Wollongong has everything you need

The University of Wollongong is in an ideal location no matter what you do for fun. For those that like to surf, Wollongong has some of the best beaches in Australia located just minutes away from most of the housing communities. Like to hike/climb/explore? The city is located between the ocean and the mountains with tons of trails to hike and rock climbing routes. The city's public transportation is very efficient and has a free bus that runs until 10 on weekdays and 8 on weekends that gets you to uni and downtown. The nightlife is great with tons of clubs and pubs depending on what you prefer and the dorms provide safe transportation to and from these venues. You can also get to Sydney easily if you like the large city scene and going out at night is not hard because you can take the train back as late as 4am. The school system is also one of the top in the world and the staff is extremely helpful for internationals and make sure you understand how things may be different than you are used to. The only down part to my experience was the first 2 weeks I was here(end of July) it rained almost every day and was cold but the locals said it was the worst winter they've ever had. Since then it has been paradise! Definitely consider UOW if you want to get away from the large cities like Sydney but still want to have all the activities conveniently close.