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Shoalhaven River facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Shoalhaven River is a river in New South Wales, Australia. It starts in the Southern Tablelands and flows into the ocean near Nowra. It's a "perennial" river, meaning it flows all year round. The river ends in an estuary, which is where the river meets the sea, near the South Coast of New South Wales.

Quick facts for kids
Shoalhaven River
Shoalhaven River - near the Great Dividing Range, west of Batemans Bay.jpg
Shoalhaven River, near the Great Dividing Range, west of Batemans Bay.
Shoalhaven River is located in New South Wales
Shoalhaven River
Location of the Shoalhaven River mouth in New South Wales
Country Australia
State New South Wales
Region Sydney Basin (IBRA), Southern Tablelands, South Coast
LGAs Queanbeyan–Palerang, Shoalhaven
Cities Nowra, Bomaderry
Physical characteristics
Main source Euranbene Mountain, Great Dividing Range
west of Bendethera
864 m (2,835 ft)
35°58′15″S 149°38′3″E / 35.97083°S 149.63417°E / -35.97083; 149.63417
River mouth Tasman Sea, Pacific Ocean
Shoalhaven Heads
0 m (0 ft)
34°51′S 150°44′E / 34.850°S 150.733°E / -34.850; 150.733
Length 327 km (203 mi)
Basin features
Basin size 7,086 km2 (2,736 sq mi)
Tributaries
Islands Pig (Burraga), Comerong

River's Journey and Features

The Shoalhaven River starts on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range. This is near Euranbene Mountain, about 350 kilometers southwest of Sydney. The river's upper parts flow north through a farming area near Braidwood.

The river then goes into a deep, remote canyon east of Goulburn. Finally, it reaches the flatter coastal lands at Nowra. Here, the Nowra Bridge crosses over it. The Shoalhaven River has 34 smaller rivers and streams, called tributaries, that flow into it. These include the Mongarlowe, Corang, Endrick, and Kangaroo rivers. The river drops 864 meters over its 327-kilometer journey.

Berrys Canal: A Historic Shortcut

The Shoalhaven River's mouth has two entrances to the Tasman Sea. These entrances are about 5 kilometers apart. The southern entrance, at Crookhaven Heads, is always open. The Shoalhaven River flows south through a channel called Berrys Canal. It then joins the Crookhaven River and flows east into the sea.

Berrys Canal was built in June 1822 by convicts. It was overseen by Hamilton Hume and directed by Alexander Berry. This canal made it easier for ships to travel to the first European settlement in the area. Building the canal also created Comerong Island. It was dug by hand and was the first navigable canal built on land in Australia. Berrys Canal is still one of only two navigable canals in New South Wales.

The northern entrance, near Shoalhaven Heads, opens only sometimes. It opens when there is a lot of water flowing or during floods.

Water Supply for Sydney

Tallowa Dam is the main dam on the Shoalhaven River. It is part of the Shoalhaven Scheme, which helps supply water to Sydney. The dam creates Lake Yarrunga. Some water from this lake is pumped over the Southern Highlands into Lake Burragorang. There were plans for a much bigger water storage area at Welcome Reef, but these plans have been put on hold.

River Environment and Fish

The Shoalhaven River and its tributary, the Kangaroo River, were once famous for Australian bass fishing. However, Tallowa Dam blocked these fish from moving upstream. This stopped Australian bass from reaching over 80% of their old homes in the river system. To help fix this, young bass grown in hatcheries have been put into Lake Yarrunga.

In 2009, a special "fishway" was finished at Tallowa Dam. This fishway helps bass and other native fish move past the dam. Unfortunately, harmful European carp have also been illegally introduced into Lake Yarrunga. They are now found in large numbers there.

History of the Shoalhaven River

First Peoples' History

The Aboriginal peoples of the lower Shoalhaven River area are the Jerrinja tribal peoples. They are the traditional owners of this land. Important Aboriginal places in the Shoalhaven area include Coolangatta Mountain, Bundarwa (Beecroft Headland), Cambewarra Mountain, Didthul or Pigeon House Mountain, Kangaroo Valley, Burrill Lake, and Murramarang Aboriginal Area.

The upper part of the Shoalhaven River, around Braidwood, is the traditional land of the Walbanga people.

European Exploration and Settlement

The explorer George Bass discovered the entrance to the Shoalhaven River in 1797. He was on a journey down the south coast of New South Wales in a small boat. He named the river "Shoals Haven" because he found many mud and sand banks, called shoals, at its mouth.

About 20 kilometers west of Nowra, there are properties along the Shoalhaven River. These were given to the people of Australia by artist Arthur Boyd, his wife Yvonne, and the Boyd family. These properties are now managed by the Bundanon Trust. They provide a place for visual arts, writing, music, and other performing arts. They also support education and research in the arts.

River Crossings

Many bridges and crossings allow people to get over the Shoalhaven River. Here are some of them, listed from the river's start to its mouth:

  • Ballalaba bridge
  • Farringdon crossing, between Farringdon and Bendoura
  • Bombay bridge
  • Warri Bridge, which carries the Kings Highway near Braidwood. The first bridge here opened in 1874.
  • Stewart's Crossing, which is a ford (a shallow place to cross) on Stewart's Crossing Road.
  • Oallen Crossing, which used to be a timber bridge. It was replaced around 2015 with a new, higher concrete bridge. This new bridge helps cars travel faster and is less likely to be flooded.
  • Nowra Bridge, which carries the Princes Highway between Bomaderry and Nowra.
  • Comerong Island Ferry, which carries vehicles and people to Comerong Island near the river's mouth.

Images for kids

Ballalaba bridge over the over the Shoalhaven River
Ballalaba bridge on the Braidwood–Cooma Road
Farringdon Crossing, Farringdon, New South Wales
Farringdon Crossing
Bombay Bridge over the Shoalhaven, Bombay, New South Wales
Bombay Bridge
Warri Bridge on the Kings Highway over the Shoalhaven
Warri Bridge on the Kings Highway
New and piers of old bridge at Oallen Ford, Shoalhaven River
New Bridge and remains of old bridge at Oallen Ford

See also

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Shoalhaven River Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.