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The Illawarra consists of a narrow, hilly, coastal region bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east and a mountainous, almost impassable Escarpment forming the eastern edge of the Southern Highland plateau, to the west. The district extends from Royal National Park in the north to the Shoalhaven River in the south, and contains the city of Wollongong , the third largest urban area in New South Wales .

The main industries in the area have traditionally been farming, coal mining and steel making. Australia's largest steel works is located at Port Kembla . The Illawarra region is linked to Sydney by motorway ( Southern Freeway ) and electric railway (see South Coast Railway Line ); to the west by the Illawarra Highway and Picton Road; and to the south by the Princes Highway .

Towns in the Illawarra include Kiama , Thirroul , Bulli , Wollongong , Port Kembla , Windang , Dapto , Albion Park , Shellharbour , Gerringong and Jamberoo .

The Illawarra is administered by four councils: Wollongong City Council , Shellharbour City Council , Kiama Council and partly the Shoalhaven City Council .
  • Wollongong council is the northernmost council, ranging from Helensburgh to Lake Illawarra , with northernmost coastal suburb Stanwell Park and southernmost suburbs including Windang, Yallah and Haywards Bay.

  • The Shellharbour council is south of Wollongong, and ranges from the southern shores of Lake Illawarra , west to the escarpment, and south to the Minnamurra River.

  • The Kiama LGA's ( Local Government Area ) northern border is the Minnamurra River and covers all the area to about 4 km south of Gerroa .

  • The Shoalhaven City Council covers the southernmost reaches of the Illawarra, and further south to Ulladulla .


The Illawarra Steelers played in the NSWRL Rugby League competition, then the NRL , from 1982 to 1998, and currently forms one half of the St George Illawarra Dragons joint venture.


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