Bermagui, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BermaguiNew South Wales |
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The Blue Pool at Bermagui
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 Bermagui
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 1,536 (2016 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 2546 |
| Location | 34 km (21 mi) from Narooma |
| LGA(s) | Bega Valley Shire |
| County | Dampier |
| State electorate(s) | Bega |
| Federal Division(s) | Eden-Monaro |
Bermagui is a town on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Bega Valley Shire. The town sits on the southern end of Horseshoe Bay. Its name comes from the Dyirringanj word permageua. This word might mean "canoe with paddles".
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A Look Back: Bermagui's History
In 1888, a wharf was built in Horseshoe Bay. This was used for ships trading along the coast. The Illawarra & South Coast Steam Navigation Company helped connect Bermagui to other places.
The famous Australian writer Henry Lawson wrote about a steamer trip from Bermagui to Sydney in 1910. His story was called "Bermagui – In a Strange Sunset".
In 1880, a government geologist named Lamont Young and four other people disappeared. They were on a boat trip from Bermagui. Their boat was found near Mystery Bay. This bay is about 15 kilometres north of Bermagui. It got its name because of this unsolved disappearance.
Zane Grey, a well-known big-game fisherman and author, visited Bermagui in the 1930s. He was a big fan of the Bermagui Sport Fishing Association in 1936/37. He even anchored his yacht, the "Avalon", in Horseshoe Bay. He wrote about his fishing adventures in the town.
In 1943, during World War II, a Japanese submarine I-21 sank the ship SS Iron Knight. This happened off the coast of Bermagui. Local fishermen later found their nets getting caught on something deep underwater. In 2006, divers confirmed it was the Iron Knight. A special service was held in Bermagui to remember the ship's crew.
A new fishing harbour was built in Bermagui in 1959. It was one of the first new harbours built by the Public Works Department.
Who Lives in Bermagui?
In 2016, there were 1,536 people living in Bermagui. Most of them, about 77.9%, were born in Australia. Also, 89.0% of people spoke only English at home. When asked about religion, the most common answers were No Religion (35.2%), Anglican (22.5%), and Catholic (15.5%).
Exploring Bermagui's Geography
Bermagui is known for its great fishing. This is because the edge of the "continental shelf" is very close to the mainland here. It's only about 12 miles offshore! This makes it a perfect spot for catching large "game fish". Anglers can catch or tag and release fish like marlin and different types of tuna, such as yellowfin, bluefin, and albacore.
Gulaga National Park is also close by, about 10 kilometres north of Bermagui. It's a beautiful place to explore nature.
Getting Around Bermagui
Bermagui has a fishing harbour, which is important for the town.
You can reach Bermagui by sealed roads. These roads connect to Tathra (44 km south) and Cobargo (20 km west). It's also just 15 km from the main Princes Highway near Tilba.
Local Facilities and Services
Bermagui Public School is a primary school in the town. Since 2019, the school has been teaching local Aboriginal languages. These include the Dhurga and Djiringanj languages, along with their cultures.
Bermagui also has its own special local post service, called Bermagui Local Post. It helps with mail within the town.
Bermagui in Books and Movies
Bermagui has inspired many artists and stories!
Zane Grey filmed parts of his shark movie White Death (1936) here. He also worked on the story for Rangle River (1936) while staying in Bermagui. His book about his fishing trips, An American Angler in Australia, came out in 1937. He also started writing a big Australian Western novel called Wildness Trek in Bermagui.
In the 1950s, detective writer Arthur Upfield lived in Bermagui. He even set one of his mystery novels, The Mystery of Swordfish Reef, in the town.
The film The Man Who Sued God (2001), starring Billy Connolly, had many outdoor scenes shot in Bermagui. You can see the Bermagui Boat Harbour, the main street, and nearby beaches in the movie. Many local people were even in the film!
In 2005, a politician named Mark Latham visited Bermagui with his family. He wrote in his book that he enjoyed his time there.
The historic wooden Wallaga Lake Bridge, just north of Bermagui, was used as a setting for a scene in the 2014 film Unbroken.
