Coledale, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Coledale Wollongong, New South Wales
A view of Coledale from Sublime Point
Coledale Location in New South Wales
Population	1,372 (2021 census)
Postcode(s)	2515
Elevation	21 m (69 ft)
Location	67 km (42 mi) South of Sydney 17 km (11 mi) North of Wollongong
LGA(s)	City of Wollongong
State electorate(s)	Heathcote
Federal Division(s)	Cunningham
Suburbs around Coledale: Wombarra Coledale Austinmer

Coledale is a small, sunny village right by the sea in New South Wales, Australia. It's about 18 kilometers north of Wollongong. This lovely spot is part of the City of Wollongong and sits between two other towns, Wombarra and Austinmer.

Coledale has many useful places for its residents. You can find several shops along the main road. There's also a RSL club, a public hall, and a fire station. The village even has a public hospital with a special unit for older people.

The shops in Coledale include a newsagent that also works as a cafe and gift store. You can find another gift store selling furniture and home items nearby. There's also a beauty salon, a hair dresser, and a fish and chip shop. Further down the road, you'll find another cafe and a bottle shop. Coledale also has a small public school with great views of Coledale beach.

Fun and Games in Coledale

Coledale has a big playing field called St. James Park. It's used for soccer, cricket, and netball. This park is the home ground for the Coledale Waves soccer teams. They used to be known as the Coledale Rosebuds. A famous runner, Kerryn McCann, often trained here because she lived close by.

Who Lives in Coledale?

In the 2021 census, there were 1,372 people living in Coledale. Most people, about 81.4%, were born in Australia. Also, 90.0% of people spoke only English at home. When asked about religion, most people (53.4%) said they had no religion. Others were Catholic (17.9%) or Anglican (11.2%).

Coledale's Beautiful Beaches

Coledale is famous for its two sandy beaches.

• Coledale Beach is to the north of the village. Lifeguards patrol this beach during the summer months. It's very popular with campers and people with caravans. It has simple but good facilities.
• Sharkey's Beach is to the south. This beach is a favorite spot for surfers.

During summer, the Coledale Lifesaving Club runs a program called Nippers. This is for young people to learn about surf safety and lifesaving skills. Nippers happens every second Sunday on Coledale Beach.

Getting Around Coledale

The Coledale railway station is located on Cater Street, just off Lawrence Hargrave Drive. NSW TrainLink operates the trains that stop here.

You can also enjoy a well-kept cycle route. This path allows you to ride off-road all the way into Wollongong. The route might have a few breaks between Thirroul and Bulli. But in summer, it's easy to follow if you just cycle with other bike riders.

Images for kids

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  A view of Coledale, around 1900.

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  A panorama overlooking Sharkey's beach. You can walk from the Coledale shops to the Headlands Hotel in about 20-30 minutes.