Cash registers were ringing across the Illawarra, as retailers braced for crowds on the last weekend before Christmas.
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Almost 85 per cent of Illawarra residents will do their Christmas shopping locally this year spending about $382 million during the festive season, IRIS Research found.
Despite competition from online and out-of-region shopping alternatives, local retailers can look forward to attracting the Christmas spend by offering consumers a superior shopping experience,” IRIS Research chief executive Peter Watts said.
Many local shopping centres will run extended hours in the lead up to Christmas Day, and be open on Boxing Day for trade.
Illawarra Christmas trading hours
Wollongong Central:
- December 20, 9am – midnight
- December 21, 9am – 6pm
- December 22, 9am – 6pm
- December 23, 9am – 5pm
- December 24, 9am – 5.30pm
- Christmas Day, closed
- Boxing Day, 9am – 6pm – there is free parking on Boxing Day
- December 27, 9am – 9pm
David Jones Wollongong
- December 20, 8.30am – midnight
- December 21, 8am – 10pm
- December 22, 8am – 10pm
- December 23, 7am – 7pm
- December 24, 7am – 6pm
- Christmas Day, closed
- Boxing Day, 8am – 8pm
- December 27, 9am – 9pm
Stockland Shellharbour
- December 20, 9am – 10pm
- December 21, 9am – 9pm
- December 22, 9am – 6pm
- December 23, 9am – 6pm
- December 24, 8am – 6pm
- Christmas Day, closed
- Boxing Day, 8am – 6pm
- December 27, 9am – 9pm
Figtree Grove
- December 20, 9am – 9pm
- December 21, 9am – 6pm
- December 22, 9am – 5pm
- December 23, 9am – 5.30pm
- December 24, 8am – 5.30pm
- Christmas Day, closed
- Boxing Day, 10am – 4pm
Warrawong Plaza
- December 20, 9am – 9pm
- December 21, 9am – 6.30pm
- December 22, 8am – 6pm
- December 23, 8am – 6pm
- December 24, 8.30am – 5.30pm
- Christmas Day, closed
- Boxing Day, 10am – 4pm
Dapto Mall
- December 20, 9am – 9pm
- December 21, 9am – 7pm
- December 22, 9am – 6pm
- December 23, 9am – 5pm
- December 24, 9am – 5.30pm
- Christmas Day, closed
- Boxing Day, 10am – 4pm
Nowra Stockland
- December 20, 9am – 9pm
- December 21, 9am – 6pm
- December 22, 9am – 5pm
- December 23, 9am – 5pm
- December 24, 9am – 5.30pm
- Christmas Day, closed
- Boxing Day, 10am – 4pm
Supermarkets
Coles:
Most Illawarra stores are open until 10pm on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day and reopen on Boxing Day.
Individual store opening hours here.
Woolworths:
Most Illawarra stores are open until 10pm on Christmas Eve (Corrimal, Figtree, Unanderra, and Stocklands Shellharbour close at 9pm). Closed on Christmas Day and reopen on Boxing Day.
Individual store opening hours here.
Aldi:
Most Illawarra stores are open until 7pm on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day and reopen on Boxing day at 9am.
Individual store opening hours here.
Council holiday hours
Garbage collection:
Wollongong local government area – Bins should be put out as normal. Council’s Waste Contractor, Remondis, will not be picking up rubbish on Christmas Day, but bins are due to be collected the following day. For issues regarding damaged bins or missed services, please call Remondis, on 1300 362 360.
Shellharbour local government area – Garbage collection as normal. There will also be three consecutive weeks of recycling collection.
Wollongong Waste and Resource Recovery Park (Whytes Gully): Closed Christmas Day.
Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot: Closed Christmas Day.
Wollongong council: offices and customer service centre closes at 5pm on December 21 and reopens on January 2.
Shellharbour council: Civic Centre closed from noon on December 21 and reopens on January 2.
Beaton Park and Lakeside Leisure Centres: Closed December 25 and 26 and January 1. There will be reduced operating hours over the Christmas period with normal hours resuming on January 2.
Wollongong crematorium and cemeteries: Office closed December 25, 26, 29 December and January 1. All crematoriums and cemetery grounds will be open during daylight hours every day, including public holidays.
Public swimming pools: Closed on Christmas Day.
Wollongong Botanic Garden: Closed on Christmas Day.
Wollongong council libraries:
Wollongong Central Library will close from 1pm December 24 and reopen 9am-5pm December 27, 28 and 31. Normal business hours will resume on Wednesday 2 January 2019. The returns chute will remain open during this time.
Corrimal, Dapto, Helensburgh, Thirroul, Unanderra and Warrawong libraries will close from 1pm December 24 and reopen January 2.
More on library opening times here.
Shellharbour council libraries:
Warilla, Albion Park and Shellharbour Village libraries will close at noon on December 22 and reopen on January 2. Shellharbour Village library reopens on January 4. Oak Flats Library is closed from 5pm December 20 until January 2. Shellharbour City Library closes 3pm December 23 and reopens January 2.
Illawarra Regional Airport is fully operational.
