Town Profile: Wollongong

Where is it: about 80km south of Sydney (1.5 Hrs drive)
Where to stay: At my mums
Worth seeing: Yes- but don't plan anything longer than a weekend there.
It's a bit like....: Newcastle or Townsville
Wollongong is where I grew up. With a population of around 285000 it's nestled in a long strip between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It was developed as a mining town with the BHP steelworks being the major employer during the 20th century. During the 80's there were significant cut backs in the size of steel manufacture and a lot of people were laid off over the next 15 years. Unlike Newcastle the steelworks managed to stay open and Wollongong managed to avoid whithering away. It's proximity to Sydney means a lot of locals do the commute to work in the big city. It also has a large university which attracts many students to the region.
It's a little bit of a fickle place. It's proximity to Sydney means that it's often overshadowed a bit. Generally if people are looking for a special night out or want to see something they travel. I get the feeling when I'm down there that the city is very thirsty for change. Slowly the mertopolitan area is being vamped up, but the majority of the city - particularly the area at the bottom of crown st feels tired and worn down.
What to do: Go to the beach- beaches in Wollongong are far superior to their Sydney counterparts and although they may not have all the trendy shops and cafe's, they're generally less crowded and cleaner. If visiting either of the city beaches, go for a nice stroll past the harbor and up to the lighthouse. Visit Jambaroo Rec park just 30 mins south of the gong- If you've got a group of friends this can be great fun- but a little crowded on weekends in the middle of summer. Visit the seaside villages to the North of the city. Scarborough pub is an awesome place for lunch. Also check out Thirroul, Austinmere and Stanwell Tops. The Nan Tien Temple out near Unanderra used to be the biggest Bhuddest temple in the Southern Hemisphere - probably the oddest placed one as well- anyway, I'm ashamed to say I've never visited but people who have say that they've thoroughly enjoyed it. Meditation weekends and short courses available there.