The Worlds Come To WOLLONGONG
I PERSONALLY LOVE THE INTERACTION OF GOING TO a caravan park (or a concierge desk occasionally) and getting the little map that the local person behind the counter scratches their recommendations onto, with hot tips for places to go, things to do, and places to avoid.
What follows is my attempt to do the same for this year’s Road World Championships in Wollongong. This will not be the complete guide of the course or a preview of who to watch, but rather a local’s thoughts on some ideas of places to go, routes to ride, and where to rehydrate when you visit stunning Wollongong this year.
Firstly whilst we now call these lands Wollongong or the Illawarra it is important to acknowledge that the entire course for the world championships lies on what has been Dharawal Country for thousands of years. In September it will be spring time according to our usual European understanding, but the Dharawal people have six seasons of the year and September falls in Murraiyunggory season marked by the changing temperatures associated with this time. What an honour to be able to enjoy this beautiful land which has such a rich heritage. (if you get the chance to visit us here in Wollongong for the racing we hope you enjoy the privilege of riding, cheering and having fun on Dharawal land)
THE COURSE
Starting in Helensburgh and finishing in Wollongong, the course itself has three main sections.
SECTION 1 THE APPROACH
Departing Helensburgh (South of The Royal National Park). The Royal National Park itself is well worth a visit especially if you’d enjoy bushwalking, there is a huge range of difficulties and durations of walks available. The riders descend Bald Hill
