Wongawilli, New South Wales
Suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wongawilli is a southern suburb of Wollongong, Australia at the foot hills of the Illawarra escarpment. The word "Wonga" is a native Aboriginal word meaning native pigeon.[2]
Wongawilli | |||||||||||||
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  Wongawilli | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates: 34°28.5′S 150°45.5′E | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | New South Wales | ||||||||||||
| City | Wollongong | ||||||||||||
| LGA | |||||||||||||
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| Elevation | 24 m (79 ft) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 1,213 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Postcode | 2530 | ||||||||||||
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It contains a mixture of small rural properties and family homes. It has a New South Wales Rural Fire Service station and a small community hall where the Wongawilli colonial dance club meets regularly.[3] The community has had a long history with coal mining, with the Wongawilli colliery opening in 1916 by the Hoskins brothers,[4] and later being taken over by BHP.[5] Since this time the mine has expanded and has had multiple owners, and is currently owned and operated by the Indian company Jindal Steel and Power.[6]
Notable residents
- Actor John Jarratt, born 1952
- Australian Rugby League player Robert Smithies, born 1948
