Corrimal, New South Wales

Corrimal Wollongong, New South Wales
Aerial photo of Corrimal to Tarrawanna
Coordinates	34°22′S 150°53.5′E / 34.367°S 150.8917°ECoordinates: 34°22′S 150°53.5′E / 34.367°S 150.8917°E
Population	6,325 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	2518
LGA(s)	City of Wollongong
State electorate(s)	Keira Wollongong
Federal Division(s)	Cunningham
Suburbs around Corrimal: Russell Vale Bellambi Corrimal East Corrimal Tarrawanna Fernhill Towradgi

Corrimal is a northern suburb of the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Corrimal's CBD is situated on the Princes Highway, and several streets adjacent to it. The main shopping centres are Stockland Corrimal and Corrimal Park Mall next to the park on the highway. Outside this centre is an old locomotive that Corrimal is known for, the welcome signs featuring it. It ran on the Bulli Colliery Line (no longer existent) to Bellambi Haven from 1909 to 1967. To the west is a lawn bowls club and a wealthy foothill neighbourhood of residences bordering bushland.

Corrimal is served by Corrimal railway station on the South Coast Line, located on Railway Street which connects the station to the heart of the town. Immediately west of Corrimal railway station is the Corrimal Cokeworks, open to the public on Tuesdays. The towers are a prominent local sight and can be seen from Wollongong. The railway crosses the first level crossing north of Wollongong immediately north of the station. On the second Sunday in September Corrimal hosts the annual Spring Into Corrimal festival, which includes market stalls on the closed main streets, a parade, contest and other activities. 2009 was the 30th anniversary of the parade. In the 2007 festival the world's largest skateboard was displayed.

Corrimal has four primary schools and one high school. St Columbkille's is Corrimal's local Roman Catholic school. There is also Corrimal Public School, Illawarra Adventist School, Corrimal High School and the South Coast School for Children with Autism.^[2][3]

History

The suburb takes its name from a point on the bordering Illawarra escarpment which was known as Mount Corrimal (named after the Aboriginal Dreamtime warrior Kurimul) and now called Broker's Nose.^[4] The first industry and settlement at Corrimal was that of logging, followed by mining operations. In 1830 the first grant of land was made, to James Martin, of 50 acres (200,000 m²). Corrimal was first recorded in 1839 when a grant was sold at Corrimal. In 1834 the Bulli Parish road was made with convict labour, directed by Major Mitchell. In 1883 Thomas Bertram opened the Corrimal colliery,^[5] also known as the Corrimal-Balgownie Colliery. Corrimal station opened in 1887, when bullock teams ceased transporting coal from the mine to the railway and were replaced by a private colliery mine constructed by the Southern Coal Company, which had taken over operations from Bertram. In 1889 Broker's Nose Colliery was renamed Corrimal Colliery, which closed in 1985. Streets ice cream was founded there in the 1930s.

Politics

Stephen Martin of the Australian Labor Party was Corrimal's federal MP in the Australian House of Representatives for 18 years from 1984 until his resignation in 2002. Martin served as Speaker of the House under the Keating Government from 4 May 1993 to 29 January 1996. The present MP is Sharon Bird, also of Labor.

See also

• Broker's Nose
• Corrimal High School
• Corrimal railway station
• East Corrimal
• Corrimal Cougars, Local Rugby League Club

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Corrimal (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
2. "HUNTER SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM". Retrieved 4 February 2012.
3. Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). "AspectSouthCoastSchool". Retrieved 4 February 2012.
4. "Place names of the Wollongong region". Wollongong City Council. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
5. The Corrimal Railway Singleton, C.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, January, 1957 pp1-7