Excitement is mounting across Wollongong for the Australian Heritage Festival – an annual celebration of natural, built and cultural heritage.

The nation’s largest community-driven heritage event, 2026 marks the 46^th year of the Festival which features more than 150 FREE and ticketed events and activities to bring heritage to life for all ages and interests.

The month-long, NSW programme of the 2026 Australian Heritage Festival opens on World Heritage Day Saturday 18 April and continues daily until Monday 18 May 2026 (inclusive).

Spanning metropolitan and regional areas of the state, the 2026 Festival programme includes concerts and performances, special exhibitions, talks and panels, walks, tours of heritage homes and historical sites, food experiences, workshops, family-friendly outdoor events and other curated attractions.

Highlights of the 2026 Australian Heritage Festival (NSW) in Wollongong include:

Wicked Women of Wollongong – Women’s History Walking Tour

A walking tour that pays homage to the women who shaped Wollongong. From hotel heiresses to athletes who broke barriers on the field, participants will meet women who made space for themselves and for others in every corner of the city.

The tour spans art spaces, landmarks, and hidden laneways. Along the way, stories of courage, creativity, and community reveal how Wollongong’s history has always been shaped by women.

• WHEN:             Saturday 18 and 25 April and 2, 9 and 16 May 2026, 10am-12noon
• WHERE:          Flagstaff Point Lighthouse, Endeavour Drive, Wollongong NSW
• COST:             Adults $60, Children $40
• INFO / BOOK: australianheritagefestival.org.au

Illawarra Postcards

The Illawarra's beautiful beaches and escarpment views have made it a popular place for holidays. Before most people owned cameras or phones, postcards were a way they could preserve their memories and share images with their families and friends. This exhibition presents images in Wollongong City Libraries collection.

• WHEN:             Daily, 9am-5pm
• WHERE:          Wollongong City Library, Level 1/ 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong NSW 2500
• COST:             FREE!
• INFO / BOOK: australianheritagefestival.org.au

The Australian Heritage Festival is organised, promoted, facilitated and led by the National Trust. It not only connects communities but also provides patronage and support to worthwhile organisations such as not-for-profit and community groups, businesses, councils, conservation groups, museums, galleries, libraries, spiritual places, and others.

“The Australian Heritage Festival is an opportunity to explore and celebrate the rich history of Wollongong and wider New South Wales,” explains Debbie Mills, Chief Executive Officer of National Trust (NSW).

“Spanning Sydney’s historic streets to regional towns and sacred Indigenous sites, the Festival invites people to discover the places, objects and traditions that tell the stories of our communities and highlight the depth and diversity of our shared heritage,” adds Ms Mills.

The NSW Government through Heritage NSW is principal sponsor of the Australian Heritage Festival and the National Trust Heritage Awards, which is the signature event of the Australian Heritage Festival.

For more information about the 2026 Australian Heritage Festival, visit australianheritagefestival.org.au.

Also follow the Australian Heritage Festival on Facebook and X.

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