Page sections: Why Ride a Bike? | Riding on Shared Pathways | Reporting Hazards | Bicycles on Public Transport | Local Cycle Groups | Local Bike Stores and Workshops

Wollongong City Council looks after more than 42km of shared pathways stretching from Bulli in the north to Windang and Dapto in the south.

Whether you’re riding or walking, there’s plenty to see along the way, including beaches, playgrounds, pools and parks.

To help make Wollongong a healthy community in a liveable city, Council is working on several strategies to improve our network of shared pathways. For more information follow the links below:

• Grand Pacific Walk
• Draft City of Wollongong Bike Plan 2013-2017
  

Why Ride a Bike?

There are lots of great reasons to ride your bike on our shared pathways:

	Health - Cycling is a low impact for of exercise that can start from your front door. Making cycling part of your commute to work is a convenient way of including physical activity in your day that's easier to sustain than trips to the gym or other exercise activities. Try one or two days a week commuting for a start.
	Recreation - Cycling is also a great way to enjoy Wollongong's many parks and foreshore areas. Get kids riding for fun at a young age and they'll be more likely to chose cycling as a preferred means of transport at a later age.
	Time Saving - As a door-to-door form of transport, cycling can provide a comparable or even faster way to get around than a car or other modes.
	Environmental - Cycling provides a great alternative to your car, as statistics show that the bulk of our car use is for short trips. With the average Australian car emitting about 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the earth's atmosphere every year, cycling can help to greatly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
	Financial - Commuting to and from work by bicycle provides a low cost alternative to other forms of transport. For some, cycling can provide the opportunity to avoid owning a second car. Average running costs for small to medium sized cars are about $200 per week. Significantly higher costs can be expected for larger vehicles.

Riding on Shared Pathways

Shared pathways provide an off-road facility for both cyclists and pedestrians, and are significantly wider than standard footpaths. Cyclists using shared pathways should be mindful of pedestrians and observe these rules:

	Keep to the left...share the track Keep left except when overtaking slower traffic. Look before you cross the path.
	Ensure people are aware of your presence Use your bell or shout to warn when approaching.
	Cyclists give way to pedestrians Always travel at a safe speed, watch out for other path users.
	Move off the path when stopped Avoid obstructing the path of other users.

For a detailed list of rules for cyclists on roads and shared pathways, check our Wollongong Cycling Guide & Map or visit http://www.bicycleinfo.nsw.gov.au/

Reporting Hazards

Visit the Roads and Maritime Services website http://www.bicycleinfo.nsw.gov.au/. Whether you're in Wollongong or in any other Council area, travelling on a local or main road, the 'report a hazard' service on this website ensures that your notification reaches the responsible authority.

Bicycles on Public Transport

Although bicycles are not allowed on buses in Wollongong, you can take your bike on CityRail trains free of charge in non-peak travel times. However, if your journey is made between 6-9am or 3.30-7.30pm on weekdays, you'll need to purchase a child's ticket for your bike in addition to your own ticket.

Bicycle lockers for hire

The following stations have lockers for hire to keep your bicycle and accessories safe from wet weather and theft:

• Bulli Station
• Coniston Station
• Corrimal Station
• Cringila Station
• Dapto Station
• Fairy Meadow Station
• Helensburgh Station
• North Wollongong Station
• Port Kembla Station
• Thirroul Station
• Towradgi Station
• Unanderra Station
• Wollongong Station
  

Local Cycle Groups

• Illawarra Bicycle User Group Incorporated (iBUG) www.ibug.org.au
• Illawarra Cycle Club www.illawarracycleclub.org.au
• Illawarra Triathlon Club www.itc.org.au
• Illawarra Touring Cycle Club - email pjones@tpe.com.au
• WEA Ramblers www.illawarraramblers.com.au
• Wollongong Mountain Bike Club www.wmbc.asn.au

Local Bike Stores and Workshops

Wollongong Bike Hub
337 Keira Street, Wollongong
(02) 4228 7366

Avanti Plus Wollongong
4 Regent Street, Wollongong
(02) 4231 6323

Illawarra Cycle Centre
89 Railway Street, Corrimal
(02) 4284 3434

Simple Cycles
80 Market Street, Wollongong
(02) 4229 7888

Spearman Cycles
301 Keira Street, Wollongong
(02) 4229 2317

Wilson's Bike Hub
113 King Street, Warrawong
(02) 4274 4534

6-10 Princes Highway, Dapto
(02) 4261 5444

185 Princes Highway, Albion Park Rail
(02) 4256 1948

Steel City Cycle Works
365-367 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul
(02) 4267 1747