Need to get your diary in order for the next couple of months? We’ve got you. Check out our curated guide of the top business networking events in the Illawarra for September and October.
These are the dates you don’t want to miss. But if we have overlooked your special event, put us right - get in touch. Please email gayle@pulseillawarra.com.au or janine@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.
SEPTEMBER
Thursday, September 3: The Friends of Wollongong City Library present A Literary Lunch with Jeff Apter, the Function Room, Level 9, Wollongong City Council administration building. Apter has written more than 30 biographies about the world of music and musicians. His latest, Reckless, details the career of Australian Crawl. Tickets $35 for Friends of the Library members, $40 non-members. Book here
Friday, September 4: The bi-monthly Boss Woman Breakfast will be held from 9am-10.30am at Georgia Rose, Shell Cove. Tickets here
Saturday, September 5: Every year the organisation supports more than 3,000 women into employment across New South Wales. To be a volunteer you’ll need to attend a Dress for Success NSW & ACT (Illawarra) Volunteer Information Session. The next one is at Dress for Success, 2/210 Cowper Street, Warrawong, 11am-noon. Cost is a tax-refundable $25. More details here
Monday, September 7 - Tuesday, September 8: The Local Community Services Association Conference 2026 - also referred to as the ‘Connecting Communities Conference’ - is at the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, from 1pm Monday - 5pm Tuesday. All ticket sales close at 9am Tuesday, September 1. Get tickets here
Wednesday, September 9: The 15th Annual Illawarra Shoalhaven Dementia Public Forum will be held. at the Fraternity Club, Fairy Meadow, 10am-3pm. The forum will provide a welcoming space to learn, connect and hear directly from people with lived experience, healthcare professionals and sector leaders who are helping shape the future of dementia care. More details her
Thursday, September 10: The annual Young Eyes Festival of Innovation 2026, at iAccelerate, Innovation Campus, UOW, 9:15am-2:15pm. This year's event will also feature a keynote presentation from Ken Kencevski, founder of Devika. The festival showcases outstanding students from across the Illawarra and beyond as they pitch their business ideas and innovative solutions to a live audience.
Friday, September 11: The 2026 IMB Bank Illawarra Business Awards, Uni Hall, University of Wollongong, 6:30pm-10:30pm. General admission tickets have sold out. A limited number of finalists tickets are still available, and have been limited to 2 people per finalist. More details here
Wednesday, September 16: Mentor Walks Wollongong, 7:30am-8:45am, $33. You and up to two other aspiring women spend an invigorating hour walking and talking along the Blue Mile with a seasoned female mentor. Meet on the grassed, north side of North Wollongong Surf Club. Sign up here
Wednesday, September 16: The University of Wollongong hosts In Conversation with former NSW Supreme Court Justice Terry Buddin and Lecturer Melissa Porter, 12.30pm-1:30pm. Buddin is a former NSW Supreme Court Justice and current UOW Honoury Professor, and Porter is a UOW lecturer and former NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions solicitor. Book here
Tuesday, September 15: Exclusive roundtable invite for Business Illawarra members-only … Join Australian cricket legend and UOW Global Brand Ambassador Adam Gilchrist for an inspiring lunch exploring leadership, high performance, and success beyond the sporting arena.More details to come
Wednesday, September 16: The Business Connections Club meeting for September features Doreen Brown, personal brand stylist and founder of Let's Get Visible, 5:30pm-7.30pm, 1-5 Miller St, Coniston, free. Book here
Thursday, September 17: iAccelerate offers Test Your. Business Idea, at. UOW’s Innovation Campus, 9:30am-11:30am, free. An engaging, hands-on workshop designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders evaluate and validate their business concepts. Book her
Monday, September 21: Spotlight on Journalism at University of Wollongong, Wollongong Campus, Building 29, 5.30pm-7pm. Students and UOW academics, who will walk you through what a Journalism Major within the Bachelor of Communication and Media degree looks like and the career pathways available to you. Register here
Tuesday, September 22: The NSW Events team presents NSW Retail Summit 2026, 7:30am–11:30am, at the Shangri-La Sydney, 176 Cumberland St, Sydney. The summit brings together the owners, investors, developers, and operators shaping Australia’s retail property landscape. Register here
Tuesday, September 22: Social Justice Luncheon 2026, featuring Nas Campanella, Sage Hotel, Wollongong. Noon-3pm. The Community Industry Group give you the opportunity to hear from one of Australia's leading journalists and advocates on issues of inclusion, accessibility, and social justice. The afternoon will also feature the presentation of the 2026 Social Justice Champion Award. Tickets members $110, non-members $160, tables of 10 available. More here
Thursday, September 24: The Kiama Business Network will hold the 2026 Mayoral Breakfast, in the Marquee Room, The Sebel Kiama, 7am-9am. Standard Network members will receive one ticket, Gold members two tickets, Platinum members three. Cost for non-members is $45. Tickets on sale soon.
Thursday, September 24: Every year the organisation supports more than 3000 women into employment across NSW. To be a volunteer you’ll need to attend a Dress for Success NSW & ACT (Illawarra) volunteer information session. The next one is at Dress for Success, 2/210 Cowper Street, Warrawong, 2pm-3pm. Cost is a tax-refundable $25.
Friday, September 25: Modern Methods of Construction (MMC): Building the Future in the Illawarra, run by The Property Council, noon-2pm, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, members $140, non-members $209. The speakers include Andrew Cooper, executive general manager, Built Form, Landcom, and BM+G director, David Blackett. Industry leaders, government representatives, manufacturers, developers and innovators discuss how MMC can accelerate housing delivery, improve productivity, create high-value local jobs and unlock new investment opportunities across the region. Register here
Monday, September 28 - Friday, October 2: 9th International Symposium on Mine Safety Science and Engineering and Green Mining Conference 2026 at University of Wollongong. Showcasing the latest advancements in green mining, safety, and sustainability. Register here
OCTOBER
Thursday, October 1: Aboriginal Cultural Awareness workshop by the Community Industry Group. This four-hour workshop, facilitated by Errolyn Strang, will be held at llawarra Aboriginal Corporation, 4 Wentworth Street, Port Kembla. This training is designed for people working in the community sector who would like to be culturally aware. Members $200, non-members $300. More here
Wednesday, October 7 - Friday, October 9: Second International Conference on Digital Intelligence for Energy Systems, at Innovation Campus, UOW. Global experts to explore how digital intelligence is transforming energy systems. From research to real-world solutions, participants will share ideas, showcase innovation, and build partnerships. All the details
Thursday, October 8: The Young Professionals Network hosts Unscripted Conversations with Wollongong’s Lord Mayor, Tania Brown, 7:30am-9:30am, at The Grange, 10 Kembla Grange Pl, Kembla Grange. This event is not a speech to listen to, it is a curated conversation between Young Professionals and the Lord Mayor, facilitated by Business Illawarra Director, Coralie McCarthy. Members $31.50, non members $35. All the details here.
Thursday, October 8: Presented by the Community Industry Group presents From Team Member To Team Leader, 9:30am-1:30pm, 26 Mortlock Ave, Port Kembla. This workshop is specifically designed for individuals who are making, or are about to make, the transition from team member to team leader. Members $100, non-members $150. Tickets here
Wednesday, October 14: Its a members only invite for Business Illawarra’s CEO Connect heads to the NSW Ports boardroom for a briefing with NSW Ports CEO Marika Calfas.
Wednesday, October 21: The latest in Business Illawarra’s Business After Hours event series, 5pm-7pm. More details to come
Friday, October 23: The 2026 Illawarra Indigenous Expo at Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, 10:30am-2pm. The Expo is about more than buying and selling. It creates a space for connection, visibility and opportunity - celebrating the strength, resilience and growing success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprise across the Illawarra. More details here.
Wednesday, October 28: Hook & Ember will host the October Kiama Business Network meeting, 5pm-7:30pm. Members free, guests $25. Tickets on sale soon.
Looking for a network?
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
6: Illawarra Network Group
Made up of business professionals from a variety of industries in the Illawarra region, they meet regularly to network and support each other in growing their businesses. The Illawarra region has a thriving business environment of industries large and small. There are two chapters:
Wollongong: Meets at The Plant Room at The Disability Trust in Spring Hill every second Wednesday.
Southern Chapter: Meets at The Woolshed, Yallah every second Thursday. More details on ING here