Talk:Wollongong

Removed first person text by (WT-en) Metamo.

A semester at the University of Wollongong gave me a chance to get to know the city. This has no chance of becoming a comprehensive section in one sitting, so a few notables:

• (WT-en) Huttite 05:16, 24 Mar 2004 (EST)

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Do you mean "sometimes professor" (sometimes he's a professor, and sometimes he works in the kebab shop) or "sometime professor" (he was a professor before, and now he works in the kebab shop)? -(WT-en) phma 12:14, 24 Mar 2004 (EST)

Stay safe

Would someone like to correct it, one of the biggest myths of drink spiking is that you have to leave it unattended for it to be spiked, I know that you can be sitting right next to it for it to be spiked, heck, it doesn't have to be a drink, it can also be food

Leonardo's & Okuma

I removed these sections as they have now (most unfortunately) closed down. :( Two of my fave places in Wollongong, gone.

Monsoon has closed. Chef's Choice remains open (and serving cheap, delicious fare!) opposite the Hotel Illawarra on Market St.

A1 or 1, Canberra airport detail/pertinent to Woolongong

Hi Inas I think the Canberra airport and get to /from content is valid and useful information for the traveller. Canberra is an attraction in itself and it is quiet reasonable to consider that a traveller may head in that direction to Get out or come from that direction to Get in. Not everyone wants or needs to go to Sydney and indeed they may have already been there or are on their way there from a Canberra airport arrival. It is not all that far away (about 180 min as opposed to about 80 min and is at the other end of a scenic drive of potential interest to a traveller. Canberra has plenty of attractions and the airport there is full service with many domestic destinations. It is the nations 8th busiest airport. The only thing it is lacking is scheduled international flights but it does connect to them in Townsville Gold Coast Hobart, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne (MEL) and Melbourne-Avalon (AVV) and serves regional destinations including Albury and Newcastle. It was clear in the text that Sydney was the obvious choice put forward for an airport gateway, but Canberra is also a relatively nearby destination and does offer an alt (domestic) airport for Woolongong. You may be aware that sometimes sydney flights are diverted to Canberra if something goes wrong at SKS (SYD). It is either a divert to Canberra, to Richmond air base, or Williamstown. Canberra is the obvious and normal choice as it has proper terminals and facilities and also being a (decommissioned) RAAF and current AU gov VIP base it has a decent runway and other airfield facilities. A dedicated international processing facility is currently being completed as part of Canberra Airport’s new terminal building and extension program. The Australian Government has an ongoing focus on attracting international services to regional Australian Airports via an unrestricted access regime to foreign carriers, Canberra Airport expects to receive direct international services by 2011/12. Direct international services would also be expected to stimulate the existing market via reduced fare levels and reduced travelling time to overseas destinations. Direct international passenger flights are expected to include flights to New Zealand and to a major Asian hub (e.g.: Singapore, Hong Kong). Flights to New Zealand are expected to initially operate three to five times per week with narrow-body aircraft (Boeing 737/Airbus A320/Embraer 190) by 2011/12 and are expected to grow to daily over time. Services on the Canberra-Auckland route would allow for “one-stop” international flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco and other North and South American cities via Auckland. Such services are likely to be operated by the Qantas Group, Air New Zealand or the Virgin Group. Until a few years ago Nadi was serviced from Canberra. New low-cost long-haul international airlines such as Air Asia X may also be attracted to Canberra as an alternative to Sydney Airport. Further opportunities to Asia may also exist via a narrow body aircraft (such as Airbus A320) service to Asia via a hub in Darwin or Broome, DPS, KUL (LCCT) or LIA in Lombok are possibilities. In the medium term, further routes to Asian and Middle-Eastern hubs, such as Bangkok and Dubai, are likely, as well as to leisure destinations such as Fiji, Bali or Lombok. With Sydney Airport’s curfew, Canberra Airport is the only 24-hour Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 capable airport between Melbourne and Brisbane. A lot of the above comes from the 2009 Canberra airport plan, the one behind the current terminal re-development.
So Inas, maybe need to stop being so Sydney centric and not assume that everyone in or passing through Woolongong looks only to Sydney for air services. Please do follow WT protocols and discuss a content revert such as that recently made to the Woollongong article. I did not just throw a bunch of ill-considered nonsense into the article. Indeed it was a reasonable content addition from a regular contributor and fully supported by current australian aviation planning, national route development plans, infrastructure investment and development. I might also add that if for some reason SYD [KFS] was closed due to accident, emergency or weather then Canberra is where a great number of the flights then go to. cheers (WT-en) felix 06:47, 25 January 2011 (EST)

I'm sorry, but I really think Canberra is an unhelpful airport to list for a traveller wanting to get to Wollongong.

* Canberra really is much futher away to drive.

* Canberra airport services a small subset of destinations that Sydney does.

* Canberra flights are far less frequent.

* Canberra flights are more expensive.

* There is no effective public transport to Canberra airport from Wollongong, while there are shuttles, trains and buses from Sydney.

* Canberra airport has no international destinations.

* The direct drive between Canberra and Wollongong is on a very boring freeway, with rest breaks advised. Be prepared to add several hours to the trip to take any sort of scenic route.

If Canberra actually became a cheap airport hub, or accepted international flights, then sure, we have a few things to consider. Maybe people would travel from Wollongong or Sydney for a cheap Air Asia X flight to KL. Maybe people might fly to Auckland. Who knows, but currently these services are just planning (dreams?) by Canberra airport management, and there is no concrete signs of anything happening yet. Even international diversions if Sydney is closed tend to go to BNE or MEL. I've been reading about Canberra being a international hub, second airport for Sydney, etc, for 20 years. I'll believe it if it happens.

But currently, we'd be doing travellers a disservice to suggest Canberra airport is a reasonable way if they just want to to get in to Wollongong. Who would drive futher, to pay more, and get less?

I agree that Get out is the appropriate section for scenic drives, and I'd more than happy to see Canberra there.

And as for reversions - sorry - I didn't revert per-se, I was just editing the article following on from the road discussions, and I didn't realise that it was a recent addition, I just fixed it. My sincerity can be judged by the fact that I touched just about every other section in the article as well. --(WT-en) inas 07:55, 25 January 2011 (EST)

OK no problem and your sincerity was never in question. Indeed I have noticed that you have been doing a lot of work on that article. I still think we should mention Canberra airport to clarify to people that it is an option at the end of a 2.5-3 hr drive. I dio not think it should be given a great feal of prominence though. I do agree entirely on your distance, pricing comments,(probably as much to do with it being a paid by somebody else ticket town. Also I am aware of the ongoing ruminations re a 2nd Sydney airport. However this Canberra initiative is actually policy rather than plans. Indeed the new terminal is being finished off with the planned international facilities. An existing termainal is to be demolished and another built in it's place. They seem to be throwing money at it. Then again maybe the politicians just want a nicer airport facility for their own uses so they dreamed up somewhere a Dreamliner could land. Maybe the person behind the route signs has had a hand in it.

• "This is a significant milestone in the Canberra Airport AirVolution due for final completion in 2012. These developments have changed the location of a number of facilities and the way you access them. To assist in your journey a series of maps have been developed and are linked below."

• "The existing terminal building will be demolished in stages to make room for the new bigger and better facility. The project will be built in two stages; the first, now complete is the Southern Concourse Terminal Extension and the second stage known as the Western Concourse Terminal Extension is due for completion in 2012. "

• "Features of the new terminal include:

• A fully capable international terminal with dedicated customs, immigration and quarantine facilities.

But as you mention above "no international destinations" cheers (WT-en) felix 10:07, 25 January 2011 (EST)

But if you take the fast route it discounts the scenic drive, reason for mentioning it, and I'm not sure what other reasons there could be. Picton Rd (the route to the freeway) is single lane and busy, with delays (and unfortunately deaths) too common.

I wish Canberra the very best of luck with providing some competition for centres closer to it, including Canberra itself. Maybe in 2012 when the next terminal opens it will, and we will have to revisit a few articles.

If we list we will have to preface with the notes that that it is much futher, more expensive (higher airfare + $100 of fuel), there are significantly less flights, and you have to hire a car. People are going to wonder why we listed it. --(WT-en) inas 15:24, 25 January 2011 (EST)

Budderoo NP / Minnamurra Rainforest

Seems more like a place to "go next" than something to see within Wollongong. Whilst Visit Wollongong does overly promote the rainforest, Budderoo National Park is a 38.7 km drive from Wollongong CBD. It's not a long drive, but practically not useful for travellers who don't drive and/or don't have a car with them. --SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 07:03, 5 August 2022 (UTC)

Given that it has its own article and is about as far as Kiama, I think it would be reasonable to list it in "Go next" instead of "See". —Granger (talk · contribs) 21:02, 5 August 2022 (UTC)

Done. SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 10:18, 10 August 2022 (UTC)