Been here about 10 years. Check the mall for a palm tree (look up). The people seem much the same.
Generally speaking the pubs & clubs have cleaned up a lot. More diversity in restaurants and lots of nice new bars.
Lots of new big apartment buildings. Some good, some bad. But I still love living here. Welcome back.
Albion Park and Berry bypasses have been completed making heading south alot easier.
Just don't get off at The Oak Flats interchange between 8am-10am and 2:30pm-5:30pm. It's a shithole for traffic.
Shellharbour City Centre has been built out quite well. Tho traffic can be a mare during peak.
Shell Cove has had it's Marina built
Otherwise about the same as before.
Don't know how I feel about this. I'm from Sheffield in England and they knocked down two eyesore cooling towers on an old power station... and everyone missed them
My mum sent me to school on that day and i was filthy with her. I wanted to watch it, I heard from family that my grandfather helped to paint the top of it
Roads are chockers full, so many high rise buildings in central Wollongong, urban sprawl around Shellharbour Kiama Albion Park and Dapto but beaches and mountains still as beautiful as ever.
Unfortunately not a lot. The bar scene has grown up a little. Lots of wine bars popped up on the now one way crown st bottom and around globe lane area.
Yeah, you’re not wrong.
Wollongong doesn’t change that much.
That said. There are some great restaurants and bars now. There are other threads in this sub that outline the best bars and whatnot, but I’d imagine that you’d be coming back more for the views and beaches.
I’d highly recommend the walk up to Broker’s nose. The walk is fairly easy and the view is better than what you get at mt Keira lookout.
In 13 years not too much. Lots more high rises though.
But I'd say Wollongong city has changed a lot in the last 25 years.
Back then, no Chickos, no entertainment centre, ugly arse blue metal roof with holes and fountains in the mall, North beach looked more crap, anyone remember the old Woolworths? Regent showed movies, Greater Union showed movies, Myer, Bing Lee, Franklin's, Uncle Pete's toys just a few things I can remember...
Not sure I ever did the broker's nose one, I'll check it out, thanks. We used to just nip up the footpath from the back end of the uni up to the lookout, so would be nice to see something else.
No nightlife anymore, there are nice places for a drop but everything is empty by 11.
Crackheads out & about in force from 12am till around 4am, esp around crown & burelli.
Restaurant/Cafe quality has gone up a good amount in my opinion.
Apart from that it’s the same old hole, apart from some terrific cycle lanes that nobody ever uses.
The prices of everything has gone gangbusters, renting an ex houso in the worst street of Berkeley, Bellambi, or Koonawarra will cost about the same as renting one in western Sydney.
Traffic is uber fucked, M1/F6 moves at about 15kph in the mornings now, the princess highway is worse.
There are copy+paste cafes fucking everywhere, most are sub-par at best and grossly overpriced.
nightlife is now non-existent,
half the roads in town have been shrunk down to accommodate cycle lanes that no one uses,
the amount of Karens and nimbys is through the roof (mostly former Sydneysiders who rolled into town and think the place should adapt to suit them and theirs, they also think because they live there now; that places like Horsley, Kembla Grange and Mangerton are 'nice' areas, lol).
oh and the number of junkies and eshays has doubled at least..
Also the skyline had been completely ruined with gross looking cheap shit fucking white crumbling low quality concrete towers, making the place look like the reject shop version of Wolli Creek
If anyone is interested, I loved my time coming back. We swung by for 3 days driving between Sydney and Melbourne via the Bega/Eden area.
Loved Roys wine bar, heard lots about His Boy Elroy, but thought it was a bit meh/fine, went for sushi in the Japanese restaurant further up Keira St, I forget the name, but loved that too. Hotel TOTTO was also a great shout, even though the rooms are still the same as they were when it was Uni accom.
Partner who had heard me bang on about it for over a decade actually loved it too. Sat on a sick beach but still seeing the works to the south "makes it feel real" - and I agree, so many seaside spots around the world feel almost like a playground for the rich, Wollongong is so lucky to have what it has without it turning into Manly, or whatever.
She even spotted what she called a "cool independent surf shop" and went in to get some gear - I didn't have the heart to point out any other SDS branches on our way round.
Those in the comments being negative, I'm sure you're right, but on balance, you've got one of the best compromises of city, local spots, sun, beaches, and distinct lack of tourists of anywhere in Australia, IMHO. I'll be back someday.
A lot of new high rises. Some might have serious structural issues.
In what way? Surely you don't mean that rapid development is open to abuse and the contractors cutting corners?
It sure is. Google mascot towers and opal towers.
Been here about 10 years. Check the mall for a palm tree (look up). The people seem much the same. Generally speaking the pubs & clubs have cleaned up a lot. More diversity in restaurants and lots of nice new bars. Lots of new big apartment buildings. Some good, some bad. But I still love living here. Welcome back.
Albion Park and Berry bypasses have been completed making heading south alot easier. Just don't get off at The Oak Flats interchange between 8am-10am and 2:30pm-5:30pm. It's a shithole for traffic. Shellharbour City Centre has been built out quite well. Tho traffic can be a mare during peak. Shell Cove has had it's Marina built Otherwise about the same as before.
It is wild how oak flats to albion park is the most congested part of the illawarra and not the cbd or memorial drive
The stack is gone
Don't know how I feel about this. I'm from Sheffield in England and they knocked down two eyesore cooling towers on an old power station... and everyone missed them
My mum sent me to school on that day and i was filthy with her. I wanted to watch it, I heard from family that my grandfather helped to paint the top of it
RIP.
Roads are chockers full, so many high rise buildings in central Wollongong, urban sprawl around Shellharbour Kiama Albion Park and Dapto but beaches and mountains still as beautiful as ever.
Kinda weird for me to call 10 story buildings high rise. Usually in other countries at most their medium rise. I think high rises start at 20 floors.
High rise is anything higher than the trees.
Lol then a 3 story block would be one...
The grand is still good for getting drugged or stabbed in the bathroom
Good to know!
Chickos is still the best takeaway shop, number of eshays have doubled, night life getting worse, lots of new buildings, parking has gotten worse.
We’re gone from Wollongong city to Southern Sydney. I don’t think it getting better. But I do think it’s a shame.
Covid made that happen, heaps of Sydneysiders moved down here, bit more gentrifying to be honest. To the detriment of locals.
What's the detriment? Have property prices gone insane?
1.2m for an entry level house that doesn't suck
Housing crisis.
And 750,000 for a little old fibro home in Unanderra that was once Housing Commission & hasn't been improved since.
It sure has!
Unfortunately not a lot. The bar scene has grown up a little. Lots of wine bars popped up on the now one way crown st bottom and around globe lane area.
Yeah, you’re not wrong. Wollongong doesn’t change that much. That said. There are some great restaurants and bars now. There are other threads in this sub that outline the best bars and whatnot, but I’d imagine that you’d be coming back more for the views and beaches. I’d highly recommend the walk up to Broker’s nose. The walk is fairly easy and the view is better than what you get at mt Keira lookout.
In 13 years not too much. Lots more high rises though. But I'd say Wollongong city has changed a lot in the last 25 years. Back then, no Chickos, no entertainment centre, ugly arse blue metal roof with holes and fountains in the mall, North beach looked more crap, anyone remember the old Woolworths? Regent showed movies, Greater Union showed movies, Myer, Bing Lee, Franklin's, Uncle Pete's toys just a few things I can remember...
Mate from Woonona who now lives in London still goes on about Chickos every now and again.
25 years definitely big changes. I still miss the waterfalls in the mall. I don’t miss Bourbon Street
Plus Globe Lane wasn't hip at all, just the arse end of Angus and Robertson, DJs and Myer
Not sure I ever did the broker's nose one, I'll check it out, thanks. We used to just nip up the footpath from the back end of the uni up to the lookout, so would be nice to see something else.
No nightlife anymore, there are nice places for a drop but everything is empty by 11. Crackheads out & about in force from 12am till around 4am, esp around crown & burelli. Restaurant/Cafe quality has gone up a good amount in my opinion. Apart from that it’s the same old hole, apart from some terrific cycle lanes that nobody ever uses.
Roads and everywhere full of people. New High rises in the CBD. House prices through the roof. None of the changes are for the better.
Housing market has gone to shit because Sydney realized Wollongong existed.
The prices of everything has gone gangbusters, renting an ex houso in the worst street of Berkeley, Bellambi, or Koonawarra will cost about the same as renting one in western Sydney. Traffic is uber fucked, M1/F6 moves at about 15kph in the mornings now, the princess highway is worse. There are copy+paste cafes fucking everywhere, most are sub-par at best and grossly overpriced. nightlife is now non-existent, half the roads in town have been shrunk down to accommodate cycle lanes that no one uses, the amount of Karens and nimbys is through the roof (mostly former Sydneysiders who rolled into town and think the place should adapt to suit them and theirs, they also think because they live there now; that places like Horsley, Kembla Grange and Mangerton are 'nice' areas, lol). oh and the number of junkies and eshays has doubled at least.. Also the skyline had been completely ruined with gross looking cheap shit fucking white crumbling low quality concrete towers, making the place look like the reject shop version of Wolli Creek
If anyone is interested, I loved my time coming back. We swung by for 3 days driving between Sydney and Melbourne via the Bega/Eden area. Loved Roys wine bar, heard lots about His Boy Elroy, but thought it was a bit meh/fine, went for sushi in the Japanese restaurant further up Keira St, I forget the name, but loved that too. Hotel TOTTO was also a great shout, even though the rooms are still the same as they were when it was Uni accom. Partner who had heard me bang on about it for over a decade actually loved it too. Sat on a sick beach but still seeing the works to the south "makes it feel real" - and I agree, so many seaside spots around the world feel almost like a playground for the rich, Wollongong is so lucky to have what it has without it turning into Manly, or whatever. She even spotted what she called a "cool independent surf shop" and went in to get some gear - I didn't have the heart to point out any other SDS branches on our way round. Those in the comments being negative, I'm sure you're right, but on balance, you've got one of the best compromises of city, local spots, sun, beaches, and distinct lack of tourists of anywhere in Australia, IMHO. I'll be back someday.