Local Information - South Coast & Southern Highlands NSW

The South Coast refers to the narrow coastal belt from Sydney in the north to the border with Victoria in the south in the south-eastern part of the State of New South Wales. It is bordered to the west by the coastal escarpment of the Southern Tablelands, which is largely covered by a series of national parks. To the east is the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, which is characterised by rolling farmlands, small towns and villages along a rocky coastline, interspersed by numerous beaches, lakes and national parks. The South Coast includes Shoalhaven district in the north and the Bega Valley in the more remote south as well as the Eurobodalla Shire.

The Illawarra is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong and Shellharbour and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake Illawarra. The east of the region is referred to the Illawarra Escarpment, which leads up to the south-west fringe of metropolitan Sydney and the Southern Highlands region. It is also known as Metropolitan Wollongong which covers Wollongong City Council and Shellharbour City Council.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org