The Illawarra is the narrow coastal strip between the escarpment and the sea, from the northern villages of Stanwell Park, Thirroul and Bulli through Corrimal and Wollongong to Unanderra, Figtree, Dapto and the Shellharbour suburbs of Albion Park, Warilla and Shellharbour. Wollongong is the regional centre, with Port Kembla's port and steelworks to its south.
Region guide
Car accident and CTP claim help in Wollongong and the Illawarra
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- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people across Wollongong & the Illawarra
Roads, hospitals and transport in Wollongong & the Illawarra
Main roads
M1 Princes Motorway
Main route from Sydney down Mount Ousley into Wollongong and south to Dapto and Yallah, busy in both peaks.
Princes Highway
Older coastal route through the northern suburbs, Wollongong, Unanderra and Dapto to Albion Park.
Mount Ousley Road
Steep descent from the plateau into North Wollongong, carrying heavy trucks bound for Port Kembla.
Picton Road
Links the escarpment with the Hume Motorway at Wilton; a major route for trucks and Macarthur commuters.
Memorial Drive
The Northern Distributor, linking Bulli and Corrimal with North Wollongong and the university.
Illawarra Highway (Macquarie Pass)
Winding climb from Albion Park Rail to Robertson and the Southern Highlands, popular with motorcyclists.
Lawrence Hargrave Drive (Sea Cliff Bridge)
Coastal road through the northern villages and over the Sea Cliff Bridge, popular with visitors, cyclists and riders.
Getting to work and around the region
Many Illawarra residents commute to Sydney, driving over Mount Ousley and up the M1 or taking the South Coast Line from Thirroul, Wollongong or Dapto. It is a long trip either way, and an incident on the escarpment roads can hold up traffic for a long time because there are few alternatives.
Trucks and heavy vehicles. Trucks to and from Port Kembla use Mount Ousley Road and Picton Road, sharing steep grades and tight merges with commuter traffic.
Cycling. Grand Pacific Drive and the Sea Cliff Bridge are popular with road cyclists, and a coastal cycleway runs through the northern suburbs to Wollongong.
Motorcycling. Macquarie Pass and Lawrence Hargrave Drive draw motorcyclists on weekends, with tight bends and visitors stopping for the views.
Public hospitals serving the area
- Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong
- Shellharbour Hospital, Mount Warrigal
- Bulli Hospital, Bulli
Public transport
- South Coast Line (Thirroul, Wollongong, Dapto, Albion Park, Shellharbour Junction)
- South Coast Line trains to Port Kembla
- Buses, including Wollongong's free shuttle bus
Help by claim type across Wollongong & the Illawarra
Free claim check
Free claim check across Wollongong & the Illawarra
Tell us what happened and where your claim is up to. By phone or online, with no office to visit and no obligation.
Suburbs and towns in Wollongong & the Illawarra
39 areas, A to Z. Each page covers where to start after a car accident there. We help by phone and online everywhere listed; there's no office to visit.
Looking for the city-wide guide? It covers claims across the whole city and links every suburb.
CTP Lawyer Help in Wollongong & the IllawarraQuestions about claims in Wollongong & the Illawarra
No. You can start with our claim check by phone or online from anywhere in the Illawarra, and the claim itself is lodged through the Service NSW online form or with the insurer. A local GP can generally provide the Certificate of Fitness. If your case needs a lawyer, many work by phone and video, and some are based in Wollongong, so you can usually avoid the drive up Mount Ousley.
No. Crashes anywhere in NSW fall under the same CTP scheme, so a crash near Campbelltown is treated the same as one on Memorial Drive. The claim goes to the CTP insurer of the relevant vehicle, and you can manage it from home by phone, email and online. Keep the police event number if there is one, see your GP for the Certificate of Fitness, and try to lodge within 28 days.
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CTP Lawyer is not a law firm. This page is general information, not legal advice; the independent lawyer you speak with can advise on your own situation.