At the last minute, the Liberals fielded candidates in all Illawarra seats - most of whom are complete unknowns.
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So who are they?
Melanie Gibbons - Kiama
The most-experienced of the Illawarra Liberal candidates Ms Gibbons is currently the MP for Holsworthy, which buts up against the northern edge of Heathcote.
She is running in Kiama after losing preselection for Holsworthy, which she held since it was created in 2015. Before then she was the Menai MP since 2011.
Ms Gibbons also failed to make it onto the party's upper house ticket, making Kiama her third choice.
Lives in Woronora, more than an hour's drive from Kiama but said she would move to Kiama if elected.
Noah Shipp - Keira
Graduated from Bulli High School last year, where he was vice captain.
That led to Ryan Park (who he is now running against) mentioning Mr Shipp and the leadership group in NSW Parliament last year.
"Each of these students works exceptionally hard and have been highly involved within their school community throughout their time at the school," Mr Park said.
Campaigned for Liberals' Gilmore candidate Andrew Constance.
Has been a tennis coach at the Bulli club since 2020.
Joel Johnson - Wollongong
He attended Aquinas Catholic College at Menai, graduating in 2020.
While at college, Mr Johnson worked at McDonald's moving up the ladder to become a "customer experience leader".
He also worked at Club Central at Hurstville, before joining the staff of federal Liberal MP David Coleman, the member for Banks.
In May last year he moved to the Cronulla office of NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman.
Mr Johnson is a Ramsay Scholar at the University of Wollongong and president of the UOW Liberals Club.
His Twitter profile says he lives in the Sutherland Shire.
Mikayla Barnes - Shellharbour
Worked at Beach Street Surf Scene at Shellharbour.
Has been critical of the Liberal Party.
When she was UOW's Liberal Club president in 2021, Ms Barnes was "disgusted" with the behaviour towards women of some Coalition men in Canberra.
"There is no place in Parliament, let alone society for this type of disgusting behaviour," Ms Barnes said.
Last year, she posted to Facebook that the party had "problems and flaws" that were highlighted after the 2022 federal election defeat.
Her Linkedin profile reads "If you have ever seen the fast-moving water of the beautiful South Coast beaches, chances are, you are just looking into the eyes of Mikayla Barnes."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
