Wollongong ( WUUL-ən-gong), informally referred to as "The Gong", is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is thought to be derived from the word woolyungah in the language of the Aboriginal inhabitants at the time of settlement, meaning five islands. Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 85 kilometres (53 miles) south of central Sydney. Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302,739 at June 2018, making it the third-largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle and the tenth-largest city in Australia by population. The city's current Lord Mayor is Gordon Bradbery AM who was elected in 2021.The Wollongong area extends from Helensburgh in the north to Windang and Yallah in the south.