Batemans Bay (bay)

Batemans Bay is an open oceanic embayment that is located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The bay forms the mouth of the Clyde River and its primary outflow is to the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean.

This article is about the waterbody. For the town, see Batemans Bay.

Batemans Bay
Aerial photo, looking west, 2008.
Batemans Bay is located in New South Wales
Batemans Bay
Batemans Bay
LocationSouth Coast, New South Wales
Coordinates35°44′S 150°13′E
TypeBay
Native nameYangary (Dhurga)[1]
Primary inflowsClyde River
Primary outflowsTasman Sea, South Pacific Ocean
Catchment area28 km2 (11 sq mi)
Basin countriesAustralia
Surface area34.5 km2 (13.3 sq mi)
Average depth11.1 m (36 ft)
Water volume383,484 megalitres (13,542.6×10^6 cu ft)
Frozennever
IslandsSnapper Island, Tollgate Islands
SettlementsBatemans Bay
References[2]

Location and features

Batemans Bay is fed by the Clyde River and its tributaries, drawing its catchment from the eastern slopes of the Budawang Range and the Great Dividing Range from within the Budawang, Clyde River, Bimberamala, and Monga national parks.[3][4] Cullendulla Creek also flows into Batemans Bay, between the townships of Surfside and Longbeach, west of Square Head.[5]

The total catchment area of the bay is approximately 28 square kilometres (11 sq mi) and the bay holds an estimated 383,484 megalitres (13,542.6×10^6 cu ft) of water at an average depth of 11.1 metres (36 ft). The surface area of the bay comprises 34.5 square kilometres (13.3 sq mi)[2] and generally stretches from the confluence of the Clyde River with the bay east of the town of Batemans Bay, near Snapper Island; to its mouth with the Tasman Sea at the Tollgate Islands, located between North Head and Circuit Beach.

History

The traditional custodians of the land surrounding Batemans Bay were the Indigenous Australian Yuin people of the Walbunja clan. The Indigenous name for Batemans Bay (Bay) is Yangary.[1] A number of sites surrounding the bay are considered culturally significant to the Aboriginal peoples.[5]

On 22 April 1770, European explorer, Captain James Cook first sighted the bay when navigating his way around Australia on his ship, HMS Endeavour. Cook may have named the bay in honour of Nathaniel Bateman; the captain of HMS Northumberland at the time when Cook was serving as her master from 1760 to 1762.[4][6] Alternatively, the name was chosen in honour of John Bateman, 2nd Viscount Bateman, a former Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in the 1750s.[7]

In 1906, little penguins inhabited the Tollgate Islands, and Snapper Island was said to be a burial place used by indigenous people.[8] In 2002, the offshore islands of Bateman's Bay were known to support large breeding populations of little penguin, wedge-tailed shearwater, short-tailed shearwater and white-faced storm-petrel and small populations of sooty oystercatcher, sooty shearwater and eastern reef egret.[9]

See also

References
  1. "Yangary and Bhundoo" (PDF). NSW Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  2. "Batemans Bay: Physical characteristics". Coastal and floodplain management: Coastal zone management: Estuaries of NSW. NSW Environment & Heritage. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  3. "Map of Batemans Bay, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  4. "Batemans Bay". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  5. "Hanging Rock Catalina" (PDF). Preliminary Public Aboriginal Heritage Inventory. Eurobodalla Shire Council. April 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  6. Moore, Dennis (2002). "The Inlet That Eluded Bass, Batemans Bay – South Coast NSW". Morningside Internet. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  7. Robson, John (2009). Captain Cook's War and Peace. University of New South Wales Press. p. 107. ISBN 9781742231099.
  8. "Interesting Islands near Baleman's Bay". Bega Budget (NSW : 1905 – 1920). 22 September 1906. p. 6. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  9. MURRAMARANG NATIONAL PARK, BRUSH ISLAND NATURE RESERVE, BELOWLA ISLAND NATURE RESERVE AND TOLLGATE ISLANDS NATURE RESERVE – PLAN OF MANAGEMENT (PDF). New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service. 2002. p. 8.


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