# City of Shoalhaven

The City of Shoalhaven is a local government area in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is about 200 kilometres (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. At the 2021 census, the population was 108,531.
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. The Governor of NSW on 13 July 1979 proclaimed Shoalhaven as a city. The Shire was converted and constituted on 1 August 1979 simultaneously as a municipality and city.

## 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.
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 in the local government area

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 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
### 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.
| Party | Councillors |
| Greens | 4 |
| Shoalhaven Independents Group | 4 |
| Labor | 3 |
| Liberal | 2 |
| Total | 13 |

## Election results
### 2024

2024 New South Wales local elections: Shoalhaven :
| Party | Party | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change |
| | Shoalhaven Independents | Shoalhaven Independents | 30,231 | 46.33 | +4.79 | 6 | 2 |
| | Team Tribe | Team Tribe | 13,301 | 20.38 | +20.38 | 3 | 3 |
| | Labor | Labor | 13,281 | 20.35 | +0.13 | 3 | |
| | Greens | Greens | 8,439 | 12.93 | -13.66 | 0 | 3 |
| Formal votes | Formal votes | Formal votes | 65,252 | | | | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 5,614 | | | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 70,866 | | | 12 | |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 85,835 | | | | |

## Mayors

| Mayor | Party | Term | Notes |
| Greg Watson | Independent | 20 September 1980 – 24 September 1983 | First directly-elected mayor. Lost seat |
| Harry Sawkins (1913/14–1987) | Independent | 24 September 1983 – 11 March 1987 | Died in office. Was planning to contest the 1987 election |
| Max Atkins | Independent | 26 September 1987 – 11 September 1999 | |
| Greg Watson | Independent | 11 September 1999 – 2004 | Lost seat |
| Greg Watson | Shoalhaven Independents | 2004 – 13 September 2008 | Lost seat |
| Paul Green (b. 1966) | Independent CDP | 13 September 2008 – 8 September 2012 | Elected to New South Wales Legislative Council in 2011 |
| Joanna Gash (b. 1944) | Team Gash | 8 September 2012 – 10 September 2016 | Lost seat |
| Amanda Findley | Greens | 10 September 2016 – 14 September 2024 | Retired |
| Patricia White | Shoalhaven Independents | 14 September 2024 – present | Incumbent |

## Past councillors
### 2021−present
#### Ward 1

| Year | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party |
| 2021 | | Serena Copley | Independent Liberal | | Tonia Gray | Greens | | Matthew Norris | Labor | | John Wells | Shoalhaven Independents |
| 2024 | | Serena Copley | Liberal | | Tonia Gray | Greens | | Matthew Norris | Labor | | John Wells | Shoalhaven Independents |

#### Ward 2

| Year | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party |
| 2021 | | Evan Christen | Greens | | Paul Ell | Independent Liberal | | John Kotlash | Labor | | Greg Watson | Shoalhaven Independents |
| 2024 | | Evan Christen | Greens | | Paul Ell | Liberal | | John Kotlash | Labor | | Greg Watson | Shoalhaven Independents |

#### Ward 3

| Year | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party |
| 2021 | | Liza Butler | Labor | | Moo D'Ath | Greens | | Mark Kitchener | Shoalhaven Independents | | Patricia White | Shoalhaven Independents |
| 2023 | | Gillian Boyd | Labor | | Moo D'Ath | Greens | | Mark Kitchener | Shoalhaven Independents | | Patricia White | Shoalhaven Independents |

## 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 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.
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