Batemans Bay

Batemans Bay is a town in the South Coast region of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Batemans Bay is administered by the Eurobodalla Shire council. The town is situated on the shores of an estuary formed where the Clyde River meets the Tasman Sea, opening into a bay of the same name.

Batemans Bay is located on the Princes Highway (Highway 1) about 280 kilometres (170 mi) from Sydney and 760 km (470 mi) from Melbourne. Canberra is located about 151 km (94 mi) to the west of Batemans Bay, via the Kings Highway. At the 2011 census, Batemans Bay had a population of 11,334 with surrounding communities including Long Beach, Maloneys Beach and the coastal fringe extending south to Rosedale bringing the total population of the urban area to 15,773.

It is the closest seaside town to Canberra, making Batemans Bay a popular holiday destination for residents of Australia's National Capital. Geologically, it is situated in the far southern reaches of the Sydney Basin. Batemans Bay is also a popular retiree haven, but has begun to attract young families seeking affordable housing and a relaxed seaside lifestyle. Other local industries include oyster farming, forestry, eco-tourism and retail services.

Batemans Bay (New South Wales)

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.

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. Cullendulla Creek also flows into Batemans Bay, between the townships of Surfside and Longbeach, west of Square Head.

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) 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.