Wollongong

Wollongong ( WUUL-ən-gong; Dharawal: Woolyungah) is a city in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 85 kilometres (53 miles) 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. The Wollongong area extends from Helensburgh in the north to Windang and Yallah in the south. Geologically, the city is in the south-eastern part of the Sydney basin, which extends from Newcastle to Nowra. Wollongong 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 very long history of coal mining and industry. The city attracts many tourists each year and is a regional centre for the South Coast fishing industry. A university town, it is home to the University of Wollongong.