Hey, you! Welcome to the ‘Gong

This Summer, Wollongong is the place to be for great beaches, strong coffee, mountain bike riding, discovering playgrounds, live music goosebumps, boutique bars, and fine dining.

We want to help you take your visit to the ‘Gong to the next level. That’s why we’ve pooled together our local knowledge.

This is your guide to everything Wollongong – from the practical stuff, such as transport and parking tips, to how to find all 17 of our patrolled beaches, to New Year's Eve information, and what’s up with the fluoro orange e-scooters!

Whether you’re travelling from Sydney, from out west in the Blue Mountains, or crossing the Windang bridge, here’s everything you need to know to make sure your next visit to the ‘Gong is a success.

1. Getting here

By train

We’re located on Sydney Train’s South Coast Line, with regular services between Sydney and Wollongong. The trip from Central station to Wollongong station takes approximately 90 minutes. From the south, the trip from Kiama station to Wollongong is approximately 50 minutes.

By car

If you have time to spare, make a detour via the Grand Pacific Drive. The 140 kilometres of coastal drive takes approximately 45 minutes and starts south of the Royal National Park.

It can get busy along this road so the Live Traffic NSW app will come in handy to get real-time information about roads and changed traffic conditions.

By bike

In 2021, Wollongong was awarded the prestigious UCI Bike City label in recognition of our long-term commitment to cycling.

When you visit, you’ll find many on-road and off-road cycling routes as well as shared pathways across our city.

Download a copy of the Wollongong Cycling Guide to learn more or see here for more information on what we’re doing to make it easier and safer to ride a bike.

2. Travelling around the Wollongong CBD

The fastest way to travel around the CBD is by jumping on the FREE Gong Shuttle Bus. Jump on or off at any of the marked bus stops. The route numbers for the Gong Shuttle are 55A (anti-clockwise loop) and 55C (clockwise loop).

See here for Free Shuttle Bus Map.

Parking

There are many parking options around the CBD, depending on whether you’re here for a quick visit or a longer stay. Always check street signs to see the rules that apply.

All on-street parking in the CBD is free on Saturdays after 12.30pm, all-day Sundays and on public holidays. See here for more information.

3. Where to go for a swim

Image: Port Kembla Pool and Beach is one of our most popular destinations.

North ‘Gong isn’t our only beach. We have 17 beautiful, patrolled beaches to explore, from Stanwell Park in the north to Windang in the south. See here for the full list of beaches, patrol hours and locations. We also have nine patrolled freshwater and saltwater pools, as well as nine unpatrolled roack pools to choose from.

Council Lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers are on duty when the red and yellow flags are up. If you can’t see the flags, that means you shouldn’t be swimming. It’s that simple.

4. The best coffee spots

We reckon that we know a thing or two about making a good cup of coffee. You’ll find lots of local cafes across the City of Wollongong so be sure to try as many as possible.

If you’re visiting the Wollongong CBD, see here to find a list of some of the popular cafes.

5. Can I hire an e-scooter?

As part of our commitment to exploring more sustainable transport options, we’re working with the NSW Government to trial e-scooters in selected trial areas.

Senior Transport Planner/Engineer, Tyson Perry gave some handy tips on how to get started.

This trial is being operated by Neuron. Got questions? Read our FAQs.

6. Celebrate New Year’s Eve with us

Farewell 2023 and get ready to welcome 2024 with our family-friendly celebration at Wollongong Harbour.

Wollongong City Council is inviting everyone to join in the New Year’s Eve fun on 31 December, which is supported this year by a new naming rights sponsor, ForHealth.

The event will kick off from 5pm and there will be music and roving performers along the Wollongong Harbour. There will also be a Carnival in Lang Park. Then at 9pm, the fireworks will light up the night sky over the Harbour.

Find out more.

7. Outdoor adventures

Image: Insta-worthy pic of Towradgi Rock Pool.

You’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you should check out:

Cringila Hills Mountain Bike Park

Awarded the national Park of the Year Award, Cringila Hills Mountain Bike Park has almost 12 kilometres of trails for beginners to advanced riders as well as a jumps park, asphalt pump track and bike skills playground. It’s also free.

Find out more.

Wollongong Botanic Garden

Fall in love with plants at the Wollongong Botanic Garden. With lots of open spaces and amazing collections to explore, this is a great place to visit these summer holidays for a picnic or walk.

Puckeys Estate Nature Reserve

Puckeys Estate Nature Reserve is a rare coastal habitat made up of rainforest, dunes and marshland. It’s home to around 130 different types of birds, and several endangered plant communities. You can find it in North Wollongong.

Swim in a rock pool

Our nine rock pools are great swimming spots. Set along the rock shelfs that dot our coastline, our rock pools offer a unique swimming experience for those seeking to cool off.

8. Best views of the city

Image: Mount Djeera / Mount Jeira Summit Park.

The lookout from Mount Keira Summit Park is one of the best spots to enjoy a view of the city and the Illawarra Escarpment.

Also known as Mount Djeera, this space is a significant Aboriginal cultural heritage site. It’s a women’s place that has deep links to Aboriginal creation stories. Learn more about the significance of this place by visiting the ‘Six Daughters of the West Wind’ sculpture located on the south-facing lookout, behind the picnic area.

9. Feed me please

Hungry? Excellent. The Illawarra is a hot spot for food and drink culture. Thanks goes to the incredible local businesses who have worked hard to turn Wollongong into a melting pot of cultural cuisines. See here for food and drink recommendations.

10. Discover playgrounds

We have over 150 playgrounds across our city, some which are huge, and others which are lovely local hangouts. Check out our full list of playgrounds.

Right now, we’re putting the finishing touches on our newest playground, the Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities playground (opening Monday 18 December).

11. Night life, live music and boutique bars

Image: Black Cockatoo Bar, Wollongong.

We love live music! We love it so much, according to the ABC, we have a local who has the unofficial record of live shows in one year.

See here to find out more about upcoming gigs and events. And here for places to grab a drink.

While you’re browsing give the Wollongong Youth Services Spotify playlist a listen. There are over whopping 8+ hours of local tunes in the playlist snapshotting Wollongong acts over the last few years.