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Considering a visit from the UK and you’ve never heard of Wollongong? It’s okay, relax, we’ve got you covered in all this handy (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) guide to all you need to know about the Illawarra. It's expected some 5000 interstate and overseas tourists will descend on the region next year to witness Wigan Warriors and Hull FC play the first Super League game outside of Europe to be held at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium on February 10. Wigan fans in particular are famous for their fanatical support of their powerhouse club. Fans are affectionately known as Pie Eaters, a reference to the 1926 General Strike, when Wigan miners were forced to eat 'humble pie' and return to work before miners in other towns. The Wigan Warriors have dedicated their squad number 18 to their fans, such is their devotion. So if you are a Pie Eater wanting to know a bit more about Wollongong before you book your trip, here's a bit of a guide to a few key things you should know. A question you are all asking we know. Well, here you go. Yes, we’re about an hour or south of Sydney and despite what Sydney people might tell you we are not “South Sydney”. Don’t listen to them. The fumes from all the traffic in Sydney has gone to their heads. Wollongong is the city of our region known as the Illawarra. You getting all this? Like Wigan we have our origins based in mining and still have one of the last remaining steel manufacturing plants in the country. Our people are bred tough and everything is big here. Even our seagulls. No doubt when you are here you will want to take a dip at one of our glorious beaches. Who could blame you? We do. All year round in fact. In fact, this weekend, in the middle of winter, we’re expecting to get temperatures up to about 25 degrees celsius. Otherwise known as a “British summer”. So before you venture out in the sun it’s perhaps best you dress sensibly and apply plenty of sunscreen lest you want to end up looking like this guy. Also before you venture into the ocean a couple of important things you should know. Our surf is pretty powerful. We’ve come to know and understand that but to those unfamiliar with it, our surf conditions can be a tragedy waiting to happen. So before you jump into the surf, here’s something you should definitely read first. READ MORE: How to identify a rip current. No, seriously, read it. Ok, let’s move on. Now when you do get out in the surf, you may be joined by some of the local wildlife. We’ve got so many sharks, sometimes we don't even know what the heck they are. That’s okay, we just call them all Bruce. It’s not really the wildlife in the water though you have to worry about. The wildlife we worry about is found elsewhere. You find one of these guys in your bed, then yeah, you can panic. Now, if you’re a foodie (and who isn’t?!), don’t forget to drop into one of our local eateries. We’ve also compiled a list of the best burger joints in town (as voted by our readers) and best fish and chips! In all seriousness, we can guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy your trip to Wollongong. In fact, do you want to truly know what you should be worried about? You’ll never want to leave.

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