Wongawilli is a southern suburb of Wollongong

Wollongong, New South Wales

Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...

, Australia and is located at the foot hills of the Illawarra escarpment

Illawarra escarpment

The Illawarra Escarpment is the fold created cliffs and plateau eroded outcrop mountain range west of the Illawarra coastal plain south of Sydney, Australia, enclosing the region known as the Illawarra which stretches from Stanwell Park in the north to Kiama, Gerringong and the Shoalhaven river in...

. The word 'Wonga' is a native aboriginal word meaning native pigeon

Crested Pigeon

The Crested Pigeon is a bird found widely throughout mainland Australia except for far tropical north areas. It is the only member of the genus Ocyphaps.There are only two Australian pigeon species that possess an erect crest, being the Crested Pigeon and the Spinifex Pigeon...

. It contains a mixture of small rural properties and family homes. It houses a NSW Rural Fire Service station and a small community hall where the Wongawilli colonial dance club meets regularly. The community has had a long history with coal mining, with the mine opening in 1916. Since this time the mine has expanded and has had multiple owners, and is currently owned and operated by the Indian company Gujarat NRE.