Best suburbs to buy and rent in Wollongong & Illawarra
Wollongong & The Illawarra is known for its great beaches, quality of life and developing culture. Whether you’re moving from a different suburb or you’re selling your home in Wollongong and trying to decide which suburb to move to next, the region offers a range of different options for all different tastes.
Written by locals, What’s On in Wollongong helps 325,000 locals and tourists find what to do, events, where to eat, drink, book a party or function & so much more across our region. What’s On In Wollongong showcases the best things to do including:
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Windang, a stunning and more affordable suburb choice just South of Wollongong
Tullimbar
Sneaking up the ranks of fastest growing Illawarra suburbs, super popular for young families and first home buyers, is Tullimbar. It’s one of the few Illawarra suburbs where you can buy a brand new, four bed home for around $1Million. Check out the value in this brand new 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, double garage home for sale in Tullimbar at $1.1M– perfect for growing families. Tullimbar is next door to it’s more established sister suburb Calderwood, where there’s shops, cafes and a pub. However pssst, Tullimbar house prices are about $50,000 less that Calderwood (and the views are just as good). It’s a 25 minute drive to Wollongong and 15 minutes to Shellharbour. Nestled into the Illawarra escarpment and the stunning (if a little crazy winding) Macquarie Pass, it’s one of the last affordable Illawarra suburbs that young families are flocking to.
Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant is an inner-city suburb located only minutes drive away from the Wollongong CBD. As the name suggests, it’s full of hills and unbelievably beautiful escarpment views. Mount Pleasant is a high-socioeconomic area with all types of households but particularly families. There’s easy driving access to the village of Balgownie and Fairy Meadow shopping centres. It is however, a suburb where driving is necessary as it lacks its own hub.
Figtree
Figtree is another established suburb that’s popular with families. You’ll be able to find both houses and units at a more affordable price. Figtree is peaceful and quiet and further you go up the hill, the more leafy and pretty it gets (just be prepared to get in the car to drive back to the shops). Figtree Grove is it’s VERY busy shopping shopping centre (avoid at peak times, it get’s very busy, parking is nightmare and traffic banks up around it) with supermarkets, Kmart, clothes shops, cafes and restaurants. Figtree is a great choice for those looking to stay away from the hustle and bustle while still being able to access the Wollongong CBD and nearby beaches.
Port Kembla
Port Kembla is one of those areas that hasn’t always had the best reputation in Wollongong. However, it has developed over the past few years, the cafe and bar culture is taking off and it has become a trendy hub for young families. The beach and ocean swimming pool (free entry) is stunning!
Why so many are embracing Port Kembla as home! Photo c/o Chilby Photography
Woonona
Woonona is another area that has developed over the years to become more developed and affluent more recently. Woonona is home to an incredible beach, a free ocean pool – which by the way, is one of the coldest ocean pools along our coastline!). Plus cafes, restaurants and has a lovely, thriving community. Local’s rave about Woonona Kebab House – Wollongong’s best Turkish food and kebabs – and if you’re craving an incredible pizza, keen to try something new from the wild game menu or simply looking for an easy family dinner, Barney’s delivers flavour, quality and a dining experience that’s a little different from the ordinary. Unlike Woonona Macca’s which gets slated on local community group chats!
Warilla & Windang
Warilla and Windang are 20 minutes south of Wollongong and are more affordable beachside suburbs in the Illawarra. There’s access to mostly deserted beaches, parks and breathtaking ocean views. A great suburb If you want to be near water for fishing, water skiing and boating.
Final Words
It’s important to learn more about Wollongong if you’re thinking about making the move. This way, you’ll be able to make the most of what Wollongong has to offer. Don’t forget to look into the events on in Wollongong to get an understanding of what the residents get up to. Mount Pleasant, Figtree, Port Kembla, Woonona and Warilla are all great options if you’re hoping to enjoy Wollongong’s diverse and bustling lifestyle.
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