Nowra

Nowra ( ) is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located south-southwest of the state capital of Sydney (about as the crow flies). As of the 2021 census, Nowra has an estimated population of 22,584. Situated in the southern reaches of the Sydney basin, Nowra is the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven. The region around Nowra is a farming community with a thriving dairy industry and a significant amount of state-owned forest land. It is also an increasingly popular retirement and leisure area for people from Canberra and Sydney. The naval air station HMAS Albatross is located about south-west of Nowra.

Nowra ( ) is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located south-southwest of the state capital of Sydney (about as the crow flies). As of the 2021 census, Nowra has an estimated population of 22,584. Situated in the southern reaches of the Sydney basin, Nowra is the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven. The region around Nowra is a farming community with a thriving dairy industry and a significant amount of state-owned forest land. It is also an increasingly popular retirement and leisure area for people from Canberra and Sydney. The naval air station HMAS Albatross is located about south-west of Nowra.

History

Prior to European arrival, the part of the Nowra region south of the Shoalhaven river was inhabited by the Wandi-Wandandian tribe of the Yuin nation, while the region north of Shoalhaven was inhabited by the Dharawal people. The name Nowra, originally written by Europeans as 'nou-woo-ro' (pronounced Nowa Nowa by the Indigenous Australians of the area), is an Aboriginal word for the black cockatoo. Circa 1824, ex-convict Mary Reibey applied for a land grant in the Burrier area, on the southern side of the Shoalhaven River. The Nowra township was officially recognised in 1852. Less than ten years later, in 1861, a postal service was established. In 1861, the racehorse Archer, which was trained in Nowra by Etienne de Mestre, won the first Melbourne Cup. Nowra was declared a town in 1885 and a city in 1979. A major landmark in the area is the house Bundanon, which renowned Australian artist Arthur Boyd and his wife Yvonne donated to the people of Australia in 1993 along with an adjoining property that had been previously owned by Boyd's brother-in-law, the equally famous Australian artist Sidney Nolan. Bundanon began as a single-storey weatherboard structure built around 1840. In 1866, a two-storey sandstone house, made of locally quarried stone, was built immediately in front of the original weatherboard house. The sandstone house features timber verandas and is now listed on the Register of the National Estate.

Geography

Along the north of Nowra is the Shoalhaven River, which formerly hosted the Australian National wakeboarding championships and is a popular fishing location. The Nowra Bridge connects it to North Nowra and Bomaderry. The Shoalhaven River is a freshwater river, however it does become brackish near the township. although it does not flow into the sea. The Shoalhaven River meets the sea through the canal that joins the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven Rivers, which was dug by convicts under the direction of local entrepreneur and pioneer Alexander Berry.

Economy

Nowra Town Hall was built in 1948 and is in the Central Business District. This district contains many services, including banks, health services and a library. Nowra has a growing tourist industry, especially in the summer months, when visitors (mostly from Sydney and Canberra) flock to the beaches to enjoy swimming, surfing, fishing, shopping, and relaxing in the restaurants and cafés. Nowra sits in the Shoalhaven region, where there are several vineyards.

Education

Nowra has three public high schools: Nowra High School, Shoalhaven High School and Bomaderry High School. There are also several non-government schools, three of which are religiously affiliated: Nowra Christian School: a K–12 Christian-based school located in South Nowra Nowra Anglican College: a K–12 Anglican college in Bomaderry St John the Evangelist Catholic High School: a Catholic systemic high school on the outskirts of Nowra, affiliated with St Michael's Catholic Primary School in Nowra The district also has an independent school of special assistance. The Shoalhaven River College commenced classes in 2019 and enrols 60 students¹ in years 9–12 in the mainstream curriculum. There are seven public primary schools in the Nowra area: East Nowra Public School, Nowra Public School, Bomaderry Public School, Illaroo Road Public School, North Nowra Public School, Nowra Hill Public School, and Terara Public School. The University of Wollongong has a campus in Nowra, and there is a campus of TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute in Bomaderry.

Health

There are two hospitals in Nowra: the Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital, which is a hub for oncology services, and Nowra Private Hospital.

Media

Nowra is served by various radio stations: ABC Illawarra (Regional) Wave FM (Commercial) i98FM (Commercial) Triple U FM (Community) 2ST (Community) Power FM (Community) Nowra also receives 5 free-to-air television channels from Knights Hill, commercial channels Seven, WIN (Nine) and Network 10, and public broadcasters ABC and SBS. Due to tropospheric ducting from Newcastle in the Shoalhaven area via Knights Hill, a translator site at Cambewarra Mountain in Nowra North is an alternative source of television reception and assists those affected by the Newcastle ducting. Local newspapers is served by The Shoalhaven and Nowra News and South Coast Register.

Notable people

Arthur Boyd, artist Tony Branson, Australian rugby league international Deborah Cheetham, Indigenous Australian opera singer. Ian Davis, Australian cricket international Jeff Dowdell, basketball (Cairns Taipans) player Adam Federici, football (soccer) player Christie Hayes, actress Blake Horton, football (soccer) player William Kamm, also known as 'Little Pebble', disgraced religious leader Nic Maddinson, cricketer Bruce McGuire, Australian rugby league international and NSW State of Origin player Frank Moorhouse, writer Michael O'Connor, dual international rugby league and union player Ashley Paske, actor. Appeared in Neighbours (1989–1991). Karen Phillips, swimmer Rodney Rude, comedian Marty Sheargold, stand-up comedian, radio broadcaster, and actor. Arron Spiessberger-Parker, 1500m runner Jim Stanbury, World Professional Sculling Champion 1891–1896 and 1905–1906. Rohan Taylor, national swimming coach Corey Tutt, founder of DeadlyScience Andrew Walker, dual international rugby league and union player

Attractions

Shoalhaven Regional Gallery Fleet Air Arm Museum hanging rock lookout Nowra farmer's market Bens walk

References

External links

Shoalhaven City Council visitnsw.com – Nowra

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367412278 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.