Cringila, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cringila Wollongong, New South Wales
Aerial photo from east
Cringila Location in New South Wales
Population	2,156 (2021 census)
• Density	829/km2 (2,150/sq mi)
Established	1928
Postcode(s)	2502
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Area	2.6 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Location	90 km (56 mi) from Sydney 6 km (4 mi) from Wollongong 28 km (17 mi) from Kiama
LGA(s)	Wollongong City Council
State electorate(s)	Wollongong
Federal Division(s)	Whitlam
Suburbs around Cringila: Unanderra Spring Hill Berkeley Cringila Port Kembla Berkeley Lake Heights Warrawong

Cringila (pronounced krahn-JIH-luh) is a suburb located south of the city of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. It is surrounded by other suburbs like Berkeley, Unanderra, and Warrawong. The streets in Cringila are mostly laid out in a rectangular pattern.

A big part of Cringila is home to the Port Kembla steelworks. This factory is a major employer for many people in the area. Because of the steelworks, many families from different countries moved to Cringila. These included people from Macedonia, Portugal, Turkey, and Lebanon. This made Cringila a very diverse place. For a while, more people spoke Macedonian at home than English. However, by 2021, English became the most spoken language again.

Cringila is also known for the Cringila Community Park. This large park, about 78 hectares in size, was bought by the Wollongong City Council. This happened after local residents worked hard to stop a plan to use the land for industrial waste. The park's main goal is to help local wildlife and nature grow back. There's even a protected rainforest near Cringila's primary school.

Exploring Cringila's Past

The name Cringila comes from an Aboriginal word. Before it was called Cringila, the town was known as Steeltown. This name came from the steelworks. In 1928, the very first blast furnace at the Port Kembla steelworks started working.

The first public school in the area opened in 1935. It was called Steel Town School. Later, in 1957, Cringila Primary School opened its doors.

Local Shops and Services

Cringila has several local shops that serve the community. You can find places like Abdul's Butcher and the Cringila Hotel. There are also shops selling burek, which is a type of pastry. Other useful places include a newsagency, a pharmacy, and a convenience store. You can also find a petrol station, kebab shops, and a florist in the area.

Sports and Community Spirit

Cringila has its own local football (soccer) team. They play in the Illawarra Premier League, which is a local competition. The team gets a lot of support from the Macedonian community in Cringila and Wollongong. They play their home games at John Crehan Park. In 2008, the Cringila Lions team did very well. They finished 4th in their league and won the Corrimal League Cup. They also won the Bert Bampton Cup that year. The Cringila Lions have a strong rivalry with another team called Wollongong United. This team is also strongly supported by the Macedonian community.

Getting Around Cringila

You can travel to Cringila by train. The Cringila railway station is part of the Port Kembla Branch. This branch connects to the main South Coast railway line.

Who Lives in Cringila?

In 2021, Cringila had a total population of 2,156 people. About 53.2% of these people were born in Australia. The average age of people living in Cringila was 38 years old.

Many people in Cringila have family roots from different countries. Here's a look at where people were born:

While 40.8% of people spoke only English at home, many other languages are also spoken. About 18.1% of homes spoke Arabic, and 16.2% spoke Macedonian. When it comes to religion, the most common beliefs were Islam (29.1%), followed by No Religion (20.1%), Eastern Orthodox (14.8%), and Catholic (13.2%).

Images for kids

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  Cringila Community Park

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  Cringila Community Park