Illawarra residents enjoy a laidback, relaxed lifestyle, thanks to living in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Here are some of the year’s most popular stories about life in the Illawarra.
17. Stirrup some memories: Otford Horse Riding Farm keeps its legacy alive despite challenges
by Kellie O’Brien
Enjoying one of the Otford Horse Riding Farm experiences. Photo: Supplied.
For more than 60 years, Otford Horse Riding Farm has been creating unforgettable memories — and now, past customers are bringing the next generation along for the ride.
16. ‘If it’s good enough for Oprah and Ellen, it’s good enough for me’ – Susie reflects on her stellar career
by Jen White
Susie Elelman during her WIN TV days, when she did a bit of everything from on-camera to behind the scenes. Photo: WIN Corporation.
When Susie Elelman first arrived in the Illawarra at age 19, excited to start her first job in television, she immediately felt at home.
“Coming from a European background and growing up in the northern beaches of Sydney, I copped a lot as a kid, a lot of bullying and racism, all that sort of stuff,” she said.
“It wasn’t until 19 years of age when I lobbed into Wollongong that I felt at home, because there were so many nationalities.
15. Kellie Bellies stretches your smiling muscles with laughter yoga
by Keeli Dyson
Kellie Pearce is sharing joy around the region with her laughing classes. Photo: Keeli Royle.
Kellie Bellies Laughter has launched in the Illawarra with the quirky course sure to put a smile on your dial while improving your overall health … without the need to wear yoga tights!
14. Behind the spectacle: The 25-year magic of Southern Stars and the team that makes it happen
by Dione David
Jayda Ciocci claimed Best Variety Performance by an Individual or Ensemble at the Canberra Area Theatre (CAT) Awards for her rendition of Are You Gonna Go My Way performed at the Southern Stars The Arena Spectacular 2024 – Magnifica. Photo: Dennis Ross and MSP Photography.
The final curtain had barely fallen on Southern Stars – The Arena Spectacular last year when the show’s operations manager Sharon Buikstra turned her sights to the 2025 production.
In its 25th anniversary, the pressure was on to create something significant, as it has been every year since the show debuted in 2000 at The Snakepit Stadium with about 2500 performers.
13. Rock on record: Meet the man archiving Wollongong’s live music for future generations
by Kellie O’Brien
A still of Tyrone McCrystal taken from a video about the making of a gig put on at iTeC Academy. Photo: Stephanie Rodden.
Wollongong’s music scene is being captured like never before — one gig at a time. Meet the man behind the Wollongong Music Archive, a project preserving live performances of Illawarra bands at iconic Wollongong venues for future generations.
12. Four cents and a leap of faith: How Zen Den has created big change in Oak Flats
by Kellie O’Brien
The space in Zen Den hosts everything from meditation to belly dancing. Photos: Supplied.
With just four cents in her bank account and a vision for a more connected community, Leila Vassilakoglou took a leap of faith and opened Zen Den Studio in Oak Flats.
Now the space has become a thriving hub for mindfulness, creativity, and personal growth — offering everything from yoga and belly dancing to meditation and sound healing.
11. This uni project became a multi-million dollar kids’ brand – and it all started in Wollongong
by Kellie O’Brien
Bright Star Kids’ founders Nigel and Susan Cooper at Susan’s university end of year exhibition. Photos: Supplied.
What started as a Wollongong uni project is now a multi-million-dollar global empire. Here’s how Bright Star Kids grew from a garden shed to helping thousands of families worldwide – and why founder Susan Cooper thinks you could do it too.
10. Water Walkies making waves with life-changing results for Illawarra’s canine companions
by Kellie O’Brien
Water Walkies opened in Port Kembla in 2020. Photos: Supplied.
Dog-loving friends Allison Gaynor and Catherine Douglas are barking up the right tree with Water Walkies, the Illawarra’s first hydrotherapy centre for dogs, where pooches can paddle their way to recovery, mobility, and tail-wagging happiness.
From French bulldogs ditching wheelchairs to arthritic pups finding comfort in 30 degrees Celsius therapeutic waters, this Port Kembla facility is changing lives one splash at a time.
9. Here’s how a Bulli guild celebrates zen and the art of quilting
by Zoe Cartwright
Fiona McDonald and Anne Giugni with their latest creations at the Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
Walk into the Bulli Community Centre on the third Saturday of the month and you’ll be warmly greeted into the hustle and bustle that’s characteristic of the Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild.
But be very careful, or you might leave with a burning desire to buy a sewing machine and spend the rest of your weekend asking YouTube how to sew a quarter-inch seam.
8. Illawarriors love a good beach, but what does your favourite spot reveal about you?
by Julian O’Brien
Austinmer Beach at sunrise. What does your favourite Illawarra beach say about you? Photo: Kirk Gilmour.
Are you a Jonesy or an Austi beach person? Or maybe you prefer a more chilled Gerringong? Julian O’Brien reckons your favourite Illawarra beach says a lot about the type of person you are – is he right?
7. Screen industry bigwigs scout Illawarra shores for future film and TV projects
by Keeli Dyson
Disney, Netflix and Warner Bros were among the companies represented on the familiarisation tour. Photos: Keeli Royle.
Screen industry leaders from the world’s most renowned entertainment companies have flocked to the Illawarra for a tour showcasing the opportunities on offer if the region is selected as the backdrop of the next major film or television production.
High-level representatives from Warner Bros, Netflix and Disney were among those guided to the Illawarra’s most picturesque locations for an ”industry famil”, which aimed to connect stakeholders and familiarise key decision-makers with the area and keep it top of mind when selecting filming sites for upcoming projects.
6. Wollongong finds its voice with booming music theatre choir
by Kellie O’Brien
The Australian Music Theatre Choir Wollongong branch. Photos: Supplied.
Under the baton of a musical director who has written for the iconic Dame Edna Everage, the Australian Music Theatre Choir has struck a chord in Wollongong, having grown rapidly in the past 18 months.
Originally launched in Sydney two years ago by music theatre professional Robert Bertram, the choir’s popularity quickly expanded nationwide as it offered singers a chance to rediscover their love of show tunes.
5. Nine playgrounds to try in the Illawarra this summer
by Kellie O’Brien
Wondering where to take the little ones to burn some energy these holidays? Here are nine worth checking out. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.
January is often one of those months when you can start to scramble for things to entertain children on school holidays or friends or relatives visiting; especially activities that don’t hit your hip pocket.
One of the things the Illawarra is blessed with is an abundance of playgrounds that cater to not just all ages, but also varying abilities.
To help, we’ve compiled a list of nine playgrounds for you to explore in the Illawarra this summer covering each of the three local government areas.
4. The great Illawarra chip-off: your ultimate guide to hot, salty glory
by Dione David
We’re settling a debate (or starting a new one) on the region’s best chips. Photo: Jo Staveley.
Hand-cut? Tallow-fried? Golden? What’s important in a hot chip and where can you find the best in the Illawarra? We asked, you shared – find out who made the list.
3. 9 Illawarra walks from the beach to the bush and back
by Jen White
Kendalls Beach is one of the spectacular spots along the Kiama Coast Walk. Photo: Sharon Williams.
If you’re looking for something to do during the school holidays that has the added bonus of getting rid of the Christmas kilojoules, head for the great outdoors and explore the Illawarra on foot.
You can take your pick of easy walking trails for all the family, or tackle more challenging terrain. We’re spoilt for choice in the Illawarra, with walks that will take you along the ocean’s edge, through the escarpment and beyond.
If you’re planning on exploring one of our national parks it’s always a good idea to check for any alerts or closures from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
2. ‘Fat Pizza for the Macedonian community’ to be filmed in Wollongong
by Zoe Cartwright
If this interior decor brings on a wave of nostalgia, you’ll want to keep an eye out for Nicole Stojanovska’s upcoming web series, Gia. Photo: Nicole Stojanovska.
The stories of Macedonian-Australian women haven’t had their moment in the spotlight – but Horsley filmmaker Nicole Stojanovska plans to change that.
Her comedy web series, Gia, set in Port Kembla, shares stories about Macedonian and Italian communities from a female perspective.
1. Better Homes and Gardens spotlights Shellharbour’s hidden charms
by Kellie O’Brien
Johanna Griggs and Dr Chris Brown in Shellharbour for Better Homes and Gardens. Photo: Seven Network.
Popular home and lifestyle TV show Better Homes and Gardens showcased Shellharbour as a hidden gem on Australia’s coastal landscape in an episode in May.
Host Johanna Griggs, who has been with the show for 21 years, visited the region in April with Dr Chris Brown, highlighting its unspoiled coastline, natural beauty, and sense of community.
