Gunnamatta Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gunnamatta Bay |
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Gunnamatta Bay, viewed from Cronulla.
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 Gunnamatta Bay
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | Southern Sydney, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | 34°03′55″S 151°09′04″E / 34.06528°S 151.15111°E |
| Primary outflows | Port Hacking |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Frozen | never |
Gunnamatta Bay is a lovely, small bay in southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the bigger Port Hacking estuary, which is like a river mouth connected to the ocean.
The bay forms a natural border for the suburbs of Cronulla to the east, Woolooware to the north, and Burraneer to the west. It's a popular spot for locals and visitors to enjoy the water and surrounding parks.
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Getting Around Gunnamatta Bay
You can catch a ferry from Gunnamatta Bay! The Cronulla and National Park Ferry Cruises run a service from the wharf there. This ferry connects Cronulla to Bundeena, which is located across Port Hacking. Bundeena is right on the edge of the amazing Royal National Park.
Parks and Green Spaces
Gunnamatta Bay is surrounded by several nice parks and open areas.
- Gunnamatta Park and Darook Park are found on the eastern side of the bay.
- Tonkin Oval is on the northern side. It's a big sports field used for cricket and baseball.
- Cronulla Public School is also located close by.
Unique Trees in Gunnamatta Park
Gunnamatta Park has a special area of native bushland. It includes some unusual trees called Rough-Barked Apple-Gums (Angophora floribunda). These trees usually grow in different types of soil, but they thrive here. This makes them a rare sight in the Sutherland Shire area.
History of Gunnamatta Bay
The area around Gunnamatta Bay has a rich history.
Early Explorers and Naming
In 1796, explorers Matthew Flinders and George Bass were the first Europeans to map this coastline and the Port Hacking estuary. In fact, the southernmost point of Cronulla is named Bass and Flinders Point to honor them.
Later, in the 1860s, a man named Thomas Holt owned most of the land from Sutherland all the way to Cronulla.
How Gunnamatta Got Its Name
The land around the bay was divided up and sold in 1895. You could buy an acre for 10 pounds! In 1899, the government officially named the area "Gunnamatta." This name means "sandy hills."
However, on February 26, 1908, the name was changed to Cronulla. The name Gunnamatta was then used specifically for the bay on the western side of the area.
The Meaning of Cronulla
The name Cronulla comes from the Aboriginal word kurranulla. This word means "place of the pink seashells" in the language of the local Dharawal people. Surveyor Robert Dixon mapped the beaches here in 1827-28. By 1840, the main beach was still known as Karranulla.
Gallery
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Gunnamatta Pavilion
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Gunnamatta Park
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Tonkin Oval, Cronulla
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Gunnamatta Bay, view from Burraneer
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Gunnamatta Pavilion
Images for kids
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Aerial view
