New to the ‘Gong? Here’s five handy local tips

Are you an international student studying at the University of Wollongong? Or have you made the move to Wollongong to enjoy our great beaches and stunning escarpment?

Whatever your reason for making the City of Wollongong your new home, we want to say welcome!

Wollongong City Council has loads of information on our website for new residents. There you can find everything from how to discover the best patrolled beaches, the locations of our mix of saltwater, rock and chlorinated pools, and Council’s events calendar. It’s also got all the rules around what goes in your red, yellow, and green bins.

But before you dive into our website, we wanted to highlight five extra handy “local” tips that we think make living in the ‘Gong a fantastic experience.

1. Beach tans and summer safety vibes

Here in the City of Wollongong we don’t just have one, two or even three beaches. We have 17 beautiful, patrolled beaches from Stanwell Park in the north to Windang in the South.

From the start of the September school holidays until the end of the April school holidays, all 17 of our patrolled beaches are watched over by Council Lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers.

While our beaches are beautiful, sea conditions can change quickly and become dangerous. That’s why we ask everyone to only swim at patrolled beaches, during patrol hours and to stay in the water between the red and yellow flags.

Never swim alone, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs and please follow the directions of Lifeguards and Surf Life Saving volunteers on duty.

2. Save $$$ with a visit to the library

Want the latest books, audiobooks, e-books, movies, and music, all for free? Need an internet connection or want to use a computer or attend a free event? You can do all this and much, much more by visiting your local library.

They’re free to join and you can become a library member by visiting any of our libraries, or by starting an application online using the Wollongong City Libraries website.

3. Scoot your way around town

Have you seen the orange scooters parked around the Wollongong CBD? They’re part of the Wollongong e-scooter shared scheme, a NSW Government trial project.

Wollongong City Council has partnered with Transport for NSW and a company called Neuron who are providing and operating the e-scooter trial. The trial area covers parts of the Wollongong CBD and surrounding suburbs including North Wollongong, Keiraville and Woonona. You can ride as far north as Sandon Point.

For those living close by, you can travel east to west from the University of Wollongong or TAFE NSW to the Wollongong Harbour by using the Smith Street pop-up cycleway. See here for a map of our  pop-up cycling networks.

Watch our short video to learn how you can get started using Wollongong’s e-scooters.

Best of all, students can get a discounted Student Pass through the Neuron App.

4. Do the free Gong Shuttle city loop

The free Gong Shuttle Bus (55A and 55C0 links the centre of Wollongong to the Wollongong and North Wollongong railway station, the hospital, TAFE, University campuses and beaches.

It runs roughly every 10 to 20 minutes and you can see a map or the routes and stops using the links below.

• 55A Gong Shuttle (anticlockwise loop)
• 55C Gong Shuttle (clockwise loop)

5. Experience food and fun in the ‘Gong

According to the latest data, the City of Wollongong is where residents are going for great dining and entertainment.

While there are many great businesses across the region, the Wollongong CBD is a treasure trove of world-class boutique bars, foodie culture and unique retailers. Check out the Wollongong CBD website for the latest deals, upcoming events, live music, new restaurant and bar tips, hidden gems and much more!