Living in Shellharbour
If you’re looking to move to the Illawarra or relocate to a new area within the district, living in Shellharbour is a great option.
Away from the hustle and bustle of Wollongong city living, the Shellharbour municipality has the benefit of Shellharbour (village), Shellharbour City Centre, and more.
It's ideal for families looking for clean, outdoor living, retirees seeking a quieter lifestyle and beach lovers.
Where is Shellharbour?
The place name "Shellharbour" can be a little confusing to newcomers to the New South Wales area.
Shellharbour is the name of a suburb - a quaint village area - that sits within the local government area, known as the City of Shellharbour. There is also a Shellharbour city centre, which boasts the Stocklands Shellharbour precinct.
Shellharbour municipality is 25-30 minutes south of Wollongong and 90 minutes south of the Sydney airport.
In the suburb of Albion Park there is also an airport, with direct flights to Melbourne and Brisbane.
The municipality is made up of many suburbs, including Shellharbour, Shellharbout City Centre, Shell Cove, Blackbutt, Flinders, Barrack Heights, Warilla, Barrack Point, Oak Flats, Mount Warrigal, Albion Park and more.
Things to do for families
Centred around many Shellharbour beaches, this is one of the main attractions of the area. Beaches includes:
- Shellharbour North Beach at Barrack Point, with barbecue facilities, outdoor showers, public toilets and patrolled (seasonal).
- Shellharbour South Beach at Bass Point Tourist Road in Shellharbour village has public toilets and is patrolled (seasonal).
- Warilla Central Beach is at Warilla and includes exercise equipment, outdoor shower, public toilets and is patrolled (seasonal).
- Warilla North Beach at Warilla has fitness equipment, an outdoor shower, picnic tables, public toilet and is patrolled (seasonal).
- Warilla South Beach at Barrack Point has outdoor showers, public toilet and is patrolled (seasonal).
- Blacks Beach at Barrack Point has barbecue facilities, exercise equipment, outdoor showers, public toilets and is patrolled (seasonal).
If you don't like sand between your toes, you can also use one of the many local pools, including:
- Albion Park Pool
- Beverley Whitfield Ocean Pool in Shellharbour village, which includes a 50m saltwater pool and shaded children's pool.
- Oak Flats Pool
- Warilla Pool
There's also the added benefit of only being 10 minutes from Jamberoo Action Park, the major water park in the area, in the nearby Kiama municipality.
If you're not into getting wet, try:
- cycling along the many cycleways (or "shared use pathways")
- Events Cinema with all the latest films in the city centre
- Shellharbour library and museum
- Dog friendly parks
- Parks and reserves, including Blackbutt Forest Reserve with picnic tables, playground, public toilets and rotunda.
- Playgrounds for children, including Andrew Park at Warrigal, Reddal Reserve at Lake Illawarra and Little Park in Shellharbour village, which is newly updated. You can find all the local parks on the council website.
- golf at The Links golf club, Shell Cove
- The Waterfront shopping precinct at Shell Cove.
- Theatre at Roo Theatre in Shellharbour village
- Follow the Lake Illawarra Art Trail. Search for the Tread Shellharbour app.
Eating out and socialising
Looking for somewhere to eat with the family, catch up with friends or enjoy a romantic meal with a loved one?
The breadth of restaurants, cafes and eateries in the Shellharbour municipality is plenty.
Start with the Shellharbour village restaurants, that range from fine dining to sushi, plenty of coffee shops, pub meals and takeaway fish and chips.
Or try Shellharbour city, with its own pub option, Italian restaurant, Mexican, Thai, cake shops, cafes and even fast food chains in the industrial park.
Within Shellharbour Stocklands you'll also find a new stylish food strip, with healthy burgers, German food, Greek and more. Or head downstairs at Stocklands to find the food court, where you'll find everything from bakery food to fast food and healthy salads.
One of the more established entertainment facilities is The Shellharbour Club, often referred to as the Shellharbour Workers Club. This features many restaurants, including the Precinct with indoor street-style food outlets.
Living in Shellharbour
One of the benefits of Shellharbour living is its affordability in comparison to many other areas. It features everything from modern apartment living in the village and city centre, new family homes and duplexes and older style homes.
Apartments are currently being built throughout the area, making it ideal for investors and first home buyers.
Shell Cove features often large, modern family homes, along with apartments at The Waterfront, but sometimes block sizes are smaller. The nearby Dunmore, or Shell Heights, has many new homes being built.
In contrast, you can find a mix of new and older homes in Flinders, Blackbutt and Oak Flats, which are often on larger blocks. These areas also feature many duplexes.
For beachfront properties, look to Shellharbour Village and Barrack Point.
While more established areas include Warilla, Barrack Heights, Mount Warrigal, Albion Park and Lake Illawarra.
If you'd like to talk about financing your next home in Shellharbour, give Scott a call on 0418 348 859.
Transportation and getting around
A highlight of Shellharbour is less traffic, making the area feel more laidback. However, if you don't have your own vehicle then there are plenty of public transport options.
The Premier Illawarra bus service operates throughout Shellharbour and can take you outside the area - from Kiama in the south to Bellambi in the north.
If you're looking to leave the area and head anywhere from Kiama to Sydney, then the South Coast Line train stops at various places throughout Shellharbour, including Shellharbour Junction Station at Dunmore, Oak Flats Station and Albion Park Station.
Schools in Shellharbour
If you have a small family and are looking for schools in the Shellharbour area, then you have a variety to choose from:
- Shellharbour Public School
- Stella Maris Catholic School
- Flinders Public School
- Shell Cove Public school
- Warilla High School
- Shellharbour Anglican College
- Nazareth Catholic Primary School
- Warilla Public School
- Barrack Heights Public School
- Warilla North Public School
- Oak Flats High School
- Minnamurra Public School
- Balarang Public School
- Mount Warrigal Public School
- Corpus Christi Catholic High School
- Windang Public School
- Oak Flats Public School
- Lake Illawarra High School
- Lake Illawarra South Public School
- Albion Park High School
- St Joseph's Catholic High School
- Albion Park Rail Public School
- Mount Terry Public School
- St Paul's School
As a local mortgage broker with extensive knowledge of the area, Scott would love the opportunity to help you secure a new home as you move to or relocate within the Shellharbour area. If you have any questions reach out or learn more about our low interest rates.