Coledale is a small village in the Illawarra¹ region of New South Wales, Australia. It's 20 minutes north of Wollongong², and mid-way between Cronulla and Campbelltown.

Coledale is located on the seaside, nestled in between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, on a piece of land about 1.5km wide. For this reason, one of the most charming things about this town is that it can never really be built out.

Originally a mining community³, it is now primarily a residential village for people working in Sydney or Wollongong. Also, it is popular with retired and semi-retired people.

For the Visitor...

Coledale can best be described as a sleepy village. Facilities include an Olympic-sized ocean pool, a patrolled beach and... well, not much else, although the pool and beach provide plenty of entertainment. There is, however, not much in the way of shopping available there. There is a newsagent and supermarket, an off-licence/delicatessen, a hairdressing salon, a Chinese takeaway, a pizza restaurant and a video shop. Oh, and there is a fire station, but don't use that as a landmark, because most people who haven't been to Coledale before can't seem to find it.

In terms of accommodation, there isn't really a great deal in the town itself - a camping ground and a caravan park is pretty much it, although you may find some private bed and breakfast accommodation, if you search for it.

It may sound as if Coledale has little to offer: this is not true. It has a mellow, relaxed atmosphere, employment in the nearby larger conurbations of Wollongong, Cronulla and Campbelltown, and good shopping in Thirroul and Corrimal. You can be in Sydney in about an hour, and have ready local access to anything else you need. It's a great place to live.