geography of Sydney is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Wollongong, New South Wales Wollongong ( / ˈ w ʊ l ə n ɡ ɒ ŋ / WUUL -ən-gong ; Dharawal : Woolyungah )
3230-540: The fine arts , tourism, residential construction and eco-friendly electricity generation ; however, the city's economy still relies primarily on heavy industry, and will continue to in the near future. Various meanings are given for the Aboriginal word ' Wollongong' including 'seas of the South', ' great feast of fish' , 'hard ground near water', 'song of the sea' ' sound of the waves' 'many snakes' and ' five islands'. In 2024,
3315-508: The 17th of November 2021 the board game Monopoly launched a 'Wollongong' Edition. It showcases a number of Wollongong attractions including: Nan Tien Temple , Mount Keira , and the Sea Cliff Bridge . The main road connecting Wollongong is the M1 Princes Motorway (formerly the F6). The motorway, part of National Route 1, descends the escarpment via Mount Ousley Road to enter the city near
3400-474: The 19th century as well, such as O'Briens Road and Rixons Pass. By 1856 Wollongong had a population of 864. In 1858, a court house was built. In 1861, a horse-drawn tramway from Mount Keira to the harbour was completed. In 1862 a telegraph line was opened between Wollongong and Bellambi . In 1865 the first gas supply in Wollongong was provided from a gas plant in Corrimal Street. In 1868 the extensions to
3485-410: The 65-metre-long tunnel fell into disuse when a new railway deviation was built. The tunnel then served as a mushroom farm and ammunition storage facility during the war years. Currently the tunnel is empty although it is popular with ghost-hunters due to many local folk tales claiming that it is haunted. Subsequently, it has been featured by both print and television media. Thirlmere Lakes National Park
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3570-674: The Australian wool industry. Founded on land owned by the Macarthurs and surveyed by Sir Thomas Mitchell, the town of Camden was named for Lord Camden , who, during his brief tenure as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies had secured the initial land grant for John Macarthur who was then in England. The original Macarthur family property covered the three local councils (Camden Council, Campbelltown City Council and Wollondilly Shire) that are within
3655-472: The CBD lies a mixture of parks, reserves, light commercial property, houses and multi-story residential units. Multi-story housing is evident particularly on Smith's Hill, north-east of the CBD, reflecting the popularity of combining inner-city living, coastal views and a beachside lifestyle. To the east of the city lies Flagstaff Point, a rocky headland with eroded low cliffs topped by a grassy hill. The northern side of
3740-596: The Cowpastures and began grazing Merino sheep. His sons William and James introduced viticulture and a commercial nursery, and a successful dairy was founded by Emily Stone, James' wife. In 1816, the Appin Massacre occurred in the region. The region is steeped in history with statesmen, adventurers, larrikins and villains all having an association with the Macarthur region which makes it a tourist destination. Major attractions of Camden are: Mount Annan Botanic Gardens
3825-609: The Greens having three and the remaining two seats being held by independents Andrew Anthony and Ryan Morris. The City of Shellharbour has an indirectly elected Mayor (currently independent Chris Homer ) and eight councillors: four generic independents, three Labor councillors and one councillor from the Kellie Marsh Independent Team . There are two campuses of the Illawarra Institute of TAFE . The Wollongong Campus
3910-718: The Southern Highlands has since been replaced with a coach service. Wollongong railway station is the city's main train station, and serves Wollongong's CBD. Freight services connect Sydney markets with Port Kembla and the Manildra Group factory at Bomaderry . The Southern Highlands line is used primarily for freight, providing an important bypass for Sydney's congested rail network. Route services in Wollongong are provided by Premier Illawarra and Dion's Bus Service who also provide school/charter services together with some other companies. Wollongong railway station serves as
3995-526: The Sydney CBD and operates 7 days a week. The head office of Sydney Skydivers is located at 677 Tower Road Bankstown Airport. Skydiving is only from the centre at Picton. Antill Park Country Golf Club is the largest golf course in the Wollondilly Shire . It has 18 holes. Moreover, the Golf Clubhouse was built in 1863 by John Macquarie Antill Snr. , and is historic to the local area. Wirrimbirra Sanctuary
4080-480: The Tasman Sea, which makes it more prone to moist easterlies. A significant flood event occurred on 18 August 1998 when Wollongong recorded 316 mm of rainfall (the nearby suburb of Mt Ousley recorded in excess of 445 mm), mostly falling in a 3-hour period. Wollongong also experiences thunderstorms during the warmer months bringing lightning , heavy rain and occasionally hail . July and August are known as
4165-542: The Wollongong-based state seat of Heathcote multiple times (including for 12 consecutive years from the Coalition 's 2011 landslide victory until Labor's return to power in 2023 , note that redistribution made Heathcote a notional Labor seat as it moved south to included more of Wollongong and less of southern Sydney). However, even in 2011 (when Labor suffered the worst defeat of a sitting New South Wales government in
4250-717: The busiest commuter corridors in Australia. Two federal divisions in the House of Representatives are mostly or entirely located in Greater Wollongong: Cunningham and Whitlam , with a very small portion of Gilmore being in the far southern suburbs of the city. On the state level, there are four electoral districts of the Legislative Assembly that are mostly or entirely located in Wollongong: Heathcote , Keira , Shellharbour and Wollongong , with
4335-472: The city an undulating character. The coastal strip is traversed by several short but flood-prone and fast-flowing streams and creeks such as Fairy Creek (Para Creek), Cabbage Tree Creek, Allans Creek, Nostaw Ravine, Jimbob Creek, Mullet Creek and Macquarie Rivulet . The coastline consists of many beaches characterised by fine pale gold-coloured sands; however, these beaches are sometimes interrupted by prominent and rocky headlands, such as Tego Rock, jutting into
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#17328526417124420-675: The city. The newer Wollongong Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1936 atop the Flagstaff Hill and is still used in the early 21st century. Belmore Basin houses the commercial fishing fleet and Fisherman's Co-op, while the main harbour shelters private vessels. The main beaches of central Wollongong are North Wollongong (or simply North [gong]) Beach, extending from the harbour up to the Fairy lagoon and Puckeys Estate Reserve , and Wollongong City Beach, extending south from Flagstaff Point and into Coniston Beach. The Wollongong metropolitan area includes
4505-604: The end of the White Australia policy these were followed by Indo-Chinese refugees in the 1970s, Indians , Filipinos , Chinese , Japanese , Malaysians , Singaporeans , Koreans , Vietnamese , Cambodians , and Pacific Islanders in the 1980s and 1990s. The University of Wollongong continues to attract students and staff from all over the world, with around 5,000 overseas student enrolments and countless overseas professors working there. Around 20,000 people commute daily to jobs in Sydney by road and rail , making it one of
4590-495: The fastest-growing regions in the Sydney metropolitan area, with many new modern suburbs sprouting up in recent decades such as Glen Alpine , Macquarie Links , Harrington Park , Blair Athol , Mount Annan , Currans Hill , Englorie Park , Picton , Oran Park , Gregory Hills , Gledswood Hills , Spring Farm and Catherine Field . The region is named after John Macarthur and Elizabeth Macarthur who were founders and pioneers of
4675-443: The greater Illawarra region. These channels include ABC HD , ABC Kids , ABC TV Plus , ABC Me , ABC News , 7HD , 7two , 7mate , 7flix , 7Bravo , 9HD , 9Go! , 9Gem , 9Life , 10 HD , 10 Bold , 10 Peach . Nickelodeon , SBS HD , SBS Viceland , SBS World Movies , SBS Food , NITV and SBS WorldWatch . In some areas it is also possible to pick up Sydney channels. Subscription Television service Foxtel (formerly Austar )
4760-418: The harbour were opened by Lady Belmore and named Belmore Basin. Patrick Lahiff established a coke works at Wollongong Harbour in the 1870s. He erected two beehive coke ovens between the north eastern end of the basin and Pulpit Rock. The ovens were demolished in 1892. The remains of the coke ovens were uncovered and recovered and are now preserved beneath the hill, with a plaque explaining their history. In 1871
4845-413: The herd; this restriction was short-lived as the herd, deemed too aggressive to be tamed, was destroyed. The early settlement of the area was described by Lachlan Macquarie in his journals, whose accounts include the description of Elizabeth Macarthur being met in a 'miserable' bark hut, the only accommodation then existing at Camden Park. In 1803, John Macarthur had been granted 5,000 acres (20 km) at
4930-527: The house completed. Currently, the house remains on 388.5 hectares (960 acres) of the original estate. Macarthur's descendants still reside on the house and property. Adjacent to Camden Park, though once within its extent, is Belgenny Farm, which is popularly called the "Birthplace of Australia's Agriculture". Designed by architect Henry Kitchen, Belgenny Cottage was built c1821 and was mentioned in Kitchen's submission to Commissioner John Thomas Bigge's enquiry into
5015-829: The largest Southern part of the region is a mostly rural region with small scale industry and commerce. Notably, the Wollondilly supplies much of Sydney Metropolitan and surrounding areas with water from Warragamba Dam , Cataract Dam in Appin , Cordeaux Dam in Wilton and Avon and Nepean Dams even though located in the Wingecarribee Shire is accessed via road through Wollondilly's Bargo . The region has thus far recorded two earthquakes in history – one occurring in Appin on March 17, 1999, and one in Picton on March 9, 1973. The Picton one had
5100-474: The local level, there are two Wollongong-based local government areas (LGAs): the City of Wollongong and the City of Shellharbour , with a very small portion of the Municipality of Kiama being located in the far southern suburbs of the city. The City of Wollongong is represented by a directly elected Lord Mayor (currently Tania Brown) and 12 councillors (four each per ward): with Labor having eight seats,
5185-597: The network's hub. A Bus Interchange is also located near Wollongong University. Services connect Wollongong suburbs to Shellharbour City Centre , Port Kembla , Campbelltown in Western Sydney and the Royal National Park as well as the Southern Highlands . There is also a Free Shuttle Bus service that connects the CBD, university and the suburbs of North Wollongong, Fairy Meadow and Gwynneville which acts as
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#17328526417125270-641: The new Wollongong Lighthouse was finished on Flagstaff Point. In 1942 Wollongong was proclaimed a City. In 1947 City of Greater Wollongong was formed. In 1954 the population of Wollongong was 90,852. In 1956 new Wollongong City Council Chambers were opened. In 1961 the Wollongong University College was established. In 1963, the Wollongong Teachers College was established. In 1965 the Westfield shopping centre at Figtree opened. In 1985,
5355-417: The old council building at the present art gallery site. The Crown Gateway Shopping Centre was completed. Wollongong Mall was opened. In 1988, the current council administration building was completed, as well as the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre ( IPAC ), across the road on Burelli Street. IPAC was officially opened by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1988. A sculpture recognizing Lawrence Hargrave
5440-411: The old lighthouse was completed. Nevertheless, in 1881 a British clipper , Queen of Nations , ran ashore off the mouth of Towradgi Creek. Her cargo included 24,000 bottles of Hennessy Cognac . Local police and NSW Customs recovered at least 5,000 bottles, but others were looted by members of the public. The surviving part of the Queen of Nations wreck is only about 70 metres (230 ft) from
5525-439: The point was excavated by convict labour to form Belmore Basin. This was later extended with the northern breakwater to create Wollongong Harbour. The area is the site of a historic colonial fort , several restored cannons and two lighthouses, a feature peculiar to the east coast of Australia. The older Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse located at the harbour entrance was made of wrought iron plates in 1871 and has become an icon of
5610-407: The population of Wollongong reached 181,612 people. In 2004 the Wollongong City Gallery celebrated its 25th anniversary. In 2005 Qantas established a daily air service from Wollongong to Melbourne that lasted till 2008. In 2006/2007, the library was renovated, including new facilities, as part of the tenth anniversary of the library's current site. Also at this time the beachfront was renovated with
5695-486: The primary campus on Northfields Avenue, and the Innovation Campus on Squires Way. The university's Sydney Business School also has a secondary campus in Sydney . Wollongong has a number of primary and high schools, including public, denominational and independent. Wollongong has one daily newspaper, The Illawarra Mercury , published and issued Monday to Saturday by Australian Community Media (ACM). Additionally, ACM publishes several free community newspapers, including
5780-407: The principal residence of their family after John's death. Centrepiece of the original 2023.5 hectares (5000 acres) granted to Macarthur by the Governor of New South Wales, at the request of Lord Camden, is Camden Park House, designed by John Verge in the neo- Palladian style favoured by the colony's wealthy pastoral 'exclusives', and built between 1832 and 1834; Macarthur himself did not live to see
5865-423: The railway line was electrified to Wollongong, and in 1993 to Dapto. In 1986 the Wollongong Mall was completed. For a short while, trams (trackless trains) were used in the mall, though this ceased due to dangers involved. The mall was re-opened to traffic after the initial test but re-zoned a pedestrian area after and has remained one since. In 1987 the council chambers and library building were completed, replacing
5950-401: The ready availability of coal. In 1928, Hoskins, later Australian Iron & Steel, started a steelworks at Port Kembla, a few kilometres south of Wollongong. The former Broken Hill Proprietary Company (now BHP after merging with Billiton plc) acquired AI&S in 1935, but has since spun-out their steel division as a separate company, now known as BlueScope . The steelworks has grown to become
6035-413: The region. The region is generally regarded as the area where the city of Sydney meets rural countryside of regional New South Wales , and is considered to be part of the south west part of the Greater Sydney area. Campbelltown and Camden were once rural towns which formed the nucleus of new urban communities created following the Three Cities Structure Plan 1973. The Wollondilly Shire which makes up
6120-435: The rest of Western Sydney . The Illawarra Highway connects Wollongong's southern suburbs to the Southern Highlands via Macquarie Pass . Wollongong is served by the Illawarra railway line . Passenger rail services on this line connect the centres of Nowra and Kiama to the south and Sydney to the north. A branch line connects suburbs between the CBD and Port Kembla . A passenger rail service connecting Wollongong to
6205-481: The sea. In places these headlands have been excavated or extended to create artificial harbours at Wollongong, Port Kembla , Shellharbour and Kiama . Just off the coast south of Wollongong centre, near Port Kembla, lies a group of five islands known collectively as The Five Islands . The islands are a wildlife refuge. Wollongong has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ), bordering on humid subtropical ( Cfa ) as its warmest month mean of 21.9 °C (71.4 °F)
6290-528: The shore, in water only 3 to 5 metres (10 to 16 ft) deep. From time to time, a violent storm uncovers part of the wreck. After one such storm in 1991, looting resumed, including of the Cognac. The Commonwealth Government quickly issued an order protecting the wreck under the then Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 . Since 2018 the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 has automatically protected
6375-510: The south the plain reaches its maximum extent around Albion Park where it incorporates a large coastal saltwater lagoon called Lake Illawarra , separated from the Pacific Ocean by a long sandy spit. The coastal strip consists of highly fertile alluvium , which made Wollongong so attractive to agriculturists in the nineteenth century. It contains many hills including the foothills of the escarpment's lower slopes, and while these generally do not exceed one hundred metres in height they give much of
6460-424: The south. Currently, the farm is home to descendants of sheep that were brought by the Macarthurs and has a functioning vineyard that produces wine as well as orchards. A 2010 archaeological survey and dig to the north of Belgenny may have determined the location of the original 'miserable hut'. Camden Valley Golf Resort, opened in 1964 by architect Prosper Ellis , is a popular 27 hole golf course. Facilities include
6545-404: The south. It contains strata of coal measures, and the adit entrances to many coal mines have been established along the slopes of the escarpment throughout Wollongong. Suburbia encroaches on the escarpment's lower slopes in some areas, but the majority remains in a relatively natural state forested with dry sclerophyll and pockets of temperate rainforest . The escarpment is largely protected by
6630-409: The state of the colony under Governor Lachlan Macquarie . This original ' cottage ornée ', which was demolished in the early 1900s and replaced with the current weatherboard structure, was used by the family when visiting the property until the construction of Camden Park House on an adjacent hilltop. John Macarthur himself died in the cottage in 1834, and was buried in the family cemetery immediately to
6715-559: The state's history and the Coalition won the largest majority government in the state's history), Labor still won every Wollongong-based seat except Heathcote, making the Illawarra the only region in the state where Labor won more seats than the Coalition. The last time the Liberals won a Wollongong-based state seat other than Heathcote was in 1968 , when the Coalition won the seat of Wollongong for one term before Labor regained it in 1971 . On
6800-452: The suburbs, outlying towns and rural localities stretching from Helensburgh in the north to Kiama in the south. According to the 2021 census , it had a population of 305,691 people. It is the third largest city in New South Wales and the tenth largest in Australia. Using 2006 ABS geography, around 89% of the statistical district's population reside in the built-up urban centre extending from Clifton to Shell Cove . Wollongong
6885-441: 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. The Wollongong area extends from Helensburgh in the north to Windang and Yallah in the south. Geologically, the city is located in the south-eastern part of the Sydney basin , which extends from Newcastle to Nowra . Wollongong
6970-601: The windy months, with westerly gales that can gust at over 100 km/h. These are generally dry foehn winds from the Great Dividing Range , which are common at this time of the year in southeast Australia on the leeward side of the Ranges. The inner city area includes the suburbs of Wollongong and North Wollongong , extending from Fairy Meadow in the north, west to include the Wollongong Hospital , and south to
7055-459: The wreck and its contents, as they are more than 75 years old. In 1880 steam locomotives were introduced to haul coal from Mount Keira mine to the harbour. Gas street lighting was introduced in 1883. In 1885 a new court house was erected in Market Street. Like many Australian court houses, it was designed in a Classical Revival style considered appropriate for public buildings. It is now listed on
7140-515: The wreck of a coal ship was discovered by accident, off the coast of Wollongong. The ship the SS Nemesis was sailing from Wollongong to Melbourne and it sank nearly 120 years ago. Wollongong has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: The city of Wollongong has a distinct geography. It lies on a narrow coastal plain flanked by the Tasman Sea to the east and a steep sandstone precipice known as
7225-602: Was placed via helicopter on the eastern foothills of Mount Keira . In 1998 the 6000 seat Wollongong Entertainment Centre was opened. In 1999, the Gateway and Crown Central mall buildings were unified as Wollongong Central and a pedestrian walkway/café was built connecting the buildings in an above ground bridge. In 2000, as part of the Sydney Olympics, the Olympic torch was carried through Wollongong as part of its journey. In 2001,
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