Modern-day groupings of the Illawarra and South CoastAboriginal peoples are based on information compiled by white anthropologists from the late 1870s. Two divisions were initially presented, using geographical location and language, though these criteria are now expanded into five divisions and given Aboriginal names, as follows : *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 - a subdivision of Thuruwal, includes the Aboriginal people of the coast from Wollongong to Shoalhaven. *Gurandada and Tharumba - 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 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: Localities with no population in 2016 included:
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: The current Council, elected in 2016, in order of election by ward, is:
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 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 Australianflora 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.
Heritage listings
Heritage listings for the City of Shoalhaven include: