Join the City of Wollongong Australia Day Committee

Are you interested in helping Wollongong celebrate Australia Day?

The City of Wollongong Australia Day Committee, a formal committee of Council, is seeking up to six new community representatives, including young people (under the age of 26). As a committee member, you’ll have a chance to have input into our city’s major community celebration on 26 January and associated events.

 Australia Day Committee Charter

Nominations close 12pm, Friday 24 May 2013.

To nominate for the committee, please complete the form below:

 Australia Day Committee Nomination Form

For more information, call Lee Cramer on (02) 4227 7104 or email events@wollongong.nsw.gov.au. 

Download our 2013 Australia Day map and program of events!

Australia Day 2013 Awards

Wollongong City Council will announce the winners of the Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Cultural Award and Community Award at an Australia Day Dinner on Thursday 24 January 2013. For all the details including how to nominate someone, visit our Awards and Recognition page.

Gong Factor Finalists

Congratulations to the following finalists in our first ever 'Gong Factor' talent quest!

Our judges selected seven finalists to perform on the Telstra Main Stage at our Australia Day celebrations from 4.30 - 5.30pm. The winning finalist will receive a $750 Telstra voucher.

The finalists are: Jordon Mahar, Sean Emmett, Hannah Park, Jeremy Boulton, Elizabeth Ellis, Jordan Wieland and duo Kalani Barnes and Sebastian Wattan.

For more information, please call (02) 4227 7111.

Celebrate Australia Day at Wollongong Harbour

Come down to Wollongong Harbour on 26 January. There'll be a range of entertainment, food stalls and children's activities on offer.

Lang Park

• Telstra main stage entertainment
• Wood chopping demonstrations
• Amusement rides until 8pm
• Food and novelty vendors

On the Beach and Harbour

• Illawarra Aquathon
• Illawarra Surf Life Saving Demonstration 
  
      

Osborne Park                                                                                         

• McDonald's children's stage (pictured right)
• Food and novelty vendors
• Children's amusement rides
• Animal farm

Out and About

• Gun Battery March and Firing of Cannon  
• Citizenship Ceremony

Other activities

The Illawarra Rotaract Hospital Bed Run is an annual charity event that is part of the Australia Day celebrations.

The Bed Run involves teams of five people pushing hospital beds over a 100m course in a series of timed heats, with one member of the team acting as a 'patient' on the bed. The teams participating in the event are sponsored by local businesses and non-profit organisations. The event has been running for six years and over that time has raised over $36,000 for Wollongong Hospital, where it is used to purchase vital medical equipment. Proceeds from this year’s Hospital Bed Run will go toward the purchase of a diathermy unit; a piece of medical equipment used to treat soft tissue damage and manage pain.

A number of teams have already signed up, with more teams in preparation. The defending champions, Thomas & Coffey Engineering, have participated in the event since it began and will be the team to beat. The Illawarra Rotaract Hospital Bed Run 2013 is sure to be an action packed, fun filled and exciting event! For more information click here.

Australia's favourite all-aged swimming and run turns 14 in 2013 and is set for another fantastic day. To read up on this popular event, click here.

Turn your eyes to the skies this Australia Day when Skydive the Beach Sydney perform an amazing flag and smoke display over North Wollongong.

This Australia Day the experienced staff of Skydive the Beach Sydney will perform two flag jumps with a company flag as well as a huge Aussie flag trailing behind the skydivers across the horizon. To add to the spectacle, Skydive the Beach Sydney will also have two skydivers parachute with coloured smoke canisters attached to their feet creating an amazing coloured trail across the sky.

At 2.30pm get ready for a full-throttle aerobatic display which will include a range of high-energy stunts. Click here for more information.

Get a bird's eye-view of all the action of Australia Day on a helicopter joyflight. For more information click here.

D&D Traffic Management - Road Closures

Vehicle access passes mandatory for entry.

5am-10.15pm - Marine Drive; Flagstaff Hill; Cliff Road between Marine Drive and Georges Place; Harbour Street between Smith Street and Cliff Road; Robertson, Hector and Hinton Streets.

5am-10.15pm - Fish Co-op Road and Inner Harbour

5am-10.15pm - No access into Campbell Street from Corrimal Street eastbound.

8.30pm-10.15pm - Crown Street between Harbour Street and Marine Drive; gates to Flagstaff Hill.

All businesses in road closure zones are open for business and accessible by foot.