Project Update - March 2025

A big thank you for getting involved in the Lake Illawarra Entrance Options Study.

Across Wollongong and Shellharbour local government areas, we heard from more than 550 voices! We got the word out about this project through the Our Wollongong and Let’s Chat websites, our social media channels, signs around the lake, e-newsletters, information at our libraries, newspapers, radio stations and local news channels. We spoke with many members of our community at our drop-in sessions at Warilla and Windang and online information sessions. We collected feedback through these conversations, as well as the online surveys set up on our engagement website, hard copy surveys and emails.

Attendees of the community drop-in session at Windang Senior Citizens Centre on Saturday 30 November 2024.

Pleasingly, a wide range of lake users and stakeholders were reflected with different ages, opinions and ideas for this shared asset.

Our community’s responses were highly considered and showed a clear passion for preserving and protecting Lake Illawarra and all that it offers. One key theme that shone through the responses was about water quality and how it supports the ecology and recreational use of the lake.

Managing the lake’s entrance remains a complex problem with no easy fix. Lots of respondents appreciated this and asked that we be measured in our approach to protect the many things Lake Illawarra means to our community.

Next steps

A report is being prepared to go before both Wollongong City Council and Shellharbour City Council in the coming months. It will include a thorough analysis of community feedback received on the management options, and recommendations for the next phase of this project.

The community will be notified when these reports are confirmed to go before Council with instructions on how to tune in to the meeting.

Your questions answered

Throughout the engagement period we were asked many questions through emails, face-to-face conversations, phone calls and on our social media channels. We have updated the webpage here with answers to the most commonly asked questions – FAQs | Options for the Lake Illawarra Entrance | Our Wollongong

A recording of the online engagement session held in December is available here(External link) with lots of great questions put to the project team by community members.

Have something else you want to ask? You can call us on 4227 7111 or email council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au(External link) and one of our team’s members will get back to you.