City of Shoalhaven

City of Shoalhaven
New South Wales

Location in NSW
Coordinates 35°07′S 150°30′E / 35.117°S 150.500°E / -35.117; 150.500Coordinates: 35°07′S 150°30′E / 35.117°S 150.500°E / -35.117; 150.500
Population 99,650 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density 21.820/km2 (56.512/sq mi)
Established 1 July 1948 (1948-07-01)
Area 4,567 km2 (1,763.3 sq mi)
Mayor Amanda Findley
Council seat Nowra[2]
Region Illawarra - South Coast
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s) Gilmore
Website City of Shoalhaven
LGAs around City of Shoalhaven:
Goulburn Mulwaree Wingecarribee Kiama
Goulburn Mulwaree City of Shoalhaven Tasman Sea
Queanbeyan–Palerang Eurobodalla Tasman Sea

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 the 2016 census, the population of the City of Shoalhaven was 99,650.[1]

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.[3]

The Mayor of Shoalhaven City Council is Amanda Findley, who is a member of the Australian Greens, she defeated the incumbent mayor Joanna Gash on preferences at the 2016 elections.

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:

Nowra suburbs
  • Bangalee
  • Bomaderry
  • Cambewarra
  • Cambewarra Village
  • Mundamia
  • North Nowra
  • Nowra East
  • Nowra Hill
  • South Nowra
  • Tapitallee
  • Terara
  • West Nowra
  • Worrigee
Suburbs near Jervis Bay
Sussex Inlet
Ulladulla
North of Shoalhaven River
South of Shoalhaven River
Far South

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 10 September 2016, and the makeup of the Council, including the Mayor, is in order of elected and as follows:[6]

PartyCouncillors
  Team Gash 3
  Shoalhaven Independents Group 5
  Labor 1
  Greens 4
Total 13

The current Council, elected in 2016, in order of election by ward, is:

WardCouncillorPartyNotes
Mayor[7]   Amanda Findley Australian Greens
Ward One[8]   Andrew Guile Shoalhaven Independents Group
  John Wells Team Gash
  Nina Cheyne Greens
  Annette Alldrick Labor
Ward Two[9]   Greg Watson Shoalhaven Independents Group
  Jo Gash Team Gash Former Federal MP for Gilmore.
  John Levett Greens
  Mitchell Pakes Shoalhaven Independents Group
Ward Three[10]   Mark Kitchener Shoalhaven Independents Group Deputy Mayor
  Patricia White Team Gash
  Bob Proudfoot Shoalhaven Independents Group
  Kaye Gartner Greens

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 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]

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

References

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