Several candidates standing on platforms which make environmental protection a priority. Indeed, three Independents - mayoral candidate Chris Homer, and Ward B candidates Peter Moran and John Davey - were at Parliament House in Sydney this May pushing to save Killalea State Park from development.

Killalea, Lake Illawarra and Bass Point are among the top environmental concerns going into 2022, with Mr Homer vowing to continue pushing for it to be taken out of Crown Lands hands and into National Parks care.

Read more: Advocates optimistic Killalea would be transferred to National Parks

"The most pressing environmental issue is Killalea State Park," he said.

"I'm still advocating for that park, even as I'm doing an election campaign.

"The key is to take away these professional administrators, Reflections, out of the trust role, to somewhere that has protection in perpetuity, and that's the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

"I'm the guy that has fought all years for the environment and open spaces at Killalea, and I just want to support other bits of the environment in my LGA.

"Standing up for the environment has been such a big thing for me because I'm a surfer first and foremost."

Independent Kellie Marsh said her group of candidates also supported this push for Killalea - "we do not want Killalea developed ... it is absolutely imperative" - and said renewable energy was vital.

"Council needs to start working with the state government ... to come up with some incentives for new properties and existing residents to make sure they have solar and get not only the financial benefits, and environmental benefits as well," she said.

Stuart Geddes, Labor candidate for Ward C, said the party's policy statement included transferring Killalea to National Parks, as well as a ban on cockle collection in Lake Illawarra.

"The focuses for the Labor party that we have in terms of the environment is a plan of urban greening - with the issue of climate change we need to establish more parks and trees throughout our city to meet our requirement to reduce carbon emissions and so forth," he said.

"[Labor also has] a proposal for solar panels on all new developments, as a mandatory requirement.

"We're supporting the transfer or Killalea back to public hands, and lobbying the state government for a moratorium on cockles."

Ward B's John Davey nominated the health of Lake Illawarra as his top concern, while also pushing for protecting Killalea.

"There are a number of challenges facing Lake Illawarra - in fact I think you could say some of them are existential threats," he said.

"One is the amount of sedimentation that continues to flow into Lake Illawarra, particularly from the western catchment area as development continues to accelerate.

"We need a greater stormwater system to trap the sediment that's coming into the lake and secondly, I think we should be doing some dredging."

Councillor and Ward B Labor candidate Moira Hamilton said achieving net-zero emissions status was well underway with work from the current council, and all the council's cars were hybrids. She said Killalea was "more of a state issue" and didn't want to comment further.

At Bass Point, Mr Homer, Mr Davey and Cr Marsh agreed dedicated rangers may be needed.

"Shellharbour's such a beautiful city that so many people want to come and live, and that's fair enough. It means you get more people doing their thing in public spaces I'd like to see more of a council presence - I'd like to see how well council is resourcing that area, and if it needs to be strengthened, look at that," Mr Homer said.

The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.