36-552: South Coast Group 7 Rugby League (or Group 7 Rugby League for simplicity) is the divisional boundary drawn from the Southern Illawarra and South Coast regions (from the suburb of Warilla south to Ulladulla ) of New South Wales , Australia and is governed by the NSWCRL . The main semi-professional competition, (named South Coast Group 7 VB First Grade for sponsorship reasons), comprises ten (10) teams from across
72-700: A country town of the South Coast region. The Magpies are a foundation club of the Group 7 Rugby League and are members of Country Rugby League . The Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies have a very rich history in Rugby League in the South Coast. The club was founded in 1914 as a part of South Coast Rugby League along with seven other foundation clubs, three of which still compete in the league, Kiama , Gerringong , and Jamberoo . The club has been one of
108-508: A few vines and a uninterrupted herbaceous groundcover . The Illawarra-Shoalhaven subtropical rainforest lies in the region. For the purposes of Australian federal elections for the House of Representatives , the Illawarra region is contained within the electoral Divisions of Cunningham , Whitlam and the northern tip of Gilmore . For the purposes of New South Wales elections for
144-789: A men's match between the Wollongong and Kiama Swim Clubs at Brighton Beach. The Kiama Swim Club prevailed, winning 3-0. Water polo is currently played at UOW Pool through the Illawarra Water Polo Club. Each year, Illawarra also compete at the NSW Country Club Championships, whereby the Illawarra U14's boys won in 2021. Berry Magpies The Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies are an Australian rugby league football team based in Berry ,
180-682: A shallow lake formed when sediment built up at the entrance to a bay. The district extends from the southern hills of the Royal National Park in the north to the Shoalhaven River in the south, and contains the city of Wollongong , the fourth largest urban area in New South Wales. North of Wollongong the plain narrows to a small strip of land between the coast and the escarpment. At Coalcliff and Stanwell Park small valleys are formed allowing further settlement. To
216-498: Is also known to mean "white clay;" with the suffix " warra ," sometimes spelled as " wurra ," meaning "mountain" in the local indigenous language. George Bass and Matthew Flinders were the first Europeans to visit the area, with Flinders recording that it 'was called " Allowrie " by the natives'. For the period around 1806, the region was called "Five Islands"; referring to the group of five islands off Red Point. In 1817 Governor Macquarie , referring to region, wrote: 'part of
252-682: Is linked to Sydney in the north by several passes, a motorway ( Southern Freeway ) and an electric railway (see Illawarra railway line ); to the west by the Illawarra Highway and Picton Road; and to the south by the Princes Highway . At Albion Park Rail the Illawarra Regional Airport serves the region. The Illawarra Steelers Rugby league Football Club played in the NSWRL rugby league competition, then
288-419: Is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongong , Shellharbour and the coastal town of Kiama . Wollongong is the largest city of the Illawarra with a population of 240,000, then Shellharbour with a population of 70,000 and Kiama with a population of 10,000. These three cities have their own suburbs . Wollongong stretches from Otford in
324-587: The NRL , from 1982 to 1998, and currently forms one half of the St George Illawarra Dragons joint venture, who play six of their twelve home games at WIN Stadium in Wollongong. The Illawarra Steelers still field teams in the lower rugby league divisions. Many famous footballers, such as Bob Fulton , Graeme Langlands , Mick Cronin , Rod Wishart , Paul McGregor , Craig Fitzgibbon , Luke Bailey , Steve Roach , Garry Jack , Warren Ryan , and
360-706: The NSW Legislative Assembly , the Illawarra region is contained within the electoral districts of Wollongong , Keira , Shellharbour , Heathcote , and Kiama . For the purposes of local government administration , the Illawarra region is contained within the cities of Wollongong , Shellharbour and the Municipality of Kiama . The main industries in the area have traditionally been farming, coal mining and steel making . Australia's largest steel-works, BlueScope , operates at Port Kembla . The area, especially around Port Kembla and Wollongong ,
396-554: The Southern Highlands region in the southwest, which is historically semi-rural, but now defined by increasing urbanisation. The word " illawarra " is derived from the Aboriginal Tharawal word " allowrie ," also sometimes spelled as " elouera " or " eloura ." According to A. W. Reed , the word is variously translated as "pleasant place near the sea" or "high place near the sea." The prefix of " illa "
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#1732791299894432-696: The 1970s and in 1978 the Batemans Bay Tigers were another team to move from Group 16. Also the following lower-grade teams: The graph below shows the participation of all current and most former clubs. The club's highest grade in a particular year is displayed. The source is a compilation of competition tables, point scores and lists of participating teams. These have been taken from the Kiama Independent , Illawarra Mercury and other past newspapers on Trove and microfilm. The current South Coast Group 7 Official Historian has assisted with
468-625: The Australian climate. The Illawarra Central Co-operative Dairy Factory was used by the Illawarra Central Co-operative Dairy Co. Ltd. for the intake of milk and cream from dairy farmers in the local area. Coal mining has been a key part to the Illawarra's economy for over 200 years. The southern part of the region has been a source of crushed-stone construction aggregate and railway track ballast material for over 140 years. The Illawarra region
504-707: The Hawks through the NBL's Next Star program. In April 2020, LaMelo Ball and his business manager, Jermaine Jackson announced they had bought the Hawks. The Wollongong Wolves participated in the now defunct NSL , winning back to back premierships in 2000 and 2001. The Wolves were not selected for the NSL's replacement, the A-League , and instead chose to compete in the New South Wales Premier League under
540-762: The Stewart brothers Brett and Glenn , have come from the Illawarra region. The Illawarra Hawks have represented the region (previously known as The Hawks and the Wollongong Hawks) since the foundation year of the NBL , 1979. They won the NBL championship in 2001 defeating the Townsville Crocs 2-1 in the best of 3 finals. They also finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010 seasons. The team caught global attention when American teen sensation LaMelo Ball announced on ESPN's show The Jump that he will be joining
576-604: The coast known generally by the name of the Five Islands, but called by the natives " Illawarra ". The region consists of a grassy coastal plain, narrow in the north and wider in the south, bounded by the Tasman Sea on the east and the mountainous, almost impassable Illawarra escarpment (forming the eastern edge of the Southern Highlands plateau) to the west. In the middle of the region is Lake Illawarra,
612-455: The commencement of 2020 season was postponed. Matches began on 25 July. Ten clubs, including Mt Warrigal and Milton-Ulladulla, also field Women's League Tag teams. This competition has been running since 2010, and has comprised two divisions since 2018. Sussex Inlet and Wreck Bay had fielded third-grade teams in 2019, but have not entered a team in 2020. Kiama, who fielded a Ladies League Tag team from 2010 to 2019, have not done so in 2020. Of
648-418: The competition faced a hiatus, this time between 1942 and 1943, due to World War II . Albion Park won their maiden Premiership in 1944. Kiama (as a single entity) won the title in 1945. They went on to win a further three titles, becoming the first and only club to win four consecutive titles (1945–1948). For a second time, between 1952 and 1954, Berry record premiership wins three years consecutively. In 1955,
684-491: The final 11–10 at the Kiama Showground. As soon as the league began, they entered a two-year hiatus due to World War I . No competitions were held between 1916 and 1917. When the competition reformed in 1918, Gerringong again won the title. The Nowra Warriors were the next team to win the title in 1919. Gerringong went on to win the title a third time in 1920, with a 3–0 win over Jamberoo . During 1925–26, some of
720-510: The grand final twice in recent years only to lose at home convincingly by minor premiers, Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs , 52–10 on home soil in 2004 after winning a mid-week fifth-place playoff to make semifinals. Then again in 2007, the Magpies lost to minor premiers, Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles 44–10. More recently, in 2010, the club had a visit by Collingwood president and Channel Nine media personality Eddie McGuire in an effort to link
756-485: The league was re-branded as South Coast Group Seven . Milton-Ulladulla record their first premiership win in 1987. A hat-trick of premierships is again recorded, this time by the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles between 1998 and 2000. Source: Group 7 Rugby League History Illawarra The Illawarra is a coastal region in the southeast of the Australian state of New South Wales . It
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#1732791299894792-506: The league was renamed Group 7 Rugby League . Shellharbour won the Premiership in 1962 after a 23-year drought. In 1967, Bomaderry record their first premiership win. In the 1970s, an expansion occurred when Warilla entered the first grade competition in 1970. They go on to win their first premiership in 1978. The Batemans Bay Tigers win their first premiership in 1979, after joining one year earlier in 1978 from Group 16 . In 1980,
828-500: The most successful in the league in term of premierships won with 12 overall, only Gerringong having won more (16 titles). They Magpies have also twice completed a hat-trick of first grade premierships (and is currently the only club to have done this). The streaks were from 1935–37 and 1952–54. They again won the premiership in 1966 and 1967, but have not won it since. The Magpies took a brief stint in 2002 out of first grade before returning with vengeance stronger in 2003. They have made
864-570: The name Wollongong FC . The Wolves organisation collapsed in 2008, and was taken over by Wollongong Community Football Club . The Wolves have continued to play in the New South Wales Premier League. Cricket has also been played in the Illawarra for at least one hundred and fifty years with the Keira Cricket Club being founded in 1862. The first recorded match of water polo in the Illawarra came in 1894, in
900-529: The north to Windang in the south, with Maddens Plains and Cordeaux in the west. The Illawarra region is characterised by three distinct districts: the north-central district, which is a contiguous urban sprawl centred on Lake Illawarra , the western district defined by the Illawarra escarpment , which leads up to the fringe of Greater Metropolitan Sydney including the Macarthur in the northwest, and to
936-629: The northern teams moved into Illawarra Rugby League competition, including Gerringong, who took out the Illawarra Premiership in 1925. Jamberoo won the premiership in 1927. As a result, they were the first team to represent the South Coast in the first championship between South Coast and Illawarra Premiers. Jamberoo (South Coast) defeated Port Kembla (Illawarra) 15–11. In 1929, Bombo won their first (and only) premiership. After winning their first premiership in 1929, Bombo merged with Kiama in 1930. The new entity, Bombo-Kiama , took out
972-539: The original eight teams that competed in the inaugural competition in 1914, only four teams remain playing in first grade. They are the Berry Magpies , Gerringong Lions , Jamberoo Superoos , and Kiama Knights . The Nowra Warriors were also a foundation club, but due to financial reasons were forced to merge with the Bomaderry Swamp Rats in 2007. The merger created the team Shoalhaven Jets, which
1008-557: The provision of more recent tables as printed in association guidebooks and the South Coast Register . Further research may add seasons the juniors only clubs participated which are currently not shown. Rugby league has been played in the South Coast region of New South Wales since 1913, with the first competition taking place between teams from the Shoalhaven district. In May 1914, with other rugby clubs from across
1044-674: The region also splitting from rugby union to join the new code, the South Coast Rugby League was formed. The first season of what is now known as the Group 7 competition began with eight teams competing. These teams included: Berry , Bombo, Gerringong , Jamberoo , Kiama , Kangaroo Valley, Naval College, and Nowra . The First round began on 30 May 1914, with Kiama defeating Gerringong 6–3, Naval College defeating Bombo 7–5, Jamberoo Superoos defeating Kangaroo Valley 3–0, and Nowra Warriors defeating Berry Magpies 3–0. The inaugural premiers were Gerringong, winning
1080-700: The region include Eucalyptus tereticornis , Eucalyptus eugenioides , Eucalyptus longifolia , Eucalyptus bosistoana and Melaleuca decora . Shrub species include Acacia mearnsii , Dodonaea viscosa and as well as the endangered orchard Pterostylis gibbosa . The wet elevated areas of the Illawarra, where rainfall exceeds 1300mm, are within the Southern Lowland Wet Sclerophyll Forests and Southern Escarpment Wet Sclerophyll Forests biomes which generally feature tall, compact eucalyptus forests 30m-60m tall and understorey that include moist shrubs, tree ferns ,
1116-603: The region. Group 7 Rugby League also administers reserve grade, third grade, and under-18s competitions, Ladies League Tag, as well as looking over many junior competitions. The following twenty clubs compete in South Coast Group 7 competitions, with ten teams in the first-grade competition, seven clubs competing in lower grades and three clubs being junior standalone clubs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
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1152-678: The south it widens, and becomes increasingly hillier before reaching Stockyard Mountain, a long divide between the main plain and the Jamberoo Valley, which stretches until it reaches Kiama . South of Kiama is Saddleback Mountain and south of that the Shoalhaven plains and the outcrop of Coolangatta Mountain. Ecologically, the coastal grassy region of the Illawarra is within the Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland biome. Characteristic tree species in
1188-530: The title in their first season. They followed this up with another in 1933. Albion Park became re-affiliated with South Coast Rugby League in 1933. Milton-Ulladulla joined the league in the 1930s from Group 16 Rugby League . Between 1935 and 1937, the Berry Magpies won the premiership three years consecutively. Junior aged competitions (U-17's, 18's, 19's) were first introduced in 1938. The Shellharbour Sharks won their first premiership in 1939. Again,
1224-611: The two Magpie clubs. With McGuire, was other media personality and Collingwood fan Peter Donegan. Former Berry president Michael O'Dwyer worked for Capital TV while they worked for Network Ten in Melbourne, and has since worked closely with the two for several years. Eddie McGuire was presented with a Magpies jumper and has been quoted saying, "my Group 7 team will always be Berry-Shoalhaven Heads". The team's colours are black and white and play out of Berry Showground, Berry . Source: Group 7 History Archived 12 October 2012 at
1260-410: Was once known for its mainly industrial jobs, but since the 1990s commerce has played an increasing role in the city, overtaking industry in many areas. Illawarra cattle were originally bred in Illawarra and are now Australia's 3rd largest breed in population. They are large dark red cows sometimes with white patches. They produce large amounts of high butter fat and high protein milk and are suited to
1296-605: Was renamed Nowra-Bomaderry Jets in 2012. There have been a few teams to expand into the Group 7 Rugby League First Grade Premiership. Through the 20s–30s Albion Park were founded, joined the Illawarra Rugby League and returned to Group 7 in 1933. The Shellharbour Sharks are known to have joined the league at this time. Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs also joined from Group 16 Rugby League . The Warilla-Lake South Gorillas were first introduced into first grade during
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