Cringila, New South Wales

Cringila
Wollongong, New South Wales

Aerial photo from east
Coordinates 34°28′16″S 150°52′19″E / 34.47111°S 150.87194°ECoordinates: 34°28′16″S 150°52′19″E / 34.47111°S 150.87194°E
Population 2,114 (2011 census)[1]
 • Density 813/km2 (2,110/sq mi)
Established 1928
Postcode(s) 2502
Area 2.6 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Location 6 km (4 mi) from Wollongong
LGA(s) Wollongong City Council
State electorate(s) Wollongong
Federal Division(s) Throsby
Suburbs around Cringila:
Unanderra Spring Hill
Berkeley Cringila Port Kembla
Berkeley Lake Heights Warrawong

Cringila is a densely populated southern suburb in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The suburb is bounded by Berkeley, Unanderra, Lake Heights and Warrawong.

The suburb is planned on a north-south residential/commercial strip and the east west streets that adjoin it, making a rectangular pattern.

Cringila Community Park is a 78 ha site purchased by Wollongong City Council after residents defeated a proposal by BHP to use the land as a dump for industrial waste. Its main purpose is to regenerate the local area's natural wildlife. Surrounding Cringila's primary school is a protected rain forest.

A fraction of Cringila is the Port Kembla steelworks, which is a major local employer. This led to an influx of ethnic groups, primarily Macedonian, Portuguese, Turks and Lebanese. This in turn transformed the demographics of Cringila significantly and at the 2001 census more people lived in households where Macedonian was spoken (31.8%) than in households where only English was spoken (24.6%), making it the only suburb in Australia where this was true.[2] However in 2011 only 20.7% of the population lived in households where Macedonian was spoken and 32.8% lived in households where only English was spoken.[1]

The word Cringila is an Aboriginal name - the town was formerly called Steeltown. In 1928 the first blast furnace opened up at the Port Kembla steelworks.

In 1935 the first public school opened, it was known as Steel Town School. In 1957 Cringila Public School opened.

The main operating shops include Abdul's Butcher, the Cringila Hotel, a few burek shops, a newsagency, a pharmacy and convenience store. Other businesses include a petrol station, kebab shops, and a florist.

Sport

Cringila also has a local football (soccer) team which participates in the local Illawarra Premier League. They are supported strongly by the Macedonian community of Cringila and Wollongong. They play their local games at their home ground at John Crehan Park, Merrett Avenue, Cringila. In 2008 Cringila had finished 4th in the local Illawarra Premier League and also won the Corrimal League cup which also led to greater success in winning the Bert Bampton Cup. Cringila Lions have a strong rivalry with Wollongong United also backed heavily by the Macedonian community.

Transport

Cringila railway station in on the Port Kembla Branch of the South Coast railway line.

Demographics

At the 2011 census, Cringila had a total population of 2,114 with 1,010 (47.8%) born in Australia and a median age of 36. Their country of birth was as follows:[1]

Country of birth Number Percentage of total inhabitants
 Australia 1,011 47.8%
 Macedonia 310 14.7%
 Lebanon 111 5.3%
 Portugal 58 2.7%

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Cringila (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  2. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Cringila (State Suburb)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 April 2015.