About NiO

Northern Illawarra Online, otherwise known as NiO (pronounced "neo") was launched by Scott James Smith in June 2003 as an online community and business directory, initially for Helensburgh, but aimed at the combined 2508 and 2515 postcode areas which together comprise the "Coastal Villages" region of the Northern Illawarra.

Scott had moved to Helensburgh in 2000 and quickly recognised the need for more local media infrastructure to help support local business and community through improved networks and communications. Scott joned the Northern Illawarra Chamber of Commerce (NICC) to help unite local businesses in this cause and quickly graduated to an executive level - by developing the online directory at NiO in parallel to the collaboration with NICC, there was little delay in promoting the "Northern Illawarra" brand.

Late in 2003, the coast road joining Stanwell Park to Austinmer and Thirroul was severed, which for the most part was a negative influence on the development of NiO and NICC, but what did emerge during that three year period, was a much greater sense of cohesion between the Helensburgh and Stanwell Park business communities who rallied together to survive.

Illawarra Mercury, March 2004

This had the effect off spreading NiO down into Stanwell Park, and the emerging online technologies provided through the NiO website was most effective in retaining a connection with the Austinmer and Thirroul businesses, who were now effectively closer to Wollongong, than their northern neighbours who remained a stone's throw across the gap where the Sea Cliff Bridge was being built.

Wollongong Advertiser, January 2006

Helensburgh was making great strides during this period with the development of the "Helensburgh Beautification Project" which effectively bound together the strengths of established community groups such as Helensburgh Lions Club and Helensburgh Landcare, to help improve the street scape which not only fostered a great sense of town pride for the community, but also generated confidence for the local businesses.

The transformation of the town centre took many hours of hard labour from a handful of volunteers, but successfully turned a sad and neglected public space into a thriving community hub with a sustainable / ongoing beautification solution.

During this time, NiO started publishing a printed version of its online directory, produced as a wallhanger providing a visual resource of local business contacts. This continued to be published every 6 months, reaching a broader audience with each issue.

Wollongong Advertiser, May 2006

In 2007, NiO pushed south to reach its southern audience in the suburbs between Bulli and Corrimal, expanding the printed wallhanger directory to include all the contacts from this region. During this period, NiO joined the Corrimal Chamber of Commerce (CCoC) and started the same process of reinvention and development that had occured with NICC. Community interaction took the form of sponsorships which provided many local sports, arts and community groups with free web design, hosting and development.

Locally, "Historic Helensburgh" was taking shape with the extensive landscaping in the town centre, and provision of bus shelter advertising for sports clubs and community and community groups, but there were a couple of significant projects coming to a head, with the completion of the Lions Club Community Sign which had taken several years to complete.

In 2008, the final stages of planning were finally being completed on the "Helensburgh Coalminer" - a large bronze sculpture in the town centre as a tribute to the coalmining heritage of the region.

Wollongong Advertiser, May 2008

In June 2008, the business and community listings at NiO had increased significantly, and it was decided to split the region in half, with the "Coastal Villages" (Helensburgh to Thirroul) receiving their printed directories annualy in July, while the "Business Hub" Fairy Meadow to Woonona) would be in October. This separated and staggered approach allowed the wallhanger format to continue, with the inclusion of Fairy Meadow as the souther border of the Northern Illawarra. The distribution was not only expanded but refined, by continuing to use the Australia Post un-addressed mail system for all residents, but with the addition of direct mail to all 1400+ businesses in the region to guarantee the promotion of every business in the entire region.

Find out more about the Northern Illawarra