Helensburgh

Helensburgh is a small town in New South Wales, Australia. Helensburgh is located 45 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and north of Wollongong. Helensburgh is in the local government area of Wollongong City Council and marks the northern end of the Illawarra region. It is approximately half way between Sydney and Wollongong, at the southern end of the Royal National Park. At the 2006 census, Helensburgh had a population of 5,330 people.

Geography

The town is on the Woronora Plateau. It is separated from Otford to the south by a high hill and Otford Road. It is separated from Waterfall by tight twists of railway descending from the South Coast Line's highest point at Waterfall to Helensburgh Station. To the south of the line are the two segments of the Garrawarra State Conservation Area, managed by the Office of Environment and Heritage, Parks and Wildlife Group, and to the north the Royal National Park. Waterfall is considered Sydney's most southern suburb and the city train service stops here. Correspondingly, Helensburgh is the northernmost suburb of the Wollongong Local Government Area and is considered the northernmost point, politically, of the Illawarra region, though geographically this is generally considered to be Bald Hill. Helensburgh has an uncrowded, friendly, carefree, and close-knit community with proximity to the beach and overall quiet, unpolluted bush surroundings.