With 10,000 jolly revelers expected to hit Wollongong on December 8, here is your complete guide for the event including venues and how to get there.
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ABOUT THE CHARITY CRAWL
It was originally started by a small group of friends as a way to raise some Christmas spirit.
This event is recognised as the longest continually run Santa Pub Crawl in the world and over 10,000 people are expected to attend this year.
More $129,000 was raised for charity in 2017.
This year funds will go to the Salvation Army and distributed locally via children's programs managed by the Jayne Wilson Foundation.
This includes a school breakfast program; drug and alcohol counselling for families; and emergency displacement funds (for children forced to leave home).
VENUES
- Furphy Bar at WIN Stadium’s Western Grandstand
- Illawarra Brewery on Harbour Street
- North Gong Hotel on Flinders Street / Princes Highway
- Bullpen Sports Diner on Corrimal Street
- Pepe’s at North Wollongong
- Ron De Vu on Crown Street
- Fever Nightclub on Crown Street
- Humber on Princes Highway
- Hey Day on Princes Highway
- Illawarra Hotel on Keira Street
- Red Square on Keira Street
- Dicey Riley’s on Princes Highway
- Figtree Hotel
- Coniston Hotel
- Towradgi Beach Hotel
ENTRY COSTS
Green wristband – Valid ONLY until midnight for venue entry
Standard Price - $35 - Available until 7 Dec
Gate Price - $40 - ONLY on day of event
- Includes entry into all participating venues until midnight subject to line-up and RSA (no door charge to pay at any of them)
- 2 x Drink Vouchers included in the purchase price (valid before 3pm for beer, wine or soft drink) Illawarra Brewery - $1 Sausage Sandwiches, $5 Canadian Club & Dry Schooners from 2pm-4pm
- Humber - Half-Price Cheesburgers & $10 Cocktails from 4pm-7pm
- Bullpen Sports Diner - $5.00 Bucket of Wings, $5.00 Schooners (Coors or Blue Moon), $5.00 House Wine,
- $7.00 Cocktails (14 on the list), $5.00 House Spirits from 4pm-6pm
- Hotel Illawarra - $5 Vodka's from 7.30pm-9pm and FREE entry until 1am (subject to line-up & RSA)
- Furphy Bar @ WIN Stadium - $6 Furphy Schooners from 3pm-6pm
- Pepe's on the Beach - $10 Candy Cane Cocktail & $10 North Pole Burger specials from 12pm-4pm
Tickets available online at www.tickets.com
Red wristband
Standard Price - $15 - Available until - 7 Dec
Gate Price - $20 - ONLY on day of event
Entry just to North Gong Hotel and use of shuttle bus – anyone wearing a red wristband would still need to pay any normal entry fee to nightclubs this wish to attend. Red wristbands will be sold at gates of NGH also.
NEXT GENERATION
As this is the 25th year for the pub crawl, organiser Neil Webster said it’s inevitable there would be marriages and even babies produced as a result of the fun event.
“There’s a bundle, I couldn’t even put a number because there’s so many,” Mr Webster said.
“We had our first wedding occur within I think year three of the event - they’re happily married now with four kids.”
There will be photo opportunities for kids to get festive photos at North Gong Hotel from 1pm to 2pm, before the pub crawl gets into full swing.
“We can have that next generation type photo,” Mr Webster said.
GETTING THERE
A shuttle bus service will also include Towradgi Beach Hotel for the first time (from 12pm to 8pm).
A “Santa Shuttle” will also run from 8pm to 3am to different venues – via Bourke, Corrimal, Burelli Streets and Princes Highway.
For a map of the free bus routes CLICK HERE.
Public buses will also run from 10:30pm to 4am:
- Princes Hwy to Dapto Maximum fare $5.00 On board security Pick up at: • Entertainment Centre • Burelli St • Crown St West
- Princes Hwy to Thirroul Maximum fare $4.60 On board security Pick up at: • Entertainment Centre • Crown Gateway • North Gong
Trains and taxis:
Taxi ranks are located near the Illawarra Hotel on the corner of Market and Keira Streets. Ranks are also found near the Harp Hotel near the corner of Corrimal and Crown Streets.
The North Gong Hotel is 100 metres from North Wollongong station.
There WILL be trackwork this Saturday and Sunday:
- Buses replace trains between Dapto and Central, and between Port Kembla and Wollongong.
- Trains run to a changed timetable between Bomaderry and Dapto, with some trains leaving up to 60 minutes earlier than normal.
- South Coast Line trackwork buses do not stop at Wolli Creek. If you are travelling to T8 Airport & South Line stations, please change at Central for a T8 Airport & South Line train.
- Travelling to or from Helensburgh: Bus routes 25SC and 28SC run to and from Charles Harper Park, not Helensburgh Station. Bus route 29SC runs between Charles Harper Park and Helensburgh Station to connect with routes 25SC and 28SC.
More details on public transport can be found at https://transportnsw.info
WHAT’S HAPPENING NEXT YEAR
The Santa Claus Pub Crawl will evolved into a three-day event with activities for adults and children in 2019, and change its name to SantaFest.
It will also include twilight markets, Christmas carols, the much loved pub crawl and potentially a bike ride.
Click through the gallery above.