City of Shoalhaven

The City of Shoalhaven is a local government area in the south-eastern coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) south of Sydney. The area is located adjacent to the Tasman Sea. The Princes Highway passes through the area and the South Coast railway line traverses the northern section of the area and terminates at Bomaderry. At June 2012, the population of City of Shoalhaven was 96,927.^[3]

The Mayor of Shoalhaven City Council is Cr. Joanna Gash, who is a member of the Liberal Party, however, was elected as mayor as an independent politician.

History

The Shoalhaven region in New South Wales is the southern part of the traditional homelands of the Tharawal people.^[4]

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,^[5] but the name was adopted for the Shoalhaven area and the Shoalhaven River.

Towns and localities

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

Shoalhaven, although designated a city, is a dispersed region spread over 125 kilometres (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:

Council

Current composition and election method

Shoalhaven City Council is composed of thirteen Councillors, including the Mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is directly elected while the twelve other Councillors are elected proportionally as three separate wards, each electing four Councillors. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council, including the Mayor, is as follows:^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election by ward, is:

Tourism

The Shoalhaven can be reached from Sydney by car via the Princes Highway and by rail via the South Coast Line which terminates just north of Nowra in Bomaderry. The Shoalhaven is adjacent to the well known Jervis Bay area. The area is approximately 160 kilometres (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.^[11]

Culture

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.^[12]

See also

• Shoalhaven River
• Shoalhaven Scheme

References

Cities of New South Wales Capital Sydney Cities Albury Armidale Bathurst Blue Mountains Broken Hill Cessnock Coffs Harbour Dubbo Gosford Goulburn Grafton Griffith Lake Macquarie Lismore Lithgow Maitland Newcastle Nowra Orange Queanbeyan Tamworth Wagga Wagga Wollongong

South Coast, New South Wales Cities Nowra Townships Basin View Batehaven Batemans Bay Bawley Point Bega Bemboka Bermagui Berry Bodalla Boydtown Broulee Burrill Lake Callala Bay Candelo Cobargo Congo Culburra Beach Dalmeny Eden Greenwell Point Huskisson Hyams Beach Kianga Kioloa Lake Conjola Malua Bay Manyana Merimbula Milton Mogo Mollymook Moruya Mystery Bay Narooma Narrawallee Nelligen Nerrigundah Pambula Pambula Beach Potato Point Pyree Quaama Rosedale Sanctuary Point South Durras St Georges Basin Sussex Inlet Tabourie Lake Tathra Tilba Tomakin Tomerong Towamba Tura Beach Tuross Head Ulladulla Vincentia Wandandian Wolumla Wonboyn Local government areas Bega Valley Shire Eurobodalla Shire City of Shoalhaven Jervis Bay Territory National parks Ben Boyd Bournda Biamanga Budawang Clyde River Conjola Deua Eurobodalla Gulaga Jerrawangala Kooraban Mimosa Rocks Monga Morton Mount Imlay Murramarang South East Forest Wadbilliga Rivers and other waterbodies Bega Bemboka Bermagui Bimberamala Brogo Buckenbowra Clyde Deua Dry Genoa Merrica Moruya Murrah Nadgee Nullica Nunnock Pambula Queens Pound Shoalhaven St Georges Basin Tomaga Towamba Tuross Wadbilliga Wallagaraugh White Rock Wog Wog Lake Wollumboola Wonboyn Yadboro Yowaka Yowrie