City of Shoalhaven

Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Australian place The City of Shoalhaven is a local government area in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is about Template:Convert south of Sydney. The Princes Highway passes through the area, and the South Coast railway line traverses the northern section, terminating at Bomaderry. At the Template:CensusAU, the population was 108,531.<ref name="Census"/>

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.
• Wodiwodi (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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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,<ref name="PoliceNSW">Template:Cite web</ref> but the name was adopted for the Shoalhaven area and the Shoalhaven River.

The City was established on 1 July 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.<ref name="Establishment">Template:Cite web</ref> On 13 July 1979, Governor Roden Cutler proclaimed Shoalhaven as a city. The Shire was converted and constituted on 1 August 1979 simultaneously as a municipality and city.<ref> <https://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/7926785/commemorative-coin-minted-to-celebrate-shoalhaven-in-1979//></ref>

Towns and localities in the local government area

File:E9512-Coolangatta-Mt-NSW.jpg

A large part of Shoalhaven can be seen from the Drawing Room Rocks area in Barren Grounds Nature Reserve. Mount Coolangatta is in the centre, with Jervis Bay in background and Berry in the right front

File:Hyams Beach 002.jpg

Hyams Beach, known for possessing fine, radiantly white sand.

Shoalhaven, although designated a city, is a dispersed region spread over Template:Convert 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

Council

File:City Administration Centre in Nowra (2).jpg

City Administration Centre in Nowra

Current composition and election method

Shoalhaven City Council is composed of thirteen councillors, including the mayor, for a fixed four-year term. The mayor is directly elected while the twelve other councillors are elected proportionally as three separate wards, each electing four councillors.<ref name="miragenews.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Party		Councillors
Template:Australian party style|	Greens	4
Template:Australian party style|	Shoalhaven Independents Group	4
Template:Australian party style|	Labor	3
Template:Australian party style|	Liberal	2
	Total	13

Mayors

	Image	Mayor	Party	Term	Notes
Template:Australian party style|	File:3x4.svg	Greg Watson	Independent	20 September 1980 – 24 September 1983	First directly-elected mayor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lost seat<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Australian party style|	File:3x4.svg	Harry Sawkins Template:Nowrap	Independent	24 September 1983 – 11 March 1987	Died in office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Was planning to contest the 1987 election<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Australian party style|	File:3x4.svg	Max Atkins	Independent	26 September 1987 – 11 September 1999	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Australian party style|	File:3x4.svg	Greg Watson	Independent	11 September 1999 – 2004	Lost seat<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Australian party style|			Shoalhaven Independents	2004 – 13 September 2008
Template:Australian party style|	File:Paul Green MLC.jpg	Paul Green Template:Small	Template:Australian politics/name	13 September 2008 – 8 September 2012	Elected to New South Wales Legislative Council in 2011<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Australian party style|	File:3x4.svg	Joanna Gash Template:Small	Template:Australian politics/name	8 September 2012 – 10 September 2016	Lost seat
Template:Australian party style|	File:AmandaFindley.png	Amanda Findley	Template:Australian politics/name	10 September 2016 – 14 September 2024	Retired<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Australian party style|	File:3x4.svg	Patricia White	Template:Australian politics/name	14 September 2024 – present	Incumbent

Past councillors

2021−present

Ward 1

Year	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party
2021	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Serena Copley	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Tonia Gray	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Matthew Norris	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	John Wells	Template:Australian politics/name
2024	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|		Template:Australian politics/name

Ward 2

Year	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party
2021	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Evan Christen	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Paul Ell	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	John Kotlash	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Greg Watson	Template:Australian politics/name
2024	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|			Template:Australian politics/name

Ward 3

Year	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party
2021	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Liza Butler	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Moo D'Ath	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Mark Kitchener	Template:Australian politics/name	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Patricia White	Template:Australian politics/name
2023	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Gillian Boyd	Template:Australian politics/name

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 Template:Convert 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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<ref name="nswshr-1812">Template:Cite NSW SHR</ref>

See also

• Local government areas of New South Wales
• Shoalhaven River
• Shoalhaven Scheme