Oak Flats, New South Wales

The Indigenous people of Yuin are the traditional owners of the South Coast. Traces of Aboriginal occupation of Oak Flats date back to around 15,000 BC.

The area was discovered by George Bass and Matthew Flinders in 1796, whilst free settlers arrived in the nearby town of Shellharbour between 1817 and 1831. As the population in the suburbs around Oak Flats grew, the need for more residential areas became more important. The eastern end of the suburb is commonly known as Balarang.

Ownership of area was first as a grant of 1,200 acres (485 hectares) to army officer John Horsley in 1821. The grant was situated on the southern shores of Lake Illawarra and known as the 'Oak Flats Run'. The land was used to run cattle in the area. Development of Oak Flats as a suburb began in 1925 with the Lake Illawarra Township Estate as the centre, followed by the Kembla Vista and Panorama Estates. Economic Depression of the 1930s coupled with the onset of WWII, slowed development. Post WWII migration brought immigrants predominantly Dutch, and German to Oak Flats, and the town began to develop rapidly.[2]

In the early 1930s, Sydney newspapers invited holiday makers to the therapeutic waters of Lake Illawarra as an alternative to spas in the Blue Mountains. Visitors to Oak Flats initially stayed in the two-storey guesthouse on the Boulevarde. Blocks were also purchased and small week-enders erected by visitors keen to return to Lake Illawarra as a holiday destination. A boat shed, where rowing boats could be hired, stood on the end of the small point at Central Park. The shoreline was popular on hot summer days when families would congregate on the grassy banks to rest or swim in the Lake.[3]

Many streets of Oak Flats are named after Australian prime ministers. These include Deakin Street and Barton Street.

Oak Flats is located in southeast New South Wales and had a population of around 6,415 (49.1% male, 50.9% female) at the 2016 census. Around 1819, families lived in the area and of those 40.7% had one or more children under the age of 15. 19.6% of families had only a single parent while 38.6% of couples had no children.[1] Oak Flats covers an area of approximately 359 hectares (887 acres).

Of the 2,317 private dwellings in Oak Flats, 42.6% were owned outright by their occupiers, 33.2% were being purchased (e.g. by mortgage) and 21.5% were being rented. On average, there were around 2.6 people per private dwelling in the area. The composition of occupied private dwellings in Oak Flats was as follows: 85.9% separate houses, 11.7% semi-detached houses (e.g. townhouses, row or terrace houses), 1.5% flats (including units and apartments).[1]

In terms of people aged 15 years or more living in Oak Flats, 48.8% were married, 9.6% were divorced, 4.3% were separated, 6.2% were widowed and 31.0% had never married.[1]

Oak Flats varies in altitude/elevation from about −4 m (-13.12 ft) (highlight point) to 36 m (118 ft) (highlight point) above sea level.

The postcode for Oak Flats is 2529.

Neighbouring suburbs/regional areas of Oak Flats include Albion Park Rail, Albion Park, Blackbutt and Mount Warrigal.

Oak Flats has four major schools within its boundaries, including Balarang Primary, Oak Flats Primary School, Oak Flats High School and Corpus Christi Catholic High School.

Oak Flats Anglican Church began services in a house in 1947 before moving to the current premises at 35 Fisher Street, Oak Flats, in 1951.

Oak Flats Railway Station

Oak Flats has its own rail station on the NSW TrainLink South Coast line. There is also a bus station/bus stop at the rail station for interchanging with trains.

Oak Flats contains two cricket grounds (Shane Lee Oval, Geoff Shaw Oval and Brett Lee Oval), two soccer grounds (Keith Bond Oval and Panorama Oval), and one tennis court.

• Cricketers Shane and Brett Lee