Illawarra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Illawarra New South Wales
Sunset over Lake Illawarra
Illawarra Location in New South Wales
Population	313,842 (2021)
• Density	288.19/km2 (746.4/sq mi)
Area	1,089 km2 (420.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	85 km (53 mi) S of Sydney
LGA(s)	Municipality of Kiama City of Shellharbour City of Wollongong
State electorate(s)	Wollongong Keira Shellharbour Heathcote Kiama
Federal Division(s)	Cunningham Whitlam Gilmore
Localities around Illawarra: Macarthur (Greater Sydney) Southern Sydney (Greater Sydney) Tasman Sea Southern Highlands Illawarra Tasman Sea Southern Tablelands South Coast Tasman Sea

The Illawarra is a beautiful coastal area in the southeast of New South Wales, Australia. It is located just south of Sydney. To its north is the South Coast region. This region includes the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, and the town of Kiama.

Wollongong is the biggest city in Illawarra, with about 240,000 people. Shellharbour has around 70,000 residents, and Kiama has about 10,000. These places have their own smaller areas called suburbs. The Illawarra region has a long coastal plain. It also has a western area with mountains called the Illawarra escarpment.

What Does Illawarra Mean?

The name "Illawarra" comes from the Aboriginal Tharawal word "allowrie." You might also see it spelled "elouera" or "eloura." It can mean "pleasant place near the sea" or "high place near the sea."

The first part, "illa", means "white clay." The second part, "warra" (or "wurra"), means "mountain" in the local language. Early European explorers, George Bass and Matthew Flinders, visited the area. Flinders noted that the local people called it "Allowrie."

Around 1806, the region was known as "Five Islands." This referred to a group of five islands near Red Point. Later, in 1817, Governor Macquarie wrote that the area was "called by the natives 'Illawarra'."

Illawarra's Geography

Lookout from the Illawarra escarpment above Wombarra over the northern Illawarra plain viewing Austinmer, Thirroul, Bulli, Wollongong up to Port Kembla in the far distance.

Illawarra Escarpment above Austinmer, showing Hawkesbury sandstone, Rainforest and Eucalyptus forest.

A section of the Illawarra coastline, c. 1900

The Illawarra region has a wide, grassy coastal plain. It is narrow in the north and gets wider towards the south. The Tasman Sea is to the east. To the west are the tall, steep mountains of the Illawarra escarpment. This escarpment forms the edge of the Southern Highlands plateau.

In the middle of the region is Lake Illawarra. This is a shallow lake that formed when sand and dirt built up at the entrance to a bay. The region stretches from the southern hills of the Royal National Park in the north. It goes all the way to the Shoalhaven River in the south. Wollongong, the fourth largest urban area in New South Wales, is located here.

North of Wollongong, the plain becomes very narrow. It is just a small strip of land between the coast and the mountains. In places like Coalcliff and Stanwell Park, small valleys allow for towns to be built. South of Wollongong, the plain gets wider and hillier. It continues past Kiama to the Shoalhaven plains.

Local Ecology

Illawarra sunset

The grassy coastal areas of Illawarra are home to a special type of woodland. It is called the Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland. You can find trees like Eucalyptus tereticornis and Eucalyptus longifolia here. There are also shrubs such as Acacia mearnsii. An endangered orchid called Pterostylis gibbosa also grows in this area.

In the wet, high areas of Illawarra, there is a lot of rain. These areas have tall, dense eucalyptus forests. The trees can be 30 to 60 meters tall. The ground is covered with moist shrubs, tree ferns, and other plants. The Illawarra-Shoalhaven subtropical rainforest is also found in this region.

Illawarra's Economy

The main jobs and businesses in Illawarra have traditionally been farming, coal mining, and steel making. BlueScope, Australia's largest steel factory, is in Port Kembla. The areas around Port Kembla and Wollongong used to be known for industrial jobs. However, since the 1990s, other businesses have become more important.

Farming and Cattle

Illawarra cattle were first bred right here in Illawarra. They are now the third most common type of cow in Australia. These cows are usually dark red, sometimes with white spots. They produce a lot of milk that is rich in fat and protein. They are also well-suited to the Australian climate. The Illawarra Central Co-operative Dairy Factory was once used to collect milk and cream from local dairy farmers.

Mining and Resources

Coal mining has been a very important part of Illawarra's economy for over 200 years. The southern part of the region has also provided crushed stone. This stone is used for building and for making railway tracks.

Getting Around Illawarra

The Illawarra region is connected to Sydney in the north by several roads and a motorway. There is also an electric railway line called the Illawarra railway line. To the west, you can reach it by the Illawarra Highway and Picton Road. To the south, the Princes Highway connects the region. The Illawarra Regional Airport at Albion Park Rail serves the area for air travel.

Sports in Illawarra

Illawarra is a region that loves sports! Many famous athletes have come from here.

Rugby League Football

The Illawarra Steelers Rugby league Football Club played in major rugby league competitions for many years. From 1982 to 1998, they were part of the NSWRL and then the NRL. Now, they are part of the St George Illawarra Dragons team. This joint team plays some of its home games at WIN Stadium in Wollongong. The Illawarra Steelers still have teams in the lower rugby league divisions.

Many well-known rugby league players started their careers in Illawarra. These include Bob Fulton, Graeme Langlands, Mick Cronin, Rod Wishart, and Paul McGregor.

Basketball

The Illawarra Hawks basketball team has represented the region since 1979. They were once known as The Hawks or the Wollongong Hawks. They won the NBL championship in 2001. They also finished second in 2005 and 2010.

The team gained worldwide attention when American basketball star LaMelo Ball joined them. In April 2020, LaMelo Ball and his manager even bought the Hawks team!

Association Football (Soccer)

The Wollongong Wolves soccer team used to play in the NSL. They won two championships in a row in 2000 and 2001. When the NSL was replaced by the A-League, the Wolves were not chosen to join. Instead, they played in the New South Wales Premier League. The team faced some challenges in 2008 but continued to play.

Cricket

Cricket has been played in Illawarra for over 150 years. The Keira Cricket Club, for example, was started in 1862.

Water Polo

The first recorded water polo game in Illawarra was in 1894. It was a men's match between the Wollongong and Kiama Swim Clubs. Kiama won that game 3-0. Today, water polo is played at the UOW Pool through the Illawarra Water Polo Club. The Illawarra U14's boys team won the NSW Country Club Championships in 2021.