Your essential guide to the Illawarra's top networking events for November-December 2025
Essential dates, venues & contact details for the region's key business groups.
Check out our curated guide of the top business networking events in the Illawarra for November and December 2025.
These are the dates you don’t want to miss. But if we have overlooked your special event, don’t be shy - get in touch. Email gayle@pulseillawarra.com.au
And don’t stop at the diary either, keep scrolling for all the details of the key networking groups in the Illawarra.
Dates for your diary
Monday, November 3: The Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) will be meeting at Level 9 Function Room at Wollongong City Council to reflect on the recent Social Enterprise World Forum. Register here.
Wednesday, November 5: Dapto Jobs Drive, presented by Illawarra South Coast Local Jobs Program. From 10am-2pm at the Dapto Ribbonwood Centre. More details
Friday, November 7: Young Professional Network will launch its Future Focus Series at iAccelerate. Keira MP and the NSW Health Minister Ryan Park will kick off the series with a Q&A. Tickets for the breakfast event (7.30am-9am) are $20. Get them here.
Friday, November 7: Boss Woman Breakfast at Shellharbour’s Georgia Rose hosted by Wollongong Women. From 9am-10.30am. More here
Sunday, November 9: TechWalking - Wollongong is a networking event for tech professionals. Meet any The Boathouse North Wollongong, 1A Cliff Rd and walk 4km to Flagstaff Point Lighthouse and back. Starts at 9.30am sharp. More details
Thursday, November 11: Lifeline South Coast will be holding a two-day Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) course. It will be held at 132 Wentworth Street, Port Kembla and costs $386.24. Details here.
Thursday, November 11: The Distribution Deep Dive Workshop is being held for free by Destination Sydney Surrounds South and promises to help make your tourism product bookable and visible. It starts at noon, at Shellharbour Airport. Details here.
Friday, November 14: 2025 International Men’s Day Lunch by Healthier Illawarra Men. From 11.30am-3.30pm at University Hall, University of Wollongong. Dubbed ‘An Audience with Lord Ian Botham’, tickets for the lunch, which includes Karl Stefanovic and men’s health advocate Gus Worland. Tickets here (maybe)
Saturday, November 15: The University of Wollongong’s 50th Birthday Party. An unforgettable day filled with live music, delicious food, vibrant market stalls, and fun activities for all ages. It’s free but there’s a chance to win something here.
Tuesday, November 18: i3net, in partnership with BAE Systems Australia, deliver the Navigating Defence workshop to equip participants with the expertise needed to navigate the more complex aspects of supplying to the defence sector. The Wollongong event goes from 11am-5pm. More details here
Wednesday, November 19: Illawarra Women in Business Business Over Bubbles will be held at the Illawarra Hotel from 5.30pm. It’s a chance to meet new contacts or catch up with familiar faces. It costs $28 for members. Details here.
Wednesday, November 19: International Men’s Day Lunch hosted by Kind Hearts Illawarra will be held at The Living Room. It costs $90 plus booking fee. Details here.
Thursday, November 20: iAccelerate presents Test Your Business Idea Wollongong. From 9.30am-1.30pm. An engaging, hands-on workshop designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders evaluate and validate their business concepts. More here
Thursday, November 20: Business Illawarra presents the latest in The Up & Coming Lunch Leadership Series. From noon-2pm at The Grange, Princes Highway. Details here.
Wednesday, November 26: Mentor Walks Wollongong will be hitting their stride again from 6.30am. It’s a chance to discuss career progression and get support from an exceptional female mentor. Tickets cost $33. Get them here.
Thursday-Friday, November 27-28: DevOpsDays Wollongong 2025 will be held at Novotel Wollongong North Beach. DevOpsDays is a worldwide series of technical conferences with each event run by volunteers from the local area. All the details right here
Thursday, November 27: Join the UOW Annual Economic and Social Policy Lecture from 2.15pm to hear from Professor Robert Breunig, Director of the Crawford School of Policy’s Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the Australian National University. Prof Breunig will explore how rigorous analysis of administrative data can help governments to design more effective, equitable and efficient policies. Full details here.
Friday, November 28: IWIB Lunch with Jelena Dokic. Former world number 4 tennis player, Jelena Dokic, embodies resilience and triumph. Details here.
Tuesday, December 2: AICD will be hosting a Boardroom Hypotheticals Briefing at City Beach from 5.30pm. The event is an opportunity for directors to challenge the application of their governance skills in a simulated board environment. It costs $70 for members and counts as 5 CPD points. Find out more.
Tuesday, December 2: The Illawarra Connection will be hosting its End of Year Celebration from 6.30pm at the Lagoon Seafood Restaurant. It will be a chance to hear from participants of the Leadership Illawarra Program. Find out more here.
Tuesday, December 9: i3net will be holding its AGM and Industry Night at City Beach, Wollongong. The event will be opened by Paul Scully, MP for Wollongong and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces. It’s a chance to celebrate 2025. Tickets cost $90 for i3net members. Details here.
Wednesday, December 10: Business Illawarra’s Business After Hours networking event. Details TBC
1. Business Illawarra
As the region’s peak business organisation, Business Illawarra supports over 27,000 businesses across the Illawarra-Shoalhaven, South Coast, and Capital regions. They offer a comprehensive events program, including networking, educational, and executive-level events, connecting members with key decision-makers and providing valuable insights. More on Business Illawarra here
2. i3net (Illawarra Innovative Industry Network)
i3net is a network of advanced manufacturers and industrial innovators in the Illawarra. They host events like the Industry Breakfast, providing opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and exploring real work opportunities. More on i3nethere
3. Illawarra Women in Business (IWIB)
IWIB is a vibrant network dedicated to supporting and connecting women in business. They host regular networking lunches, coffee clubs, and an annual Businesswomen’s Awards, providing a platform for collaboration and professional growth. More on IWIB here
4. The Illawarra Connection
This exclusive organisation brings together business and community leaders to foster connections, inspire collaboration, and drive innovation in the region. They also partner with RDA Illawarra and the Sydney Business School to deliver the Leadership Illawarra Program. Read more about the Illawarra Connection here.
5. Northern Illawarra Chamber of Commerce (NICC)
NICC supports local businesses in the northern Illawarra region through events like business breakfasts and networking evenings, fostering community building and collaboration among professionals. More in the NICC here