Wollongong information

Wollongong is the 3rd largest city in the state of New South Wales, Australia, after Sydney and Newcastle. It is also a Local Government Area administered by the Wollongong City Council. It is located on the eastern coast of Australia, south of Sydney in the Illawarra region. It has a metropolitan population of 263,525 and an urban area population of 234,482. Wollongong is connected to Sydney through a scenic coastal road and rail route which takes between 90 and 120 minutes and via main roads, taking between 70 and 90 minutes. The council areas of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama form the Wollongong statistical district or the Greater City of Wollongong.
The name Wollongong is believed to mean "sound of the sea" in the local Aboriginal language, although other explanations have been offered, such as "great feast of fish".
Known affectionately as "the Gong", Wollongong is a city with a long history of mining and industry, having coal mines, steelworks and an industrial port. The city is also a regional centre for the South Coast fishing industry. It has a university, the University of Wollongong, which attracts a great number of international students each year. It has two Regional Cathedrals, and numerous churches of many denominations including the well-known land-mark, the Nan Tien Buddhist Temple, the largest in the Southern hemisphere. (...) more....

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