Gerroa, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GerroaNew South Wales |
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Gerroa, rainforest hill and the Crooked River
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 Gerroa
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 571 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2534 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 15 m (49 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Municipality of Kiama | ||||||||||||||
| County | Camden | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Broughton | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Kiama | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Gilmore | ||||||||||||||
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Gerroa is a beautiful coastal town in the Municipality of Kiama. It is part of the Illawarra region in New South Wales, Australia. The town is about 133 kilometers south of Sydney. Gerroa is known as the southernmost town in the Illawarra region. Other towns nearby include Gerringong, Kiama, and Berry.
Gerroa is located at the northern end of Seven Mile Beach. It is also at the start of the Crooked River. This area was once a quiet place for religious groups. Today, Gerroa is a popular holiday spot. Many people also choose to live here after they retire. Lots of houses have amazing views of the beach and Mount Coolangatta. In 2021, about 571 people lived in Gerroa. However, the number of people grows a lot during holidays. Many visitors stay at the caravan park by the Crooked River.
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Outdoor Activities
Right next to Gerroa is Seven Mile Beach National Park. This park is a great place for many activities. You can enjoy bird watching, walking, and fishing here. People also love hang gliding, paragliding, sailing, and windsurfing. Surfing is very popular too.
Black Head is a good spot for rock fishing. But be careful, as it can be dangerous when the sea is rough. There is also a golf course just north of the town.
Local Wildlife and Plants
The hills above Gerroa and behind the beach have parts of a rainforest. These areas are home to interesting sub-tropical plants. You might see trees like Snow-wood, Illawarra Plum, and Camphorwood. The original plants in this area were a type of rainforest that grows near the sea.
Many native animals live near Gerroa. You might spot possums and wombats. Falcons and many other birds are also common. In the winter months, you can often see whales swimming north.
History of Gerroa
First People of the Land
The Aboriginal Wodi Wodi people lived on this land for about 20,000 years. They are part of the Dharawal language group. These groups would move to different places every six weeks or so. They traveled in family groups. The rich bushland provided them with plenty of food.
European Settlement
The first European people to visit this area were likely survivors of a shipwreck. This happened in 1797 when the ship Sydney Cove was lost. As early as 1814, people who cut cedar trees explored the area. These cedar cutters were also called "sawyers." They were some of the first European pioneers in the wild areas.
In August 1824, Governor Thomas Brisbane asked a surveyor named James McBrien to map the land. This land was around "Long Nose Point," which is now called Black Head Point at Gerroa.
Speed and Flight Records
In 1929, a person named Wizard Smith set an Australian land speed record. He did this on Seven Mile Beach. It was the first time a car officially reached 100 miles per hour in Australia.
On January 11, 1933, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith made history. He took off from Seven Mile Beach for his first commercial flight to New Zealand. His plane, the Southern Cross, flew for 14 hours and ten minutes. It landed in New Plymouth. The flight started at 2:50 AM. Thousands of people watched, turning on their car headlights to help Kingsford-Smith see for his takeoff. Today, a special memorial plaque and lookout at Gerroa remember this amazing event.
Population Details
In the 2016 Census, there were 673 people living in Gerroa. Most people, about 77.2%, were born in Australia. Also, 84.3% of people spoke only English at home. When asked about religion, the most common answers were Catholic (27.3%), No Religion (24.5%), and Anglican (18.1%).
Climate and Weather
Gerroa has an oceanic climate, which means it has warm, humid summers. The winters are usually cool and wet. In summer, the highest temperatures are often between 23 and 35°C. Sometimes, it can even reach 40 degrees. In winter, temperatures can drop as low as 5 degrees. The average yearly rainfall in nearby Kiama is about 1258 millimeters. The town sometimes gets strong winds from the south and west. Winds of 140 km/h have been recorded twice in the last 10 years. The most recent time, some roofs near Black Head were damaged.
Land and Soil
The soils in Gerroa are formed from volcanic rocks. These rocks are called Gerringong Volcanics and Budgong Sandstone. They make the soil quite fertile, often red or brown. Near the river and beach, the soils are made of sand and river deposits.
Famous People from Gerroa
Gerroa has been home to some well-known people:
- Sally Fitzgibbons – A famous surfer
- Fred Nile – A politician
- Guy Sebastian – A musician, singer, and songwriter (who won Australian Idol)
- Tyler Wright – A surfer who was the 2016 World Champion
- John Turtle – A medical academic
