Bateau Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bateau BayCentral Coast, New South Wales |
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![]() Crackneck Lookout
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Population | 12,146 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 1,760/km2 (4,600/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 2261 | ||||||||||||||
Elevation | 12 m (39 ft) | ||||||||||||||
Area | 6.9 km2 (2.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Central Coast Council | ||||||||||||||
Parish | Tuggerah | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | The Entrance | ||||||||||||||
Federal Division(s) | Dobell | ||||||||||||||
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Bateau Bay is a cool suburb located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It's a great place to live and visit! The name "Bateau" is actually a French word that means "boat." So, you could say it's "Boat Bay"!
Contents
Exploring Bateau Bay's Geography
Bateau Bay is a coastal town in New South Wales, Australia. It's about 6 kilometers south of The Entrance. It's also about 17 kilometers northeast of Gosford.
Bateau Bay Beach is a cool spot for surfing. It leads to Crackneck Point, a famous surfing area. Crackneck Point Lookout is about 100 meters above sea level. It has a large clearing and a carpark. You'll find information boards and a picnic area there. From the lookout, you can see amazing views of The Entrance peninsula. You can also look north across Tuggerah Lakes.
Wyrrabalong National Park: Nature's Playground
A big part of Bateau Bay is covered by the southern section of Wyrrabalong National Park. This park is about 140 hectares in size. A special feature of the park's coastal cliffs are its huge rock platforms. These are perfect for rock fishing. You can also explore them when the tide is low.
Wyrrabalong National Park is a safe home for many animals. You can find marine life, birds, and native wildlife here. Some animals you might spot include goannas and bandicoots. You might also see fantails and the tawny frogmouth. There's a 1.6-kilometer walking track in the park. It connects Crackneck Point Lookout to Forresters Beach.
A Glimpse into Bateau Bay's Past
Bateau Bay was officially named a "village" on August 13, 1937. This was done by the Minister for Lands, Ernest Buttenshaw. Before that, it was known as Boat Harbour. Many local people still called it Boat Harbour for a while. However, the name "Boat Harbour" was officially stopped on August 29, 1975.
Who Lives in Bateau Bay?
The 2016 census counted 12,146 people living in Bateau Bay.
- About 3.4% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
- Most people, 83.1%, were born in Australia.
- The next most common birthplaces were England (4.3%) and New Zealand (1.4%).
- A large majority, 91.1%, spoke only English at home.
- For religion, the most common answers were Catholic (27.8%), No Religion (26.1%), and Anglican (23.6%).
Sports and Fun in Bateau Bay
Bateau Bay has awesome places for sports and outdoor fun!
EDSACC: Your Sports Hub
The Entrance District Sporting and Community Centre (EDSACC) is a huge sports area. It's located on The Entrance Road. This center is split into three main parts. There are EDSACC North Ovals for soccer. Then there are EDSACC South Ovals for rugby league. A Sports Centre building sits between them.
At the very south end, you'll find a golf driving range. There's also a ten-pin bowling center. EDSACC is home to some local sports clubs. These include the Killarney District Soccer Club and The Entrance Tigers Rugby League Club. The EDSACC Croquet Club is also here.
The fields in Bateau Bay let you play many sports. You can play rugby league, rugby union, soccer, and Australian rules football. There's also space for softball, baseball, and cricket.
The EDSACC building itself has been around for a while. It has tennis courts, indoor basketball courts, and a gymnasium. It was opened in 1979 by the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Roden Cutler. This area used to be The Entrance Airport!
The golf driving range was once a football field. But it was too bumpy to play on safely. So, the local team, The Entrance Bateau Bay Blues, had to move. They now play at Eastern Road Oval in Killarney Vale.
Pat Morley Oval: From Tip to Turf
Pat Morley Oval is on Cresthaven Avenue. Believe it or not, this area used to be a rubbish tip until the early 1980s! It became a football oval in the 1990s. A new oval was built next to it and finished in 2010. This new field is used for cricket and Australian rules football. The Entrance Bateau Bay Blues AFL Club moved there in 2011. Central Coast Softball also uses the new ground in summer. The main ground is home to The Entrance Bateau Bay United Football Club. This is the oldest soccer club on the Central Coast. It started way back in 1952!
Sir Joseph Banks Oval
Sir Joseph Banks Oval is behind Cresthaven Shopping Centre. It's used by The Entrance Rams Rugby Union club.
Shopping in Bateau Bay
Bateau Bay Square is a major shopping centre. It opened on August 28, 1984. It used to be called Stockland Bay Village. Most of the shops here are big chain stores. There are only a few independent shops. This land was added to Bateau Bay's boundary recently. Before it was built, it was part of Killarney Vale. The centre is surrounded by carparks. There are not many walking paths to get there.
A smaller shopping centre, Cresthaven Shopping Centre, opened in 2003. You can also find several other small groups of shops around Bateau Bay.
Clubs for Everyone
Bateau Bay has some great clubs where people can relax and have fun.
Bateau Bay Bowling Club
The Bateau Bay Bowling Club is on the corner of Pheasant Avenue and Bias Avenue. It has a bar and a bistro. There's also an undercover carpark. The club has three bowling greens. It's very strong in competitions across the state.
The Entrance Leagues Club
The Entrance Leagues Club is on The Entrance Road. It's right next to Bateau Bay Square. This club first opened in 1992. It has more than 15,000 members! It features a big carpark and an auditorium. There's also a bar and bistro. You can find function rooms and a courtesy bus for members. The Entrance Leagues Club is a big supporter of The Entrance Tigers Rugby League Club.
Bateau Bay Hotel
The Bateau Bay Hotel is on The Entrance Road. It was approved for building on February 4, 1980. It opened its doors on September 8, 1980.
Famous Faces from Bateau Bay
Bateau Bay has been home to some well-known people!
- Ryan O'Hara (born 1980) used to play for The Entrance Tigers. He played in the National Rugby League (NRL). He was with the Canberra Raiders and Wests Tigers.
- Joseph Furst (1916–2005) was an international film and TV actor. He was born in Vienna, Austria. He was famous for his English roles. He appeared as Professor Zaroff in the Doctor Who story The Underwater Menace. He also had roles in The Young Doctors and A Country Practice.
- Adam Harvey is an Australian country music singer. He lives in Bateau Bay.
- Teigan Van Roosmalen is an Australian Paralympian.
Schools in Bateau Bay
There is one school in Bateau Bay. Bateau Bay Public School opened in 1980. It has about 620 students from Kindergarten to Year 6. It was first located in Brooke Avenue. That area is within Killarney Vale. It was in temporary buildings before moving to its current spot.
Transportation Around Bateau Bay
The Entrance Red Bus Services are the local bus company. They run several bus routes through Bateau Bay. The bus company's main depot is also in Bateau Bay. It's located on Coleridge Road. You can find all the bus routes that go through Bateau Bay on the Red Bus website.