Australia’s up-and-coming high streets: The revival of Port Kembla’s Wentworth Street
It’s an overcast Saturday afternoon in Port Kembla and in the open-air courtyard of a motorcycle dealership, locals sip on craft beer and devour pop-up pizza while Third Eye Stimuli DJs spin a bumping soundtrack.
The third edition of the annual Port Kembla Festival is well underway and the NSW South Coast suburb’s high street is abuzz with live music, pop up bars and makers markets.
It’s a far cry from the old image of Wentworth Street back in the 1980s and 90s, when the desolate strip of boarded-up shop fronts resembled a place of crime and neglect.
Locals enjoy in craft beer and pop-up pizza at the recent Port Kembla Festival. Picture: Supplied
Chris Weedon opened Black Metal Motor Co in 2021 and considers Port Kembla festival a prime example of Wentworth Street’s ongoing rejuvenation.
“The dodgy weather might have hurt us a little bit this year, but I think it’s still a good representation of the street’s amazing potential,” Mr Weedon said.
“Things are slowly changing here and we’re starting to see an eclectic mix of businesses opening up.”
Chris Weedon is the owner of Black Metal Motor Co on Port Kembla’s iconic Wentworth Street. Picture: Supplied
“When I first moved in three years ago, there was maybe a hairdresser and a café. Now we’ve got we’ve got quite a few cafes, two new Pilates studios, a wedding shop and of course the Iron Yampi – a bar and restaurant that has been a massive draw for the area.”
Glory days
Port Kembla Festival may only be held once a year, but historian Dr Tony Moore – an associate professor at Monash University – recalls a time when Wentworth Street exuded a constant air of festivity.
“It was one of the most bustling high streets I’ve ever known, and that includes both George and Pitt Street in Sydney,” said Dr Moore, who grew up in Port Kembla in the 1960s.
“I’ve often described it as the navel of the world. It was a dynamic boom town that was attracting immigrants from all over the globe to work at the Steelworks, particularly from post-war Europe.”
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Dr Moore remembers Wentworth Street as a “grand hub” of cake shops, delicatessens, milk bars and gaming arcades.
“There was a cinema called the Whiteway Theatre and a brothel called the Frisco Club, which we as children feared.”
“My auntie had a guest house at the end of the street called the Loray Guest House,” Dr Moore explained, “which was for the many working men who came here from Europe or interstate before their families later caught up to be with them.”
“Her husband was Portuguese, so she would cook them Continental and ‘Australian’ meals, as we called them in those days.”
And, of course, there were the many pubs of Wentworth Street.
“They were filled with a thick blue of cigarette smoke and echoed with the voices of hundreds of working men swilling beer.”
End of an era
By the early 1980s, Port Kembla Steelworks had reached its peak with more than 20,000 employees.
But as the impending recession loomed, automation quickly began replacing jobs.
“I worked part-time at the steelworks as a labourer in 1980 while at university and I couldn’t believe how many people worked there,” said Tony Moore. “I could kind of tell already they were probably overstaffed and there were a lot of people whose jobs were already becoming automated.”
Massive job layoffs were only part to blame for Port Kembla’s subsequent urban decline.
Port Kembla’s industrial past still remains. Picture: Getty
In 1985, the nearby Warrawong Plaza was acquired by the Westfield Group, who extensively redeveloped and relaunched the centre as a modern shopping mall.
“What was an old fruit and vegetable market in the late ‘60s suddenly had supermarkets, a new spic and span cinema, bowling alley, and all the things to attract youth culture,” Dr Moore explained.
“There was also a new road built which essentially allowed people to bypass Port Kembla, which definitely changed things and took people off Wentworth Street.”
“It’s interesting, when you think about Melbourne, it’s the kingdom of high streets and they really preserve them,” Dr Moore added.
“Sadly, New South Wales hasn’t been very good at doing that.”
A desirable place to live
The rebirth of Port Kembla and its high street has been a slow process for some time now, though its progress has somewhat fast-tracked since the pandemic-driven regional property boom of 2021.
The coastal suburb is now a highly desirable and relatively affordable option for homebuyers.
Housing remains relatively affordable in parts of Port Kembla compared to nearby beachside suburbs. Picture: realestate.com.au
According to PropTrack, the median house price in Port Kembla was $880,000 over the 12 months to March, compared to $1.3m in Wollongong to the north and $1.2m in Shellharbour to the south.
Local agent Shane Szakacs from Ray White attributes this to a growing change in perception of the suburb.
“There’s certainly been a shift in people’s opinion of the area,” said Mr Szakacs. “I always joke that the people who now want to live here are the same people who ten years ago wouldn’t have driven through Port Kembla unless their car doors were locked.”
Port Kembla’s Wentworth Street has seen a revival in recent years. Picture: realcommercial.com.au
Mr Szakacs said the suburb is attracting buyers from Sydney along with residents from nearby Wollongong suburbs like Bulli.
“We’re seeing a lot of young families that are buying into the area. It was traditionally a working-class town, so there are a lot of people who immigrated here in the 1960s who own three or four houses and their kids are trying to buy back in.”
The relaxed coastal lifestyle is also a huge draw.
“We’ve got some of the best beaches on the whole of the south coast. And with Wentworth Street getting all these new bars, cafes and restaurants, it’s only going to become more popular,” said Mr Szakacs.
Mr Weedon has also witnessed an uptick of young families to the area.
“You see it on a Friday night, lots of families walking around with their kids. And I think they’re screaming out for more good local places to go where they can have a couple of beers and good feed.”
A former service station has been converted into trendy pop-up music and events space, The Servo.
To accommodate this growing need, Mr Weedon is in the process of turning his courtyard into a bar, with plans for pop-up food trucks and events similar to nearby venue The Servo – a converted service station that now hosts live music events and art installations.
A collaborative business community
Sun Studio Pilates is a new business also playing its part in the renaissance of Wentworth Street.
Pilates studios, boutique bars and artisan bakeries operate along the gentrifying high street. Picture: Supplied
Founded by Pilates instructors and good friends Yolanda Forsyth and Jennifer Williams, the pair were attracted to the transforming street’s “fresh energy”.
“We both grew up on the South Coast, but when Yolanda and her partner moved to Port, it was the catalyst for us starting a business here,” said Ms Williams.
“It seemed to us the perfect spot to connect with like-minded clients and also foster the low-key, happy and meaningful way we want to live our lives and run our business.”
South Coast locals Jennifer Williams and Yolanda Forsyth opened a Pilates studio on Port Kembla’s Wentworth Street in 2023. Picture: Supplied
Ms Williams said one of the best things about working on Wentworth Street is the strong sense of community.
“From the first day we opened, we’ve had such a wonderful experience with the other business owners who have offered their support and really welcomed us here.”
“We are just stoked to be part of the renewed growth of the street,” she said. “This town really has an allure that hooks you in.”
Dr Moore agrees.
“It’s such a beautiful place with a long history. And that’s worth reviving.”
