Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia

🇦🇺 The City of Shoalhaven is a local government area in the south-eastern coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is about 200 km (120 mi) south of Sydney. The Princes Highway passes through the area, and the South Coast railway line traverses the northern section, terminating at Bomaderry. The City was established in 1948 as the Shoalhaven Shire, following the amalgamation of the Municipalities of Nowra, Berry, Broughton's Vale, Ulladulla, South Shoalhaven, and the shires of Cambewarra and Clyde.

History Modern-day groupings of the Illawarra and South Coast Aboriginal peoples are based on information compiled by white anthropologists from the late 1870s. Two divisions were initially presented (refer Ridley, 1878), using geographical location and language, though these criteria are now expanded into five divisions and given Aboriginal names, as follows (after C.Sefton, 1983): • Dharawal – general name for the Aboriginal people of the area on the east coast of New South Wales from Botany Bay to Shoalhaven, and west to Berrima and Camden. • Wodi-Wodi (or Wadi-Wadi) – a subdivision of Thuruwal, includes the Aboriginal people of the coast from Wollongong to Shoalhaven. • Gurandada and Tharumba (or Dharumba) – those people living around the Shoalhaven River.

The Jerrinja people record their traditional lands as stretching from Crooked River in the north to Clyde River in the south, from the mountains to the sea at Roseby Park.

George Bass explored the area in 1797, following Seven Mile Beach. He crossed the shoals at the entrance to the river, calling it "Shoals Haven" due to the shallowness of the river mouth. This river is now known as the Crookhaven, but the name was adopted for the Shoalhaven area and the Shoalhaven River.

Towns and localities Shoalhaven, although designated a city, is a dispersed region spread over 125 km (78 mi) of coastline, with the vast majority of its population located in the north-east around Nowra, Jervis Bay and Sussex Inlet.

It includes the following towns, suburbs and localities: Nowra suburbs and surrounds • Bangalee • Bomaderry • Cambewarra • Cambewarra Village • Mundamia • North Nowra • Nowra Hill • South Nowra • Tapitallee • Terara • West Nowra • Worrigee

Suburbs near Jervis Bay Territory • Basin View • Bream Beach • Callala Bay • Callala Beach • Comberton • Erowal Bay • Huskisson • Hyams Beach • Myola • Old Erowal Bay • Sanctuary Point • St Georges Basin • Vincentia • Woollamia • Worrowing Heights • Wrights Beach

near or on the Sussex Inlet • Berrara • Cudmirrah • Swanhaven

Ulladulla • Berringer Lake • Burrill Lake • Dolphin Point • Kings Point • Little Forest • Milton • Mollymook • Mollymook Beach • Narrawallee • Woodburn

North of Shoalhaven River • Back Forest • Barrengarry • Beaumont • Bellawongarah • Berry • Berry Mountain • Bolong • Brogers Creek (part) • Broughton • Broughton Vale • Broughton Village (part) • Browns Mountain • Budgong • Bundewallah • Coolangatta • Far Meadow • Gerringong • Illaroo • Jaspers Brush • Kangaroo Valley • Meroo Meadow • Shoalhaven Heads • Upper Kangaroo River • Watersleigh • Wattamolla • Woodhill

South of Shoalhaven River • Bamarang • Barringella • Beecroft Peninsula • Bewong • Brundee • Burrier • Comerong Island • Culburra Beach • Currarong • Falls Creek • Greenwell Point • Jerrawangala • Kinghorne • Longreach • Mayfield • Numbaa • Orient Point • Parma • Pyree • Sassafras • Tomerong • Tullarwalla • Wandandian • Wollumboola • Yerriyong

Far South • Bawley Point • Bendalong • Brooman • Cockwhy • Conjola • Conjola Park • Croobyar • Cunjurong Point • Currowan (part) • Depot Beach • Durras North • East Lynne (part) • Fishermans Paradise • Kioloa • Lake Conjola • Manyana • Mogood • Mount Kingiman • Pebbly Beach • Pointer Mountain • Pretty Beach • Tabourie Lake • Termeil • Woodstock • Yatte Yattah

Localities with no population in 2016 included: • Barren Grounds (part) • Boolijah • Buangla • Coolumburra • Endrick • Ettrema • Moollattoo • Mondayong • Porters Creek • Quiera • St George • Tallowal • Tianjara • Tolwong • Tullarwalla • Twelve Mile Peg • Yadboro • Yalwal.

Tourism and culture The Shoalhaven can be reached from Sydney by car via the Princes Highway and by rail via the South Coast railway line which terminates just north of Nowra at Bomaderry. The Shoalhaven is adjacent to the Jervis Bay Territory. The area is approximately 160 km (99 mi) long along the coastline, including 109 beaches, which allegedly possesses the whitest sand in the world, as well as pristine natural Australian bushland. The Shoalhaven area is home to numerous species of native Australian flora and fauna.

The area is well known for its strong commitment to the arts and music, featuring the See Change and See Celebrations festivals in the Jervis Bay and St Georges Basin areas, as well as the EscapeArtfest festival and Blessing of the Fleet in the Ulladulla area.

Tourists to Shoalhaven can enjoy a wealth of cultural and nature-based activities and experiences, including whale-watching, kayaking, visiting beaches and tastings at wineries. Some of the most famous establishments for visitors in Shoalhaven are Rick Stein at Bannisters, Cupitt's Estate and Coolangatta Estate.

Heritage listings Heritage listings for the City of Shoalhaven include: • Bherwerre Beach, Wreck Bay: Hive shipwreck