Windang, New South Wales

Windang Wollongong, New South Wales
Aerial view from east
Coordinates	34°31′S 150°52′E / 34.517°S 150.867°E / -34.517; 150.867Coordinates: 34°31′S 150°52′E / 34.517°S 150.867°E / -34.517; 150.867[1]
Population	2,406 (2006)[2]
Postcode(s)	2528
LGA(s)	City of Wollongong
State electorate(s)	Wollongong
Federal Division(s)	Whitlam
Suburbs around Windang: Lake Illawarra Primbee Pacific Ocean Lake Illawarra Windang Pacific Ocean Lake Illawarra Lake Illawarra Pacific Ocean

Windang is a suburb of Wollongong in New South Wales on the southern tip of the peninsula guarding the ocean entrance to Lake Illawarra. Windang is popular for its fishing, prawning, boating, windsurfing and yachting. Windang is about 103 km south of Sydney, approximately 20 minutes drive south of the Wollongong CBD and about seven minutes from Shellharbour city.

Windang has a carnival which comes every year near Lake Illawarra.

History

Windang is an aboriginal word meaning "scene of a fight". William Turnbull purchased land in the area in 1920 and erected a two story building called "Wyndang House".

In 1926 the Post Office attached to this house was officially named Windang Post Office following a submission from Turnbull to have the name changed from the unofficial Lake Illawarra Post Office. The request was granted on the proviso that "the correct spelling be adopted namely Windang, which is that of the Island and Trigonometrical Station thereon in the vicinity".

Tourism and recreational fishing have always been of major importance in the area. Guest houses sprung up in the 1930s to cater for the tourist trace, and the Windang Camping Reserves have never ceased to be popular.

Windang is sometimes notorious for the number of drownings that occur in the area; in 2011, a 19-year-old man drowned whilst rock-fishing in the area.^[3][4][5]

References