Area: 8,524 sq km
Major centres
Region overview
The Illawarra is a key region of Australia, contributing considerable resources to the national economy. The region has its roots in mining and manufacturing. It is a leading grain and coal exporter, home to the largest integrated steel plant in the southern hemisphere, a national centre for metal fabrication and engineering. However the city has sought new and innovative ways to diversify its economy in more recent years. The Illawarra has emerged as a centre of excellence in advanced technology research and development. The region also possesses an internationally recognised university and a substantial tourism capacity, which have created additional jobs for the local labour force of 170,000 people.
The region’s population stands at more than 400,000, with a Gross Regional Product in the order of $12 billion. This wealth of resources is perfectly complimented by the region’s stunning physical beauty, making it an ideal place to combine outstanding business success with a great lifestyle.
Geography and Climate
The Illawarra Region lies directly south and southwest of metropolitan Sydney and northeast of Australia’s capital city, Canberra. Within its 8,485 square kilometre territory are five local government areas - Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven and Wingecarribee.
The Region displays exceptional physical geography. On its eastern boundary the region embraces 242km of stunning coastline and a long coastal plain. To the west are the rich agricultural soils and rolling hills of the Southern Tablelands. The divide between the coastal plain and the Tablelands is clearly defined by the sharp rise of the Illawarra Escarpment.
The climate is warm and humid with moderate to high rainfall. Summer is generally warm and wet and winter is generally mild and dry. In coastal areas annual average temperature ranges are between 11.9 and 22.5 degrees Celsius. Most inland areas display more mild annual temperature ranges of between 9.3 and 18.8 degrees Celsius.Demography
Population growth in the Illawarra Region is above the State average. In June 2007 the estimated resident population of the Illawarra was 414,547. Between 2001 and 2007 the region’s population is estimated to have grown by 4.5%.
The Wollongong area and its extended labour market have a highly multilingual population. The Greater Illawarra Labour Market includes a population of about 60,000 people who speak key Asian languages.
Consistent with recent population trends, above average population growth is projected for the region. Assuming medium level growth occurs over the next twenty years, the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning has projected that the Illawarra region’s population will stand at around 487,000 by the year 2021. Such a figure would represent an increase of approximately 16.5% on the present population. Industries
Major workforce restructuring and economic diversification over the past few decades have resulted in strong growth in the tertiary sector. High levels of growth have been experienced in the retailing, tourism, education and finance industries. As the economic base of the region has changed, a concerted effort has been maintained to match education and training with the needs of employers and new industries. The result is an increasing pool of professional and specialist expertise throughout the region.
Manufacturing will remain the key industry within the Illawarra. The majority of manufacturers in the region produce heavy industrial products such as basic metal products, fabricated metal products, non-metallic mineral products, food and beverage products and paper products. BlueScope Steel still dominates the manufacturing industry and is a major employer and income generator for the region.
The Illawarra Region is aiming to build on its existing economic base by focusing on value-adding opportunities in the areas of manufacturing, coal resources, minerals, agriculture, aquaculture, education and tourism.Transport Infrastructure
The Illawarra Region has a well-developed system of transportation links. Its extensive road network includes the Southern Freeway and Princes and Hume Highways, which form part of the State’s main road network. Rail links comprise of the Illawarra line from Sydney extending through the coastal belt to Bomaderry near Nowra. The main national rail line (Sydney to Melbourne) passes through the western region of the Illawarra, stopping at Moss Vale. The western and northern coastal regions of the Illawarra are linked by the Moss Vale-Unanderra line, which is predominantly used for goods traffic.
The region also possesses three airports, located at Albion Park, Mittagong and Nowra providing links between the region and intra/interstate destinations for both business and pleasure. The region also possesses the deepest harbour on the NSW seaboard at Port Kembla, offering enormous potential for new development and trade opportunities.The Port of Port Kembla is a multi-purpose port and a link to export markets for southern and south western New South Wales (NSW). Major facilities at Port Kembla include a coal loader, grain terminal, and a new multi-purpose berth with associated ship loaders and rail access to both the inner and outer harbours.Labour
The Kiama, Wollongong and Shellharbour combined labour force is approximately 130,000 (Small Area Labour Markets Australia June 2006) and the Illawarra region labour force is 181,000. However, there is a wider area, the Greater Illawarra Labour Market, which is defined as the area which is 35 minutes or less drive from Wollongong city. The Greater Illawarra Labour Market includes southern Sydney suburbs such as Sutherland and Hurstville and expands the labour force to 1,300,000.
The region's manufacturing and engineering workforce has a national reputation for excellence. Members of the workforce continually update their skills through technical education programs and are much sought after by manufacturing businesses throughout Australia. Coupled with these skills are increasing numbers of students entering the workforce who are qualified in informatics and business management.
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