Lizee

Definitely over stated as having a bad name, though I wouldnt walk around at night time. There are a lot of immigrants here, and as a result some real community spirit. There is definitely a problem with drugs as a lot of people have moved here from other areas such as Cabramatta. If you're smart and cautious there are some nice parts to this suburb. Westfield is very modern and has a lot of shopping variety but hard for parking on weekends. What is lacking is greenery. Some streets have been done up and have trees, and Bigge Park is quite nice, but overall there aren't many places to escape to unless you travel to nearby lakes or rivers in other suburbs. There are a few large businesses and seems to be a growing area of employment for professionals.

Wollongong has an abundance of beautiful outdoor places to go to. Gorgeous beaches to the East and mountains to the west. There is always something new to discover and northern and southern suburbs are easy to get to. If you know the area you learn where not to go (namely at night time). I lived in north wollongong for 7 years from uni and after and always found it quite safe. It's a close walk to north beach and town, with buses into town. I now live in keiraville and have discovered a new and leafier side to the area. The botanic gardens nearby are stunning and the neighbourhoods feel quite safe and friendly. There is a nice community feel in some of these suburbs. Having moved here for uni, I haven't wanted to leave because it is such a nice place to live. The downside for me is as a young professional it is hard to find many jobs, ESP in some specialist fields and I have always travelled for work. Traveling home down Mt Ousley always brings a smile to my face. It is great for eating out with a large variety if Thai, Italian and many other types of restaurants. A new exciting scene is also evolving - away from the rough pub culture with more trendy bars and cafes opening- something that wollongong was lacking.