Wollongong

Wollongong Community

Across Wollongong and nearby Illawarra communities, participation can take many forms: singing in a community choir, sharing ideas in a learning group, caring for bushland, joining a playgroup or meeting others through a disability, cultural or veterans’ organisation. There are also local services offering practical help when money, food, settlement or family circumstances become difficult.

The groups below represent different ways to connect, contribute and seek support. Activities range from regular social and learning opportunities to structured assistance, with options extending into Shellharbour, Dapto, North Wollongong and the wider Illawarra.

🌍 Cultural & Newcomer Connections

Illawarra Multicultural Services

Illawarra Multicultural Services supports culturally and linguistically diverse communities, including migrants, humanitarian entrants and refugees. Wollongong programs include settlement assistance, advocacy, information and referral, multicultural supported playgroups, youth sport, English and digital-literacy activities, volunteering and an electronics repair shop. Eligible multicultural families with children aged 0–17 in Wollongong or Shellharbour can access Family Capacity Building casework; the Wollongong drop-in service provides brief information and referral support.

Level 1, 67-69 Market Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 · ☎ 02 4229 6855 — Wollongong office and program enquiries

Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra

MCCI supports and represents culturally and linguistically diverse communities across the Illawarra through community capacity building, youth development, volunteering, training, aged-care services and social activities. Its refugee-support programs, previously known as SCARF, provide community-based support for people from refugee backgrounds. This broad regional role combines participation opportunities with practical and social support.

5 Old Springhill Road, Coniston NSW 2500 · ☎ 1800 11 6224 — general enquiries

🌱 Community Projects & Environment

Landcare Illawarra

Landcare Illawarra connects volunteers with local Landcare groups and restoration activities across the Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama council areas. Practical activities include planting, weeding and caring for bushland and waterways on public and private land. It is a way to contribute through hands-on environmental work while joining an established local group; Wollongong Bushcare groups on council land are separately run by Wollongong City Council.

☎ 0499 027 770 — Local Landcare Coordinator

Green Connect

Green Connect combines reuse, sustainable food and employment pathways through a farm at Lake Heights, op shops and reuse services. Its work supports jobs for young people and former refugees, while proceeds are reinvested in Wollongong activities that benefit the environment and community. Residents can engage with this work through reuse and op-shop activities, with the organisation’s social-enterprise model linking practical environmental action and employment support.

6 Anna Avenue, Lake Heights NSW 2502 · ☎ 02 4243 1537 — UOW op shop and donation enquiries

👥 Friendship & Shared Interests

U3A Wollongong

U3A Wollongong offers learning and social activities for people in their ‘Third Age’, generally retirees seeking enjoyable activities. Members gather for talks and presentations covering subjects such as history, science, creative arts, sport and music. There are no formal entry requirements, examinations or awards, so the emphasis is on shared interests, participation and continuing learning rather than accredited study.

The Salvation Army Conference Centre, 11-13 Burelli Street, Wollongong NSW 2500

Wollongong Welsh Choir

Wollongong Welsh Choir is a community not-for-profit choir performing Welsh musical traditions alongside popular songs in English and other languages. Men and women sing in four-part harmony, with rehearsals held at the University of Wollongong. New singers are welcome where they can hold a part and the current voice balance allows, making this a focused musical activity with a clear participation arrangement.

🎨 Youth & Family Participation

Wollongong CityCare Playgroup

This Playgroup NSW-listed group brings parents, grandparents, carers and guardians together with young children during school terms. Sessions include craft, singing, light snacks and toys, giving children time for play while carers share a regular activity. It suits families looking for a structured playgroup setting rather than a general children’s service, with participation centred on school-term sessions.

Hillsong Church Wollongong, 15 Burelli Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 · ☎ 1300 53 53 91 — Playgroup NSW enquiries

NurtureGroup Wollongong

Miracle Babies Foundation’s NurtureGroup Wollongong is a specialised play and support group for families who have experienced the birth of a premature or sick newborn. Parents can meet others with shared experience and connect with the foundation’s support team, while children from birth to school age take part in play activities. The group is held in Dapto and has a specific family experience at its centre.

Dapto Ribbonwood Community Centre, Scribbly Gum Room, 93-109 Princes Highway, Dapto NSW 2530 · ☎ 02 9724 8999 — Miracle Babies Foundation enquiries

🫂 Older People & Social Connection

City of Wollongong RSL Sub-Branch

City of Wollongong RSL Sub-Branch supports veterans and their families throughout the Illawarra. Alongside connection with services, it provides opportunities for camaraderie, recreation and commemoration. Membership arrangements and meeting information are available through the sub-branch and RSL NSW, making it a suitable point of connection for veterans and families seeking an organisation with a veterans’ focus.

☎ 0449 199 016 — City of Wollongong RSL Sub-Branch

🧩 Carers & Peer Support

MyTime Wollongong

MyTime Wollongong is a peer-support group for mothers, fathers, grandparents and other carers of children aged 0–18 with disability, developmental delay or chronic medical conditions. The Playgroup NSW-listed group is held in North Wollongong, providing a setting where carers with related day-to-day experiences can meet while the group’s focus remains on peer support.

TAFE NSW Wollongong, Foleys Lane, North Wollongong NSW 2500

♿ Disability & Inclusion

Interchange Illawarra

Interchange Illawarra is a not-for-profit, community-based disability organisation providing individual support, community inclusion and social-support activities across the Illawarra. Social groups offer weekday, evening and weekend activities for young people aged 12–17 and adults, using Wollongong and Lake Illawarra centres as meeting points. Parent and carer support opportunities are also available, alongside the organisation’s individual and community-based work.

114 Church Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 · ☎ 02 4227 1079 — general and new participant enquiries

The Disability Trust

The Disability Trust is a not-for-profit registered NDIS provider with roots in Wollongong and services across the Illawarra. Its disability supports include social groups, outings and community-building opportunities. The Illawarra Self Advocacy Group brings people with disability together to discuss matters affecting access and participation, with monthly meetings and occasional social outings, offering a distinct peer voice alongside other supports.

☎ 1300 347 224 — general enquiries

Greenacres

Greenacres is a not-for-profit registered charity and NDIS provider supporting people with disability. Its Wollongong-based work includes individualised supports, social activities, skill development and employment opportunities, with activities shaped around participants’ interests and goals. The organisation therefore combines support with opportunities to develop skills, take part in social activities and pursue employment-related pathways.

4 Ralph Black Drive, North Wollongong NSW 2500 · ☎ 1800 462 446 — contact us

❤️ Practical Help & Community Support

Mission Australia Emergency Relief – Wollongong

Mission Australia’s Wollongong emergency-relief service assists individuals and families experiencing financial crisis. Support may include practical material aid such as food parcels and supermarket, utility or petrol vouchers. The service is distinct from a social group or ongoing activity: it provides targeted help for immediate financial pressures through a local Wollongong service.

88 Swan Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 · ☎ 0407589556 — Wollongong service contact · ☎ 1800 951 123 — general enquiries

Wollongong’s community life includes both regular shared activities and practical support, so people can choose an involvement that fits their interests, circumstances and time. Local groups, charities, volunteer teams and community organisations with a substantive connection to Wollongong or the Illawarra are warmly invited to add or update their listing, helping residents and newcomers discover more ways to participate and support one another.

⚠️ Accuracy Note: We do our best to keep this information useful and up to date, however details can change over time. If you notice anything that appears incorrect or out of date, please let us know and we will review it. Local business owners and community leaders can also help keep local information accurate by logging in and creating or managing their own listing and useful content on wollongong.city.