Batemans Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Batemans BayNew South Wales |
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Looking towards the former Batemans Bay Bridge from the banks of the Clyde River which flows into the bay.
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 Batemans Bay
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 17,519 (2021) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1885 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2536 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Eurobodalla Shire | ||||||||||||||
| Region | South Coast | ||||||||||||||
| County | St Vincent | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Bega | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Gilmore | ||||||||||||||
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Batemans Bay is a town on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It's managed by the Eurobodalla Shire council. The town sits where the Clyde River meets the Pacific Ocean, forming a special water area called an estuary.
Batemans Bay is located on the Princes Highway (also known as Highway 1). It's about 280 kilometres (170 mi) from Sydney and 760 km (470 mi) from Melbourne. Canberra is closer, about 151 km (94 mi) to the west, connected by the Kings Highway. In 2021, about 17,519 people lived here.
Because it's the closest seaside town to Canberra, Batemans Bay is a popular spot for holidays. Many people from Canberra come here to relax by the sea. It's also a popular place for people to retire. However, more young families are starting to move here. They like the affordable housing and the relaxed seaside lifestyle. Other important jobs in the area include oyster farming, forestry, nature tourism (eco-tourism), and retail (shops).
Contents
History of Batemans Bay
First Peoples' History
The original owners of the land around Batemans Bay are the Walbunja people. They are part of the Yuin nation. The language they speak is Dhurga, which is one of the Yuin–Kuric languages.
Many places in the region are very important to the Walbunja people. These include places like Bhundoo and Hanging Rock. The Walbunja name for the bay itself is Yangary.
In 2021, the census showed that 8.3% of the people in the Batemans Bay area were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This is higher than the average for New South Wales and Australia.
European Settlement
On April 22, 1770, explorer James Cook first saw and named the bay. We don't know why he chose the name. It might have been for Nathaniel Bateman, a ship captain Cook worked with. Or it could have been for John Bateman, a former leader in the navy.
In 1821, Lt Robert Johnston explored the Clyde River. He sailed into the bay on his boat, the Snapper. That's why Snapper Island in the bay is named after his boat! Johnston later came back with Alexander Berry and Hamilton Hume. They explored the river all the way to its beginning.
By the 1820s, people were already cutting down cedar trees in the area. In 1854, a shipping company found that the Clyde River was easy to travel on. Regular boat services in the 1860s and 1870s helped the area grow.
The town was officially named in 1885. Oyster farming started in 1860, and by 1870, there were 40 boats just for oysters! A sawmill was built in 1870. A ferry helped people cross the Clyde River from 1891 until a bridge opened in 1956. During World War II in 1942, a Japanese submarine attacked a fishing boat near Batemans Bay.
The number of people living in Batemans Bay has grown a lot over the years:
- 1881: 266 people
- 1961: 1,183 people
- 1981: 4,924 people
- 1996: 9,568 people
- 2006: 10,845 people
- 2011: 11,334 people
- 2021: 15,134 people
Flying Fox Event (2016)
In May 2016, a huge number of grey-headed flying foxes (bats) came to the town. There were about 120,000 of them! This caused the town to declare a special emergency. These bats are a protected species, so they couldn't be harmed. The town had to use gentle ways to move them, like smoke, noise, lights, and removing some plants. The town received AUS$2.5 million to help move the bats.
Bushfire Emergency (2019–20)
In December 2019, Batemans Bay faced a very serious bushfire threat. The fire cut off all roads leading into and out of the town, leaving it isolated. The bushfire became very strong, especially on New Year's Eve. It moved quickly towards the town. Thousands of local people had to find safety on the beaches. Many buildings were lost, and the fires caused lasting economic problems for the town.
Because of the mountains around Batemans Bay, much of the firefighting had to be done from the air. Many firefighting aircraft were used to protect the town. Since the roads were closed, Moruya Airport became very important. It helped bring in supplies and support to fight the fires.
People of Batemans Bay
In 2021, there were 8,581 people living in the main part of Batemans Bay.
- About 8.3% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
- Most people (77.8%) were born in Australia. The next most common places of birth were England (4.9%) and New Zealand (1.3%).
- About 88% of people spoke only English at home.
- For religion, many people said No Religion (39.4%), Catholic (20.1%), or Anglican (19.4%).
The average age in Batemans Bay is 51 years old. This is older than the Australian average of 38 years. There are many more people aged 60 and above here. This is because many retirees choose to live in Batemans Bay, especially from Canberra.
Arts and Culture
River of Art Festival
The annual River of Art festival started in 2004. As of As of 2024[update], this arts festival lasts for 11 days. It ends on the October long weekend. Volunteers and the Shire Council help run it. The festival includes all kinds of visual art, performances, music, and creative workshops.
Sculpture on Clyde
This is a ten-day art festival that celebrates 3D art. It started in 2017 and offers one of Australia's biggest prizes for 3D art. The sculptures are displayed along the beautiful Clyde River. Artists from all over the world can enter. In 2018, the prize money was worth $70,000.
Bay Pavilions
In 2018, a new indoor water and cultural center was planned. It's called "Bay Pavilions Art + Aquatic." This center has a special area for art shows and performances. It also has workshop and storage space for local art, dance, and theater groups. The center cost A$46 million. It includes water slides, a fun pool, and a warm water pool.
Local Food and Produce
Batemans Bay is known as the start of the Eurobodalla Shire. This whole area is famous for its fresh, local food. The most special food from Batemans Bay is the oysters from the Clyde River. Many people think the Clyde River is one of Australia's cleanest rivers. Its oysters are considered some of the best in Australia. You can find these oysters on local menus and buy them directly from the farms.
Buildings and Shopping
Batemans Bay has many old buildings that show its interesting past. Northcourt Arcade was built in 1935. It was a hospital until the 1960s.
The town has two main shopping centers. The Bridge Plaza was built in 1984. The Village Centre Batemans Bay was built in 2004. The Village Centre has big stores like Coles, Aldi, and Kmart. The Bridge Plaza has Woolworths.
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The Bridge Plaza
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The Batemans Bay Village Centre
Getting Around
Highways
Batemans Bay is where two important highways meet. The Princes Highway runs along the south coast of New South Wales. The Kings Highway connects Canberra to the coast.
Batemans Bay Bridge
Batemans Bay is the only place where cars can cross the Clyde River along the coast. From 1915 to 1954, a special boat called a motorised punt carried traffic across the river. The old Batemans Bay Bridge opened in 1956. It was a famous landmark. This bridge was a steel vertical lift truss bridge. It could lift up to let tall boats pass.
In 2019, work started on a new concrete bridge. This new bridge is 12 meters high. The old steel bridge was taken apart. Some parts of it will be used to make a sculpture near the water. The new concrete bridge officially opened on March 27, 2021. The old bridge is now remembered in art around the town. This includes a mural on the new bridge and a sculpture made from its materials called Tides.
Moruya Airport
Moruya Airport is about 30 km south of Batemans Bay. You can catch flights between Sydney and Moruya from here.
Media and News
Radio Stations
You can listen to many radio stations in Batemans Bay:
- East Coast Radio 2EC (FM 105.9)
- Power FM NSW South Coast (FM 104.3)
- 2 EAR FM (Eurobodalla Access Radio FM 107.5)
- Hot Country Radio (87.6FM)
- Sky Sports Radio (FM 96.3)
- ABC South East NSW (FM 103.5)
- Radio National (FM 105.1)
- ABC NewsRadio (FM 100.5)
- ABC Classic FM (FM 101.9)
- Triple J (FM 98.9)
Television
Batemans Bay gets five free TV channels:
These channels also have extra digital channels like 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.
Newspapers
The local newspaper for Batemans Bay is The Bay Post. It's published by Fairfax Media. The Beagle Weekly is an online newspaper that covers the Eurobodalla area. It started in 2016 and provides local news.
You can also buy daily newspapers like The Canberra Times, the Illawarra Mercury, and the Sydney Morning Herald.
Sports
The Batemans Bay Tigers play in the Group 16 Rugby League competition. This club started in 1897. It's one of the oldest rugby league clubs in Australia! They won 5 titles in the Group 7 Rugby League competition (1979, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2002). In Group 16, they won 4 titles (1940, 1948, 1953, 1967).
The Batemans Bay Seahawks Australian rules football club started in 1984. They play in AFL Canberra's Community Divisions.
Climate
Batemans Bay has an oceanic climate (which means it's like a mild, coastal climate). The sea makes the weather milder. Summers are warm, and winters are mild and sunny. Winter nights can be cold because the town is a bit inland. Thunderstorms usually happen between November and March. The most rain falls in summer. The town gets about 87 clear days each year. It has drier winters because it's on the side of the mountains that gets less wind and rain.
| Climate data for Batemans Bay | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 45.6 (114.1) |
43.2 (109.8) |
40.8 (105.4) |
35.0 (95.0) |
27.5 (81.5) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.1 (75.4) |
27.5 (81.5) |
36.6 (97.9) |
36.9 (98.4) |
41.0 (105.8) |
42.1 (107.8) |
45.6 (114.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.1 (79.0) |
25.6 (78.1) |
24.6 (76.3) |
22.4 (72.3) |
19.9 (67.8) |
17.4 (63.3) |
17.1 (62.8) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.5 (68.9) |
22.1 (71.8) |
23.3 (73.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
21.8 (71.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) |
16.0 (60.8) |
14.1 (57.4) |
10.6 (51.1) |
7.1 (44.8) |
5.3 (41.5) |
3.7 (38.7) |
4.5 (40.1) |
7.1 (44.8) |
9.7 (49.5) |
12.2 (54.0) |
14.2 (57.6) |
10.0 (50.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.6 (43.9) |
7.0 (44.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
0.0 (32.0) |
1.0 (33.8) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 89.7 (3.53) |
103.8 (4.09) |
80.1 (3.15) |
60.3 (2.37) |
55.3 (2.18) |
81.9 (3.22) |
43.2 (1.70) |
65.8 (2.59) |
53.6 (2.11) |
85.4 (3.36) |
90.4 (3.56) |
72.3 (2.85) |
885.2 (34.85) |
| Average rainy days | 11.9 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 7.7 | 7.0 | 7.9 | 6.6 | 6.3 | 8.2 | 9.4 | 11.3 | 11.0 | 109.1 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 63 | 66 | 63 | 62 | 61 | 61 | 57 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 61 | 62 | 61 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 16.2 (61.2) |
16.9 (62.4) |
15.3 (59.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
10.2 (50.4) |
8.1 (46.6) |
6.6 (43.9) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
10.4 (50.7) |
12.7 (54.9) |
14.5 (58.1) |
11.6 (52.9) |
Famous People
- Paul Sidwell, a linguist (someone who studies languages).
