Three Bureau stations, three slightly different climates
| Wollongong University | Albion Park (Shellharbour Airport) | Kiama Bowling Club | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January mean maximum | 25.8 degrees | 26.9 degrees | 25.1 degrees |
| July mean minimum | 8.4 degrees | 6.5 degrees | 8.5 degrees |
| What it suggests | Mild, humid, salty near the beach | Warmer days and cooler nights below the escarpment | Mild and damp on the coast |
The region at a glance
Where it runs
From the southern hills of the Royal National Park to the Shoalhaven River. Wollongong stretches from Helensburgh to Windang, Shellharbour takes in places like Albion Park Rail, Warilla and Barrack Point, and Kiama sits further south with Gerroa beyond it.
A plain with a wall behind it
The coastal plain is narrow in the north and wider in the south, with Lake Illawarra in the middle. AdaptNSW says nights below 2 degrees are very rare on the coast but number up to 50 a year inland along the escarpment.
Houses and a lot of units
At the 2021 Census, 71.7% of the region's occupied homes were separate houses, 12.8% semis or townhouses and 14.5% flats or apartments.
Renters and owners
29.0% of homes were rented, 33.0% owned with a mortgage and 35.1% owned outright, across 313,842 people.
What comes up most, and where
Near the beaches: reverse cycle sized for humid summers, with a sheltered spot for the outdoor unit and a yearly service that deals with salt.
Below the escarpment and around the lake: more emphasis on heating, from places like Dapto to Albion Park. Check the heating capacity on any quote, and look at ducted if the house has the roof space.
In a unit block: with one home in seven a flat or apartment, strata comes up a lot. In a NSW strata scheme, a reverse cycle installation is a minor renovation that goes to a vote at a strata meeting, so get that moving before you collect quotes.
What we'd do
Where we'd start
We'd work out first which Illawarra we live in: beach, lake or escarpment. Near the sea, we'd plan around corrosion and humidity. Inland, we'd plan around cooler nights. In a unit, we'd start with the strata committee. Then we'd want an installer who does that exact kind of job, close by.
