News from the Lord Mayor's Office, 30 September 2025

By Wollongong Lord Mayor Councillor Tania Brown

Anyone who knows me, knows how much the Illawarra Hawks mean to me.

I’ve been a fan for more years that I can remember and have stuck by their side during the thick and thin times of their career.

I think it’s a privilege to have the only foundation club that’s still standing in our city, and for them to be so supported by our community.

On Saturday night, to the roar of a deafening crowd, I handed over the Keys to the City to the 2025 NBL Championship team and their returning Head Coach Justin Tatum.

It was an important civic occasion and one held against the backdrop of raising their championship banner, and their first home game of the 2025/2026 season against the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers.

It was the final celebration to mark their success last year that saw them break a 24-year championship drought.

More importantly, it also recognised the team as the advocates and representatives of Wollongong.

This team travels across the country, and the ditch, to play games throughout the season. Each time they do they take the name of Wollongong with them and proudly represent our city and its residents.

They don’t take this responsibility lightly and, as their team slogan says, they’re Stronger, Louder, Together.

This isn’t just about them as a team, but their recognition of the role they play in our community as a whole.

We are all Stronger and Louder when we’re together.

I know not everyone in our city is a Hawk Head, but what I do know is that people from Wollongong are a proud bunch.

And the key to the success of Wollongong as a whole is that we’re stronger when we work together to ensure this city is the best place to live, work and play.

So congratulations to the Illawarra Hawks for holding the Keys to the City. Keep up the exceptional work, keep putting Wollongong on the map and representing us in a way that makes everyone proud.