Cataract, New South Wales — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Cataract, in the Wollongong City Council local government area.
| Locality | Cataract |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Local Government Area | Wollongong City Council |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Eastern Time (AEST/AEDT) |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional Australia |
| Latitude | -34.31064 |
| Longitude | 150.81709 |
| Area | 204.3 km² |
| Postcode | 2560 |
| Area Code | 02 |
| Distance to Sydney | 61 km southwest |
Cataract is a locality in the Wollongong City Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The locality covers an area of 204.3 km². It lies approximately 61 km southwest of Sydney. Cataract is located at 34.3106°S, 150.8171°E. It observes Australian Eastern Time (AEST/AEDT). Postcode: 2560. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies the area as Inner Regional Australia.
Cataract lies in a fold of the Illawarra escarpment, where the coastal plain begins its gentle descent towards the Tasman Sea. It lies 14.7 km north-north-west of Wollongong, NSW (from Wollongong, NSW: bearing 333°T), and is situated 9.1 km west-north-west of Woonona. The air here carries the damp, earthy scent of rainforest, a cool breath exhaled from the dense bushland that crowds the slopes. Eucalyptus trees, their bark a mosaic of grey and white, stand sentinel, their leaves catching the afternoon sun in a shimmering dance. Brooding sandstone cliffs, scarred by ancient watercourses, rise in the distance, their weathered faces hinting at the immense geological forces that shaped this country. The land itself feels ancient, a quiet testament to the slow, persistent work of wind and water.
Historically, Cataract's fortunes have been tied to the bounty of the surrounding land and the relentless pulse of industry. Coal, a dark, potent heart, once thrummed beneath these hills, its extraction shaping the lives and livelihoods of generations. The remnants of this era whisper from rusting machinery and overgrown tracks, a quiet echo of a boom that has long since subsided. Today, the economy of Cataract is a more varied affair, with pockets of agriculture clinging to the fertile valleys, and a growing reliance on the services and connections offered by neighbouring centres. The Cataract River, a sliver of silver winding through the green, remains a vital artery, its waters nurturing the landscape and providing a constant, murmuring soundtrack to the lives lived here.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Cataract, New South Wales with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Cataract, in the Wollongong City Council local government area.
Detailed location data for Cataract includes the postcode (2560), telephone area code (02), and local government area (Wollongong City Council), with an ABS remoteness classification of Inner Regional Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Cataract is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |