Wollongong City Council is urging locals to leave their cars at home this Australia Day. With more than 50,000 people predicted to attend the family-friendly event at Wollongong Harbour, residents are encouraged to take advantage of the free Gujarat NRE ‘Park and Ride’ service.

Throughout the event there will be changes to traffic conditions, with road closures and changes to public transport routes in effect.

From 5am until 10.15pm Marine Drive, Cliff Road and Georges Place will be closed. Other road closures include Harbour Street-Smith Street intersection, the eastern end of Campbell Street and Robertson, Hector and Hinton Streets.

Parking will be in high demand with many residents attempting to park as close to the event as possible. The Gujarat NRE ‘Park and Ride’ service is free, with families encouraged to park at JJ Kelly Park and catch the bus to the Harbour, running every 15 minutes from noon to 11pm.

The free Gong Shuttle Bus hours have been extended for the event with buses departing Dalton Park and the Innovation Campus every ten minutes from 6am until 11pm.

Council has several car parks that will be open and free of charge on the day including the Dwyers car park which will open for Australia Day and the two Council Stuart Street car parks.

Limited parking is available for people with disabilities with access via Harbour Street.

Council Rangers will be monitoring illegal parking throughout the day. Camping is not permitted along the foreshore or at Stuart Park, with both police and Council informing individuals that they will need to pack up their tents and move along.

Council’s Australia Day 2011 event has a packed program full of exciting activities and performances for the entire family.

The celebrations will remain an alcohol-free event with Police confiscating alcohol along Wollongong Harbour and surrounding foreshore.

For more details on transport and road closures, as well as a copy of the Australia Day 2011 program of events, visit www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au.

We would like to thank our sponsors:

Integral Energy
McDonald’s Illawarra
Kells the Lawyers, Gujarat NRE, D & D Traffic Management
BlueScope Steel, Horizon Credit Union
Woolworths, SES, Australia Day Committee