Wollongong's ambitious plan to become a major cruise terminal for national and international tourist vessels took a significant step forward today.

Lord Mayor Cr Tania Brown launched a glossy prospectus, effectively the bid document to support the bold bid for Port Kembla Harbour to take pressure off Sydney Harbour, which is struggling to cope with the growth in the number of cruise ships headed there each year.

“As the cruise industry continues to grow in NSW and there is increasing pressure on existing cruise ship infrastructure, there’s a golden opportunity,” the Lord Mayor said. 

The new brochure features prominently an image of the Ruby Princess, which took shelter in Port Kembla when it found itself in the middle of a major Covid outbreak at the very start of the pandemic. Cr Brown said the cruise industry will still remember the kindness shown by the people of Wollongong to the crew on the troubled vessel.

“And few of us will ever forget the image of the Ruby Princess leaving the port with the huge ‘Thank You Illawarra’ sign hanging from its stern in recognition of the kindness shown.”

The Lord Mayor has made securing Australia's next deep water cruise terminal her key tourism ambition, campaigning passionately on it even before being elected Lord Mayor late last year.

The media was told there are probably only two challengers for Port Kembla in the competition to become a new cruise terminal destination. “We’re closer to Sydney than Newcastle and Eden and have an existing deep-water port with road and rail access, making our city the right choice for cruises.”

Cr Brown isn't alone in seeing the big benefits that would come the way of Wollongong and the broader region if we did secure international cruise terminal status.

At the launch of the prospectus, Cr Brown was surrounded by local mayors representing all councils in the surrounding region, as well as the Minister for Planning, Paul Scully, as well as representatives from Destination Wollongong, NSW Tourism Association, Destination Sydney Surrounds South, RDA Illawarra, Business Illawarra, and the Ports Authority of NSW.

Shoalhaven Mayor Patricia White said that her community would benefit enormously with an influx of day trippers and longer-stay tourists making their way south.

“We are only an hour and 20 minutes south by bus or car,” she said. Mayor White said the Shoalhaven currently had four proposals for five-star hotels being considered and a cruise terminal at Port Kembla would be a huge plus in getting those across the line.

Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer said he could also see big benefits, his community being so close to where the boats would begin and end their journeys. “In Sydney there’s a lot coming at you and a lot coming out of your pockets.” He could also see the benefits for Shellharbour residents, saying the convenience of boarding a cruise ship at Port Kembla is much like the convenience of being able to fly in and out of Albion Park Airport.

Ultimately a decision on whether Port Kembla is selected to join a list of other global cruise destinations rests with the NSW Government, and it seems we already have one foot on the deck.

"The Illawarra has shown the region is ready, willing and more than able to host cruise ships and the visitors on them with a mix of onshore visitor experiences for people to explore,” Mr Scully said. The minister wouldn’t be drawn on when his government would make a final decision.

The prospectus lists the many "advantages" of basing a new cruise terminal at Port Kembla, being relatively close to both Sydney airports, offering easy fly-in access for the 80 per cent of passengers who currently travel by air to join the cruises. 

Port Kembla is a deep-water port. It's relatively easy to navigate, well protected and has land that can accommodate a terminal and the additional support services required. It's also an industrial area so there would be minimal residential impact.

The distance between Wollongong and Sydney, Australia's most visited tourism destination, isn't seen as a deterrent. London's port of Southampton and Rome's port of Civitavecchia are examples of other international cruise terminals located at least one hour's drive from their capital city.

All that’s left is for the NSW Government to anoint Wollongong as the preferred location and commission a feasibility study to put more meat in the bones of what’s needed in terms of infrastructure and investment to bring the Lord Mayor's dream to reality.