With a retail floor area of 57,582 m2 (619,807 sq ft), it is currently the third largest shopping centre in the Illawarra region.

In 1999, the centre received significant global coverage of its efforts to deal with shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

[6][7] In an effort to discourage local youth using the centre as a gathering place, the management used the centre's public address system to play older style music, including Bing Crosby's 1938 song "My Heart Is Taking Lessons".

[6][7] In March 2005, local bus company Premier Illawarra gave serious consideration to suspending one of its Thursday evening services from the centre due to months of increased vandalism and anti-social behaviour in surrounding streets around the centre.

Major retailers of Warrawong Plaza include Coles, Aldi, Woolworths, Big W, Hoyts, TK Maxx, JB Hi-Fi, Rebel and Lincraft.