Needless to see it didn’t, and technology has only moved ahead in leaps and bounds since the year 2000. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google and iphone are part of practically every household and few businesses would survive today if a computer bug truly did take hold.

People power won out in the IIlawarra - after a 139-day sit-in at Port Kembla Hospital, a dedicated group of protesters finally celebrated victory when they achieved a compromise deal to retain a 24-hour medical emergency service at the hospital.

The Wollongong Wolves pulled off the victory of the sporting year when they won the National Soccer League premiership against Perth Glory in a penalty shoot-out. The Wolves were 3-0 down at half-time and written off by just about everyone.

The highlight of the first year of the new millennium was the outstanding success of the Sydney Olympics.  

Australia won 58 medals, including 16 gold, to finish fourth on the medal table behind the United States, Russia and China in what IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch ultimately described as “the best Olympic Games ever.”

The following year will always be remembered as the year terrorism shook the world. On September 11, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. More than  3000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, DC, including more than 400 police officers and firefighters and 23 Australians.

Australia also lost a sporting icon in 2001, with the death of cricket champion Sir Donald Bradman, aged 92.

2002

Bushfires ravaged the Illawarra and Shoalhaven through Christmas and well into the new year, destroying 100,000ha and 50 houses.

On the political front, the ALP was rocked by the loss of the Federal seat of Cunningham, for the first time in 53 years. The Australian Greens won their first seat in the House of Representatives, when Michael Organ wrestled the seat of Cunningham away from the ALP by one of the smallest primary votes in Australian political history.

William Kamm, known as Little Pebble is arrested and charged with sexual assault. Military-style rifles and shotguns are seized from Kamm’s Cambewarra property, home to 200 followers of his Order of St Charbel sect. He was later found guilty of molesting a 15-year-old girl at Nowra in 1993.

The Queen Mother died aged 101, and racegoers wept for Damien Oliver, who won the Melbourne Cup on Media Puzzle just a week after his brother Jason died in a racetrack fall.

Terrorism hit even closer to home in October when 202 people, including 88 Australians, were killed when the Islamic group Jemaah Islamiyah bombed two Bali nightclubs, both popular with Australian tourists. Among the dead were Ulladulla boys Craig Dunn, 18 and Danny Lewis, 19, who had just arrived in Bali for a surfing holiday.

2003 was only a month old when a southbound train derailed at Waterfall, killing seven people and injuring at least 45 others. An inquiry into the accident later heard that the train was travelling at 100km/h, twice the speed limit.

The region lost 280 jobs as Japanese investors vote to close the Port Kembla Copper smelter believing it had become a financial black hole, while youth unemployment in the Illawarra soared to 34.6 per cent, making it the highest rate in NSW and the third-highest in the nation.

Two girls, aged 13 and 14, were found to be working at Southern Belles, a brothel in Wentworth St, Port Kembla. It was part-owned by well-known ALP and union identity Neville Hilton. A Sydney District Court jury found him guilty on 19 charges in September 2004 and he later served 14 months’ jail.

In 2004, John Howard scored his fourth-straight election victory, overtaking Bob Hawke to become Australia’s second-longest serving PM.

In August, the Federal Government announced funding for a long-awaited medical school at the University of Wollongong. The same month the university came second behind Sydney University in the independent 2005 Good Universities Guide.

Mother Nature unleashed her fury on Boxing Day with the deadliest tsunami in history, killing more than 230,000 people across 14 countries. Waves of up to 30 metres were recorded as the tsunami swept through Aceh, the hardest hit region of Indonesia.

Terrorism again struck fear into the world in 2005, with multiple bombs killing 52 people in London, including eight Australians.

Qantas linked the Illawarra to Melbourne in 2005, when it introduced a regular passenger service.

Wollongong recorded its driest autumn on record, as the NSW Government reacted to falling dam levels by introducing tougher water restrictions for Sydney, Illawarra and Blue Mountains residents.

In a huge shot in the arm for the port of Port Kembla, NSW Premier Morris Iemma announced the port would become the nation’s leading car import centre, creating jobs and injecting millions into the local economy.

The region felt the heat as it welcomed in 2006, as temperatures reached record levels - 44.6 degrees at Albion Park and 43.6 at Wollongong.

The heat was also on former Towradgi man Martin Stephens, who was one of the Bali Nine jailed for life for his role in attempting to smuggle heroin into Indonesia.

The eyes of the nation turned south to the Tasmanian goldmine town of Beaconsfield in April, where a desperate rescue attempt was under way to save three miners trapped almost 1km underground. Sadly one miner, Larry Knight died, but in a miraculous escape, Todd Russell and Brant Webb were found alive two weeks later.

In response to a massive community campaign, the NSW coroner announced an inquest would be held into the 43 deaths on the Princes Hwy since 2004, to determine if the notorious road contributed to fatal accidents.

Australians were rocked by the deaths of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, killed by a stingray barb, nine-time Bathurst 1000 winner Peter Brock in a car rally crash and legendary Australian artist Pro Hart.

The year ended with the shock sacking of Wollongong Hawks coach Brendan Joyce, just days before the team was due to take on South Dragons.

Wollongong City Council chief executive Rod Oxley surprised many in the many in January 2007 when he announced his resignation from the role after 19 years. He was replaced later in the year by former council planning officer David Farmer.

In a sign of things to come, Gerroa surfer Sally Fitzgibbons became junior world champion with a stunning performance at the 2007 ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Portugal.

In major development news for the region, GPT unveiled plans for a new shopping centre in Wollongong and Shell Cove’s $100 million marina received the final go-ahead from the State Government.

Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister after his party thrashed John Howard in the Federal election, leaving no conservative government in power in any Australian state or territory.

2008 was a tumultuous year in politics at both State and local level.

Wollongong was rocked by scandal after the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s inquiry into Wollongong City Council revealed planning officer Beth Morgan approved major building applications after sleeping with three developers. Ms Morgan was showered with cash, holidays and gifts and approved multimillion-dollar projects that violated Wollongong’s building code. Asked if she had sexual relations with businessmen Frank Vellar, Glen Tabak and Michael Kollaras, she simply replied ‘‘yes’’.

Just months later, neighbouring Shellharbour City Council was also sacked for three years, after a commission of inquiry declared the council seemed so dysfunctional that an administrator could only be an improvement.

In State politics, a 40-year-old ex-garbo became the new premier. Nathan Rees, who had only been in parliament for 18 months, replaced Morris Iemma who quit after losing the support of his party.

Kiama MP Matt Brown was dumped from his Police Minister’s position after he was exposed parading in his underpants drunk at a raucous late-night party in his parliamentary office.

Six-time NRL premiership winning coach Wayne Bennett was appointed as coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons, replacing Nathan Brown.

Qantas announced it was pulling out of its short-lived venture in the Illawarra, citing rising fuel costs for its decision to axe its Wollongong to Melbourne service.

The year ended on a sad note, with the Illawarra’s favourite golden girl, Kerryn McCann succumbing to cancer just days after 100 family and friends joined her to celebrate Christmas.

The future of the Wollongong Hawks was again up in the air in early 2009, after the ownership group decided not to apply for a place in the NewNBL next season. A saviour arrived in March in the shape of Indian businessman and Gujarat NRE boss Arun Jagatramka, who came to the rescue with a $1 million guarantee. Fans had even more to celebrate in May when club legend Gordie McLeod was announced as the team’s coach.

More than five years after the Southern Gateway Centre was conceived for Bulli Tops and with cost blow-outs of over $5 million, the steel and glass cliff top building finally opened to visitors.

Yet another Illawarra MP was forced to bow out in disgrace in 2010. Transport Minister and Minister for the Illawarra  David Campbell stood down over claims he used a Government car to visit a gay sex club in Sydney. He retired from politics in March, 2011.

Hundreds of Illawarra investors faced financial ruin after their life savings vanished in the collapse of fund manager Trio Capital, many of whom are still suffering today.

St George Illawarra Dragon fans also celebrated when their team ended a painful 31-year premiership drought with a thrashing of the Sydney Roosters 32-8.

The NSW government dropped a bombshell on the region in 2012 when it announced plans to lease the port of Port Kembla. Treasurer Mike Baird argued leasing the port for 99 years would give the government more funds for infrastructure, and promised $100 million of the estimated $500 million from the lease would be spent in the Illawarra.

The government pushed ahead, and in 2013, announced that Port Botany and Port Kembla had been leased to the NSW Ports Consortium for $5.07 billion, well over estimates of $3.5 billion. Botany accounted for $4.31 billion and Port Kembla $760 million. Despite netting $260 million more than expected from the lease, the region did not receive an increase in the promised $100 million to be spent on infrastructure.

The region lost one of its most iconic landmarks on February 20, 2014, when the 198m Port Kembla stack fell in spectacular fashion.

In the final hours before the stack came down, someone gave it a voice via a Twitter account created in her name.

Personified, she was chatty, witty and at peace. Death row had prompted some introspection and she confessed to an affair with blast furnace No 6, among other things.

"I have no regrets," she told her followers.

And later - at 11.13am - "A final note, I'll miss you all. Special thanks to Port Ke … oh god, oh god."

Later in the year, more than 150,000 people flocked to Wollongong Central for the opening weekend of the new GPT development. Art and symbolic architectural features are prominent in the $200 million, six-level centre, which was designed by Port Kembla-born architect Susanne Pini to reflect Wollongong's history and landscape.

Thousands of spectators turned out to welcome the Qantas VH-OJA to its new home at the Illawarra Regional Airport in March this year. The giant aircraft was a spectacular sight as it touched down a fraction after the scheduled 7.47am arrival time on the airport's narrow runway. The record breaking 747-400, known as the City of Canberra, has been given to the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society.

Wollongong was rocked by scandal in 2008 when the Independent Commission Against Corruption announced an  inquiry into Wollongong City Council.

The inquiry revealed planning officer Beth Morgan approved major building applications after sleeping with three developers. Ms Morgan was showered with cash, holidays and gifts and approved multimillion-dollar projects that violated Wollongong’s building code. Asked if she had sexual relations with businessmen Frank Vellar, Glen Tabak and Michael Kollaras, she simply replied ‘‘yes’’.

The inquiry ended in the council’s sacking and the appointment of a three-person administrative committee for the next three years. Councillors Zeki Esen, Frank Gigliotti and Deputy Lord Mayor Kiril Jonovski stepped aside following allegations of soliciting bribes and while Esen and Jonovski were later cleared, Gigliotti was sentenced to jail for lying to the commission.

The corruption watchdog recommended 11 people be prosecuted  for up to 139 offences in the fallout from the scandal it described as ‘‘without precedent’’.

Only three individuals - Wollongong developers Frank Vellar and Glen Tabak and former councillor Frank Gigliotti - were found guilty on a total of seven charges.

Gigliotti was the sole perpetrator to spend time behind bars, serving four months in a minimum security prison in the state's south.

ICAC decided not proceed with remaining charges against Ms Morgan after receiving legal advice there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.

The month of February 2003 started with tragedy on the tracks - the 6.24am southbound service from Central derailed at Waterfall, killing seven people and injuring at least 45 others.

Emergency services were alerted by an automatic alarm from the driver’s cabin but knew only that the crash site was about 4km south of Waterfall Station. When they finally came upon the accident they tried to ring for help but neither their radios nor mobile phone would work. With so many people to try to help, they then ran west through the bush towards the F6 and called through the first accurate details of the crash.

The Mercury reported the scene was ‘‘complete chaos’’.

‘‘Dazed and wounded passengers wandered amid the dust and creaking wreckage of the 6.24am from Central. Some asked for help, some sat and waited. Others did not move.’’

An inquiry later heard that the train was going 100km/h, twice the speed limit and that driver Herman Zeides may have had a heart attack before the fatal crash. In 2004, the inquiry cleared Mr Zeides of responsibility for the crash.