Dapto, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dapto Wollongong, New South Wales
Dapto Location in New South Wales
Postcode(s)	2530
Elevation	17 m (56 ft)
Location	94 km (58 mi) SSW of Sydney 14 km (9 mi) SW of Wollongong 25 km (16 mi) NNW of Kiama
LGA(s)	City of Wollongong
Region	Illawarra
County	Camden
Parish	Calderwood
State electorate(s)	Shellharbour
Federal Division(s)	Whitlam
Suburbs around Dapto: Kembla Grange Brownsville Kanahooka Horsley Dapto Koonawarra Cleveland Yallah Yallah

Dapto is a suburb in the city of Wollongong, located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It sits on the western side of Lake Illawarra and covers about 7.15 square kilometers. In 2021, about 10,954 people lived in Dapto.

History of Dapto

The name Dapto is believed to come from an Aboriginal word. It might be from Dabpeto, meaning "water plenty". Another idea is that it comes from tap-toe, which described how a respected Aboriginal elder walked.

Dapto was officially started in 1834. At first, people tried growing wheat, but it wasn't very successful. So, in the 1850s, Dapto became known for its dairy farms. In 1887, a railway line opened, and a butter factory was built. This changed Dapto a lot, and the town center moved closer to the new train station.

Later, a large smelting factory opened, employing over 500 people. A special railway connected this factory to the main government railway at Dapto. By 1903, Dapto's train station was considered very important. It had twice as much train traffic as Wollongong's station!

Dapto also has some historic places. One example is Horsley Homestead on Bong Road.

Who Lives in Dapto?

According to the 2021 census, there were 10,954 people living in Dapto.

• About 4.9% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
• Most people (81.0%) were born in Australia.
• Other countries where people were born include England (5.3%), New Zealand (1.0%), and Scotland (0.8%).
• Most people (89.6%) speak only English at home.
• Other languages spoken include Macedonian (0.7%) and Spanish (0.6%).
• For religion, many people said they had No Religion (40.6%). Others were Catholic (21.8%) or Anglican (17.3%).

What is the Land Used For?

Dapto has different types of land use.

• Nature Reserve: On Koonawarra Point, you'll find Mount Brown Reserve. This is a protected hill because it's an important home for wildlife.
• Past Industries: Dapto used to have a smelting industry, but it's now closed down.
• Homes and Shops: Most of Dapto is for homes, with several areas for shops. The main shopping area is Dapto Mall, located on the Princes Highway.
• Protected Areas: A small part of the hills west of Dapto is protected as part of the Illawarra Escarpment State Recreation Area. This area isn't open to the public.
• Farmland: Much of the land to the west is still used for farming. This area is hillier than the flat land north of Wollongong.
• New Suburbs: The area west of the railway line used to be farmland. Over the last 20 years, it has grown a lot. This fast-growing area is now a suburb called Horsley.

Getting Around Dapto

The South Coast line electric train service used to end in Dapto. In 2001, the train line was extended further south to Kiama.

Fun Things to Do

• Dapto Greyhounds: The Dapto Greyhound Racing Track, also known as the 'Dapto Greyhounds', holds dog races every Thursday evening. This is a popular local event.
• Dapto Canaries: If you like rugby league, the Dapto Canaries team plays in the local Illawarra Rugby League competition.
• The Groundz Precinct: This area, also called The Groundz or Dapto Showground, is where the greyhound races happen. The Dapto Greyhound Racing Club started racing here in 1937. They are planning to move to a new location in Dapto in 2025.

Important Places and Buildings

Dapto Mall

Entrance to Dapto Mall

Dapto Mall is one of the biggest shopping centers in the Illawarra region. It has large stores like Big W, Woolworths, and Coles, plus about 66 other shops. It's a great place to find what you need!

Dapto Ribbonwood Centre

The Dapto Ribbonwood Centre is a modern community hub. It opened in 2001 and is named after the special trees planted outside.

• Library: The local library is located on the first floor.
• Meeting Rooms: The center has several rooms you can rent for different events, from small meetings to bigger social gatherings.
• Seniors Group: It's also home to CPSA Dapto Seniors, a large group for older people in the Illawarra. They hold meetings and activities in Heininger House, which is part of the center.

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  The northern side of the Ribbonwood Centre.

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  Inside the library on Level 1.

Schools in Dapto

Dapto has a long history of education.

• Dapto Public School: The original Dapto Public School opened in 1875 in a church hall. A new building opened in 1928. Because the nearby Horsley area grew so much, the school moved to a new, larger location in Sierra Drive, Horsley, in 2004.
• Dapto High School: The suburb also has one high school, Dapto High School.

Dapto in TV Shows

Dapto has even been mentioned in popular culture!

• The Aunty Jack Show: It was featured in The Aunty Jack Show, a funny TV program. A song in the show joked about only going to "Wollongong, Wollongong... Dapto, Wollongong."
• Koala Man: Dapto is the main setting for the animated TV series Koala Man. This show imagines a "bizarro" or alternate universe where Australia is a superpower and Nicole Kidman is its Queen!

Churches in Dapto

Dapto Anglican Church

The Dapto Anglican Church is located near Dapto Mall and the Greyhound Racing Club. They hold services at different locations, including the St Aidens building and Dapto Primary School hall. They also have activities for children and youth, and a 'Cafe Church' during the week.

Dapto Uniting Church

Dapto Uniting Church.

The Dapto Uniting Church is in the center of Dapto, on the Princes Highway. They have Sunday services that mix modern and traditional styles. They also offer programs for children and youth. The church community welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds.

The Dapto Uniting Church started way back in 1841. The current red brick building, St Andrews, opened in 1959. The church family works to help the local community through things like an Op Shop (second-hand store) and fun family events.

St John's Catholic Church

St John's Church is where the Catholic community of Dapto gathers for worship. You can find it on Jeramatta Street.

Famous People From Dapto

Here are some notable people who have connections to Dapto:

• Bill Beach, a rower
• Michael Cusack, an animator who co-created Smiling Friends
• Zac De Jesus, a soccer player
• Bobby Dimond, a rugby league player
• Peter Dimond, a rugby league player
• Brian Johnson, a rugby league player
• Steve Kilbey, a singer-songwriter
• Paul McGregor, a rugby league player
• Fred Moore, an activist
• Herbert Swan, a politician
• Shannon Wakeman, a rugby league player