45-672: Batemans Bay is a town in the South Coast region of the state of New South Wales , Australia. Batemans Bay is administered by the Eurobodalla Shire council. The town is situated on the shores of an estuary formed where the Clyde River meets the southern Pacific Ocean. Batemans Bay is located on the Princes Highway (Highway 1) about 280 kilometres (170 mi) from Sydney and 760 km (470 mi) from Melbourne . Canberra
90-550: A popular retiree haven , but has begun to attract young families seeking affordable housing and a relaxed seaside lifestyle. Other local industries include oyster farming , forestry , eco-tourism and retail services. The traditional custodians of the land surrounding Batemans Bay are the Walbunja people of the Yuin nation. The language spoken by the Walbunja people is Dhurga, one of
135-458: A sculpture on the foreshore. The new concrete bridge formally opened on 27 March 2021, with a public event for the local population that morning. The former bridge is now commemorated in public art throughout the town, including a mural on the new one, a mural on the Boatshed restaurant, and a sculpture made from its material, titled Tides. Moruya Airport is located approximately 30 km south of
180-485: A state of emergency. The grey-headed flying fox is listed as a vulnerable species threatened by extinction and is protected by conservation laws; due to this status, they had to be removed using non-lethal methods, including smoke, noise, lights and removal of vegetation. The town received AUS$ 2.5 million to relocate the bats. In December 2019, the town was under the threat of a catastrophic bushfire, which ultimately cut Batemans Bay off from all external road links, isolating
225-667: A strong anticyclone is located to the south of these low-pressure systems, rainfalls of up to 350mm (14 inches) in a day and 500 mm (20 inches) in two days may occur. For example, in May 1925 the region received an averages of as much as 860 millimetres (33 inches) of rain, with some places receiving as much as 1,270 mm (50 inches) for the month. However, in dry years the region can receive as little as 400mm (16 inches) for an entire year. Furthermore, Bega received 380 mm (15 inches) in May 1944 and over 400mm (16 inches) in two days during April 1945 - but only around 200 mm (8 inches) in
270-488: Is 51 years, compared with the Australian national average of 38 years. For people aged 60 years and above, Batemans Bay is well above the national average, and has twice as many people aged 70 years or over than the national average. Conversely, in all age demographic groups below 60 years, Batemans Bay is below national averages. This is most strongly presented in the categories for ages 19 to 35 years. This skewed demographic
315-467: Is an airport located 3.5 NM (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) northeast of Moruya , New South Wales , Australia , at the mouth of the Moruya River . It is one of two airports with regular passenger flights in the state's South Coast region, but also caters to general aviation and tourism operators, as well as emergency services. First licensed as an aerodrome in 1939, Moruya airport was acquiredby
360-636: Is anchored by Coles , Aldi and Kmart , and the Bridge Plaza is anchored by Woolworths . Batemans Bay is located at the junction of the Princes Highway which runs down the south coast of New South Wales and the Kings Highway, which runs from Canberra to the coast. Batemans Bay is the only place where coastal traffic can cross the Clyde River. From 1915 to 1954 a motorised punt allowed traffic to cross
405-399: Is attributed to Batemans Bay's proximity to Canberra, from where it attracts a large number of retirees. In recent years, community concern has grown as hotels and resorts in the region have been purchased and converted to aged care and retirement living, creating a perceived threat to the town's primary industry – tourism. In addition, the aged demographic has been said to create a culture were
450-445: Is equipped with pilot-operated lighting for night operations, while the shorter 04/22 is 827 m (2,713 ft) in length and is used mainly by light aircraft. The volume of traffic at the airport is generally low, so there is no control tower. Instead, pilots are required to communicate via a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to safely co-ordinate arrivals and departures. A Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) previously located at
495-512: Is located about 151 km (94 mi) to the west of Batemans Bay, via the Kings Highway . At the 2021 census, Batemans Bay had a population of 17,519. It is the closest seaside town to Canberra, making Batemans Bay a popular holiday destination for residents of Australia's national capital. Geologically, it is situated in the far southern reaches of the Sydney Basin . Batemans Bay is also
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#1732852742828540-433: Is moderated by the sea, with warm summers and mild sunny winters. Nights can be cold in winter, due to its somewhat inland position. Thunderstorms mostly occur between November and March, with rainfall maximums in summer. The town gets 87.3 clear days annually. The town's drier winter trend is owed to its position on the leeward side of the dividing range. South Coast, New South Wales The South Coast refers to
585-461: Is the southernmost zone in the state of New South Wales that features a subtropical rainforest . The Illawarra Steam Navigation Company serviced the South Coast and Illawarra by ship transporting passengers and goods from the 1850s to the 1950s. The NSW TrainLink Illawarra railway line services Berry before it terminates at Bomaderry , situated approximately 123 km south of Sydney on
630-692: The Australian Financial Review are available in Batemans Bay. Some local newspapers from other NSW South Coast towns such as Bega, Nowra, Ulladulla, Moruya, Merimbula and Narooma are also available. The Batemans Bay Tigers compete in the Group 16 Rugby League competition. The club, which was founded in 1897, is the second-oldest known rugby league club in Australia, behind Rockhampton's Fitzroy-Gracemere Sharks (founded in 1886), and in fact pre-dates
675-459: The Yuin–Kuric languages . A number of sites in the region are considered culturally significant to the Walbunja people, such as Bhundoo and Hanging Rock. The Walbunja name for the bay is Yangary. According to the 2021 census, there were a total of 8,581 people in the Batemans Bay urban centre. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 8.3% of the population, significantly higher than
720-605: The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as RAAF Base Moruya in 1942. Three runways were laid out adjacent to the mouth of the Moruya River . Moruya was home to No. 11 Operational Base Unit to provide support for RAAF aircraft utilising the airfield. With ownership transferred to the Department of Civil Aviation following the war, it was not until the 1960s that the airfield was upgraded with the installation of navigation aids and runway lights. Between 2005-06 and 2010–11,
765-476: The Royal Flying Doctor Service regularly visit the airport. During bushfire seasons, fleets of firefighting aircraft are stationed at Moruya Airport to aid in bushfire protection. Passenger service is provided by Regional Express using Saab 340 turboprops several times a week to and from Sydney, with most inbound flights continuing to Merimbula to the south. The small terminal is located to
810-509: The East of the runway, sharing a parking lot with a beachside camping ground. Other operators include the Moruya Aero Club and a small flying school. A number of tourism focussed businesses are located at Moruya Airport. Skydive Oz conduct parachuting operations from a facility at the airport, regularly hosting the annual NSW & ACT State Skydiving Championship. South Coast Seaplanes, based at
855-738: The Eurobodalla region is The Bay Post ; published by Fairfax Media . The Beagle Weekly is an independent online newspaper covering the Eurobodalla shire from South Durras to Tilba Tilba. Established in November 2016 it provides a full news service. Daily newspapers such as The Canberra Times , the Illawarra Mercury from Wollongong , the Sydney Morning Herald , the Daily Telegraph , The Australian , The Age , Herald Sun and
900-429: The air, with a number of firefighting aircraft tasked to defend the town. With the difficulties of the highway closures cutting the town off from outside links on the ground, Moruya Airport proved to be a vital resource in the protection of the local region from the devastating bushfires. According to the 2021 census of population, there were 8,581 people in the Batemans Bay urban centre. The median age in Batemans Bay
945-459: The airport offer a charter service and scenic flights. They announced plans for scheduled flights between Moruya and Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra twice per week in 2022, subject to a number of approvals. The airfield has a two sealed runways orientated North to South and Northeast to Southwest. The primary runway, 18/36 measures 1,523 m × 30 m (4,997 ft × 98 ft) and
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#1732852742828990-414: The areas colourful past. Northcourt Arcade was erected in 1935 as a hospital and operated until the 1960s. During these years the community fought for a more updated structure and all patients were moved to the new location on Pacific Street in 1970. The town's two main shopping centres are the Bridge Plaza, which was built in 1984, and Village Centre Batemans Bay, which was built in 2004. The Village Centre
1035-410: The bay is named after Johnston's boat. Johnston returned with Alexander Berry and Hamilton Hume and they traced the river to its source. When the district was surveyed in 1828, a deserted hut and stockyards were found. Cedar getters and land clearers were in the district in the 1820s. From 1820s through to the 1840s, the area to the Moruya River was the southernmost official limit of location for
1080-408: The colony of New South Wales. The Illawarra and South Coast Steam Navigation Co found the Clyde River to be navigable in 1854. Regular services by the company in the 1860s and 1870s contributed to growth of the district. The village of China Bay was surveyed in 1859. Oyster farming commenced in 1860, and by 1870, there was a fleet of 40 oyster boats. A sawmill was erected in 1870. The port and town
1125-458: The community, as it meant replacing the existing 50-metre pool with a 25-metre one. However, it went ahead and the aquatic facility, which includes water slides , a leisure pool, and a warm water pool, is now part of "Bay Pavilions Art + Aquatic". South East Arts is the regional development organisation for arts and culture in the Bega Valley, Eurobodalla and Snowy Monaro. Batemans Bay sits as
1170-444: The devastating bushfires. Moruya Airport is a regional hub for a variety of emergency services, providing vital services for the local region that otherwise would not exist without the airport. The Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service has maintained a base at Moruya Airport since 2010, providing a search and rescue service with specialist medical crews, while other aeromedical retrieval services including Toll Air Ambulance and
1215-694: The east is the coastline of the Pacific Ocean , which is characterised by rolling farmlands, small towns and villages along a rocky coastline, interspersed by numerous beaches and lakes. The South Coast includes Shoalhaven district in the north and the Bega Valley in the more remote south as well as the Eurobodalla Shire and the Commonwealth Jervis Bay Territory which is adjacent to the City of Shoalhaven Local Government Area. Some definitions of
1260-585: The end of the October long weekend. Supported by the Shire Council and run by a board of volunteers, it includes all forms of visual art as well as performances, music, and creative workshops. A ten-day art festival celebrating imagination in 3D, debuted in 2017 as a bold and generous new acquisitive art prize. Set along the foreshore of the pristine Clyde River, it is one of Australia's richest 3D art prizes. Presented by The Batemans Bay Tourism and Business Chamber,
1305-481: The festival is open to professional, emerging and novice artists worldwide with 2018 prize money to the value of $ 70,000. The inaugural acquisitive prize was won by Dora A. Rognvaldsdottir for Duet. Leading up to 2018, a number of digital creatives and artists moved into Batemans Bay's industrial estate, into a space called the South Tribe and Cultivate Space which served as business and arts incubators. On 26 July 2020,
1350-583: The narrow coastal belt from the Shoalhaven district in the north to the state border with Victoria in the south in the south-eastern part of the State of New South Wales , Australia . It is bordered to the west by the coastal escarpment of the Southern Tablelands , and is largely covered by a series of national parks, namely Jervis Bay National Park , Eurobodalla National Park , and Beowa National Park . To
1395-543: The northern gateway to the pristine Eurobodalla Shire - the entire region gaining national recognition for its terroir and as a centre for sustainable agriculture. Most notably for the town itself, are the oysters from the Clyde River. One of Australia's cleanest estuaries, the Clyde produces what is considered by a growing number to be Australia's best oyster. These are available widely on local menus and at farm gates. Batemans Bay has many historical buildings, sharing an insight into
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1440-480: The northern side of the Shoalhaven River. Bus services operate to locations south of Nowra. The South Coast region is traversed by the Princes Highway which links Sydney and Melbourne by the coast, but is longer than Hume Highway which is the direct route between the two cities. The region is a reached from Canberra to the west by the Kings Highway . Road linkages north to Sydney were only completed in
1485-406: The number of revenue passengers handled by the airport grew from 16,759 to 20,301. During the 2019–20 bushfire emergency , the airport and adjacent river were a staging point for aerial firefighting efforts. In December 2019, a catastrophic bushfire cut road links, isolating the town. The resulting highway closures left Moruya Airport as a vital resource in the protection of the local region from
1530-544: The owners of South Tribe and Cultivate Space announced the closure of the centre on their Facebook page, citing difficulties with the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia . In 2018, an indoor aquatic and cultural centre was proposed for Mackay Park precinct, which would include a purpose-built exhibition and performance centre, as well as workshop and storage space that would serve the wider region's 18 art, dance, and theatre groups. The A$ 46 -million proposal generated some controversy in
1575-542: The region include the Illawarra , but it is often seen as a separate and distinct region of New South Wales . The region has a mild, warm temperate climate. Maximum temperatures range from around 30 °C (86 °F) in summer to approximately 17 °C (62 °F) in winter. However, rainfall tends toward erratic as falls can occur in heavy, but often irregular, storms. These storms may occur at any time of year, but are most frequent in late autumn and early winter. When
1620-430: The river. The former Batemans Bay Bridge was officially opened in 1956 and became a much loved landmark of the town. It was a steel vertical lift truss bridge with a maximum height of 34 metres. In 2019 work began on a replacement concrete bridge with a clearance of 12 metres. Due to this replacement project, the former steel truss bridge has been disassembled and removed, with parts of the former bridge to be turned into
1665-552: The second half of the twentieth century when the Clyde River was bridged at Batemans Bay in 1956. Before that a punt was used to cross the river. The bridge at Narooma had been completed in 1931 and was the first major bridge constructed on the Princes Highway by the Main Roads Board as part of its efforts to develop the Princes Highway which had been opened in 1920. Major towns on the South Coast include: Moruya Airport Moruya Airport ( IATA : MYA , ICAO : YMRY )
1710-657: The sport's arrival in Australia, as the club initially played rugby union before switching to league. From 1978 until 2013, the club played in the Group 7 Rugby League competition, in which they won 5 titles (1979, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2002). In Group 16 competitions, the club has won 4 titles (1940, 1948, 1953, 1967), for a total of nine senior premierships. The Batemans Bay Seahawks Australian rules football club (founded 1984) compete in AFL Canberra 's Community Divisions. Batemans Bay experiences an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ). The climate of Batemans Bay
1755-485: The state average of 3.4% and national average of 3.2%. On 22 April 1770 explorer James Cook first sighted and named the bay. Cook gave no reason for the name, which may commemorate either Nathaniel Bateman, the captain of HMS Northumberland when Cook was serving as her master from 1760 to 1762, or John Bateman, 2nd Viscount Bateman , a former Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in the 1750s. A colonial vessel, Fly ,
1800-502: The ten months in between. A 2011 report by the Climate Commission highlighted the risks of the effects of climate change in the South Coast and Illawarra areas. These risks included a higher likelihood of large fires , coastal flooding , changing rainfall patterns , and more intense storms , all impacting the biodiversity in the region. Although the region experiences a temperate oceanic climate , Gulaga National Park
1845-411: The town. The bushfire gradually increased in intensity and severity, peaking on New Year's Eve and rapidly moving towards the town. The bushfire resulted in thousands of locals sheltering at beaches around the town, a large number of buildings lost, and lingering economic damage. Due to the difficult mountainous terrain surrounding Batemans Bay, much of the firefighting efforts could only be fought from
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1890-770: The town; flights service the route between Sydney and Moruya. Batemans Bay and the Eurobodalla region receive five free-to-air television stations (television in Australia) including two government funded networks: The ABC , the SBS and three commercial networks: ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine (WIN) and Southern Cross 10 all offer digital high-definition simulcasts of their main channels. All five networks broadcast additional channels including: 7two , 7mate , 7flix , 9Go! , 9Gem , 9Life , ABC TV Plus , ABC ME , ABC News , SBS Viceland , SBS World Movies , SBS Food , 10 Bold , 10 Peach and 10 Shake . The local newspaper for Batemans Bay and
1935-410: The towns infrastructure is geared towards the aged, resulting in a net migration away from Batemans Bay of younger families exacerbating the imbalance. In 2015, research from Nielsen revealed older people were less likely to support rates funding towards youth focussed infrastructure. The annual River of Art festival was founded in 2004. As of 2024, the arts festival stretches over 11 days finishing at
1980-427: Was driven into Batemans Bay by bad weather during April 1808. Her crew engaged in a conflict with the local Indigenous peoples, initially firing their muskets from the vessel; after the muskets were fired, spears were thrown in return, resulting in three Fly crew fatalities. In 1821, Lt Robert Johnston entered the bay and explored the lower reaches of the Clyde River on board the cutter Snapper . Snapper Island within
2025-416: Was proclaimed in 1885. A ferry service across the Clyde ran from 1891 until the bridge was opened in 1956. In 1942, during World War II, a trawler was attacked by a Japanese submarine between Batemans Bay and Moruya. The change of population of Batemans Bay since 1881. In May 2016, an estimated 120,000 grey-headed flying fox (bats) suddenly descended upon and swarmed the town, prompting the town to declare
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