The Wollongong Harbour

To the east of the Wollongong lies Flagstaff Point, a rocky headland with eroded low cliffs topped by a grassy hill.

The northern side of the point was excavated by convict labour to form Belmore Basin, and later extended with the northern breakwater to create Wollongong Harbour. Belmore Basin houses the commercial fishing fleet and Fisherman’s Co-op, while the main harbour shelters private vessels.

The area is the site of a historic fort with several restored canons. It has two lighthouses: Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse and Wollongong Head Lighthouse

Wollongong Head Lighthouse

Wollongong Head Lighthouse, also known as Flagstaff Lighthouse or Flagstaff Point Light, is an active lighthouse located in Wollongong, a coastal city south of Sydney, New South Wales. It overlooks the Tasman Sea from the top of Flagstaff Point, directly east of the city centre...

. It's a feature peculiar to the east coast of Australia that help mariners safely navigate the port of Wollongong.

A hazard to shipping is an island group known collectively as The Five Islands

Five Islands Nature Reserve

Five Islands Nature Reserve is a 26 ha reserve comprising five islands close to Port Kembla, New South Wales, Australia. The islands - Flinders Islet , Bass Islet, Martin Islet, Big Island and Rocky Islet - lie between 0.5 and 3.5 km off the coast...

 lying a short distance off the coast.

South of the city lies Port Kembla, a major steelmaking, minerals, grain and vehicle handling harbour.