At a glance
- Cost
- $1.20 an hour in zones up to 2 hours, 80 cents an hour for 3 and 4 hours, 60 cents an hour for 8 hours
- Free times
- Council car parks and on-street: weekdays before 8.30am and after 4.30pm, weekends and public holidays
- Saturday
- On-street time limits apply 8.30am to 12.30pm
- How to pay
- CellOPark app, or a parking meter with card or cash; leave the ticket face up on the dashboard
- Spaces
- More than 5,000 car spaces in the CBD
- Meter fault line
- 1300 994 392
Council car parks and on-street spaces in the Wollongong CBD cost at most $1.20 an hour and as little as 60 cents an hour, as of October 2026, and they are free on weekday evenings after 4.30pm, on weekends and on public holidays. You pay with the CellOPark app or at a parking meter, and fees only apply during the times shown on the signs.
City of Wollongong says there are more than 5,000 car spaces in the CBD. The rules differ between on-street spaces, Council’s metered car parks, licenced car parks and the car parks run by shopping centres and private operators, so this guide sets out each one, with the prices and hours the Council and the Wollongong CBD precinct website have published.
When is parking free in the Wollongong CBD?
City of Wollongong lists the same free periods for on-street parking and for its metered off-street car parks. Parking is free before 8.30am and after 4.30pm on weekdays, on weekends and on public holidays. Time limits still apply on Saturdays between 8.30am and 12.30pm for on-street spaces, so a Saturday morning visit needs a check of the sign.
| Time | On-street spaces | Council metered car parks |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays before 8.30am | Free | Free and untimed |
| Weekdays 8.30am to 4.30pm | Time limits and fees may apply | Fees and time limits apply |
| Weekdays after 4.30pm | Free | Free and untimed |
| Saturday | Free, but time limits apply 8.30am to 12.30pm | Free and untimed |
| Sunday | Free | Free and untimed |
| Public holidays | Free | Free and untimed |
The Council’s city centre parking page also says accessible parking is always free, whether you are in an accessible or a non-accessible space. Fees only apply during the times shown on the signs, so the sign beside the space is the final word for that spot.
How much does it cost per hour?
The Council’s meter fee schedule is priced per hour, pro rata, and the rate falls as the time limit of the zone rises.
| Zone and time limit | Fee per hour (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| Half an hour, 1 hour or 2 hours, on-street and off-street | $1.20 |
| 3 hours and 4 hours, on-street and off-street | $0.80 |
| 8 hours, off-street | $0.60 |
The precinct website Wollongong CBD describes the same bands as zones up to 2 hours, zones from 2 to 4 hours and zones from 4 to 8 hours. It says the Council car parks with 8-hour limits are the cheapest option for a full working day, at $4.80 for all day.
Which Council car parks are there?
The Council runs six metered off-street car parks in the centre. The time limit is the number on the sign, such as 8P for eight hours.
| Car park | Time limit | Address |
|---|---|---|
| George Street Car Park | 8P | 8 to 12 George Street |
| MacCabe Park Car Park | 4P | 86 Church Street |
| Rawson Street Car Park | 8P | Corner of Rawson Street and Railway Parade |
| Stewart Street Car Park (levels 2 to 4) | 2P | 41 Burelli Street, entered via Stewart Street |
| Stewart Street East Car Park (the larger car park) | 8P | 18 Bank Street, entered via 13 Stewart Street |
| Victoria Street Car Park | 4P | 12 to 20 Victoria Street |
The Council says some off-street car parks in the centre are provided by Council and others are run by shopping centres or private businesses. Those other car parks set their own prices and hours.
What about Wollongong Central and Market Street?
Two private car parks have their own deals, according to the Wollongong CBD website, which lists these as of 19 October 2026:
- Wollongong Central: the first 2 hours are free on weekends, and parking is free after 5.30pm except on Thursday. The site lists an early bird rate of $7 a day at the P3 car park.
- Secure Parking at 37 Market Street: 2 hours are free every day, and the most you pay on weekends is $6 if you stay longer than 2 hours. The early bird rate is $11 a day.
These are operator prices published on a precinct website, not on the Council’s page, so check the signs and the operator’s own information before relying on them.
How do I pay?
If the sign says “Ticket”, you must pay in one of two ways. The first is the CellOPark app, where you start and stop a session on your phone and pay only for the time you use. The second is a parking meter, also called a Pay and Display machine, which takes card or cash. After paying at a meter, leave the printed ticket face up on the dashboard.
A motorcycle does not need a ticket in a metered space. The rider still has to follow the signs for time limits or any other conditions.
What if the meter is not working?
Call the Parking Meter Fault Line on 1300 994 392 and buy a ticket from the next nearest working meter. If a faulty meter made you pay twice and you reported the fault, the Council can refund the second ticket. Fill in the Parking Meter Refund Request Form and take it with the original ticket to the Customer Service Centre at 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong, which is open 8.30am to 5pm.
What are licenced car parks?
The Council has several off-street spaces in the centre that are licenced to companies or individuals for weekdays between 6am and 5pm. Outside those hours the general public can use them for free, on weekdays before 6am and after 5pm and on weekends. The locations are Belmore Street, George Street, Keira Street, Rawson Street, Thomas Street and Victoria Street.
The licence fee is $117.00 a month for permanent parking, paid by Direct Debit, plus a $115.00 establishment fee for the access card. If you only visit occasionally, the metered car parks above are the option for weekday daytime use.
Is accessible parking free?
Yes. The Council says accessible parking is always free, and accessible spaces have no time limit. They are for people with a valid Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) card, which must be clearly displayed in the vehicle.
MPS holders can also park in non-accessible spaces for longer than the sign allows. If the sign shows more than 30 minutes, the limit is unlimited. If it shows 30 minutes, an MPS holder can stay up to 2 hours. If it shows less than 30 minutes, the limit is 30 minutes. MPS holders can park in Council and on-street metered or ticket areas at no charge. Check the Council’s accessible parking page for the map of spaces.
Where can I charge an electric car?
The Council, EVX Australia and Endeavour Energy have a pilot of kerbside electric vehicle chargers mounted on existing power poles. There are five locations: 14 George Street, 12 to 20 Victoria Street and Georges Place in Wollongong, plus the Austinmer Tennis Courts in Austinmer and Railway Parade in Thirroul. Details are on the Council’s kerbside EV chargers page.
Where should I park for a game at WIN Stadium?
The Council’s special events parking page covers WIN Entertainment Centre, WIN Stadium and the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC). It advises arriving early to park and walk, and lists car parks and streets within a 5 to 15 minute walk of the stadium: Stewart Street Car Park at 41 Burelli Street, Church Street on-street parking, MacCabe Park Car Park and George Street Car Park. It adds that special event parking and rates may apply at Stewart Street East Car Park.
The Wollongong CBD website gives walking times from some of the same car parks. Stewart Street Car Park is a short walk, MacCabe Park Car Park and Church Street are about 15 minutes, and 37 Market Street is about 10 minutes. The same site says Stewart Street Car Park and MacCabe Park are free after 4.30pm on weekdays and all day on weekends, and that 37 Market Street has 2 hours free, with a $6 maximum on weekends. Check the signs on the day.
For IPAC, which includes Wollongong Town Hall and The Music Lounge, the Council lists Stewart Street Car Park and Stewart Street East Car Park, with bus stops directly out front.
Can I take the train or the free shuttle instead?
The walk from Wollongong Station to the stadium takes about 15 to 20 minutes, the Council says, and about 15 minutes to IPAC. The Wollongong CBD website describes the CBD as 90 minutes from Sydney and points to the Opal Travel app for timetables and live updates.
Once in the centre, the free Gong Shuttle runs routes 55A (anticlockwise loop) and 55C (clockwise loop). The loop runs from Wollongong Station to Wollongong University via Wollongong Mall, Wollongong Hospital, Burelli Street, the Innovation Campus and Fairy Meadow. The Council says the shuttle is available depending on the time and day.
Who do I contact?
City of Wollongong’s contact number is (02) 4227 7111. The Customer Service Centre is at 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong, open 8.30am to 5pm. Prices and conditions on this page were checked on 19 October 2026 and can change, so follow the signs at the space.
Sources
- City of Wollongong — Parking in the City Centre (free times, car parks, meter fees; checked 19 October 2026)
- City of Wollongong — Parking for Wollongong CBD special events
- City of Wollongong — Accessible Parking
- City of Wollongong — Kerbside EV chargers
- Wollongong CBD — Parking and Transport Guide
- CellOPark
Featured image: Wollongong CBD (photo: Nick-D / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with City of Wollongong, CellOPark, Wollongong CBD or WIN Stadium. Parking rates and conditions can change; check the signs at the car park and the official pages above.