Cast your eye back on the year that was with this round-up of the best stories, photos, cartoons and entertainment.
Flick through more than 60 pictures selected by the Mercury's award-winning photography team.
GALLERY: The year in cartoons
A look back on some of Mercury cartoonist Vince O'Farrell's funniest work.
What made news in the Illawarra
It was a year of highs and lows for the region. Our reporters look back at 2012.
The highest-selling properties
See which million-dollar Illawarra homes made the top 10 list.
Revisit the weird, wacky and wonderful, including a Gong wedding proposal like no other.
Were you sad to see these sentimental favourites go?
See who got married with this slideshow of jubilant Illawarra brides and grooms.
Most memorable Dragons moments
Highlights of the 2012 season by Try Hard blogger Glen Humphries. What would you add to the list?
The Illawarra's biggest sporting moments
Gold medals, world titles and tearful farewells were among the standouts of a fabulous sporting year for the region.
The world's biggest sporting moments
Empires crumbled and others were built in a remarkable year of sport across the globe, as voted by the Mercury sports team.
Hits and misses of the NRL season
A look back on a turbulent year for rugby league.
Favourite films grouped loosely by genre so as to compare apples with apples.
The 10 dumbest, most misguided, wasteful, indulgent, soul-crushing Hollywood movies.
The artists who dominated the charts in 2012, and the ones who deserved to.