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
Location	South Coast, New South Wales
Coordinates	35°44′S 150°13′E
Type	Bay
Primary inflows	Clyde River
Primary outflows	Tasman Sea, South Pacific Ocean
Catchment area	28 km^2 (11 sq mi)
Basin countries	Australia
Surface area	34.5 km^2 (13.3 sq mi)
Average depth	11.1 m (36 ft)
Water volume	383,484 megalitres (13,542.6×10^^6 cu ft)
Frozen	never
Islands	Snapper Island, Tollgate Islands
Settlements	Batemans Bay
References	[1]

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.[2][3] Cullendulla Creek also flows into Batemans Bay, between the townships of Surfside and Longbeach, west of Square Head.[4]

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)[1] 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 are the Indigenous Australian Yuin people of the Walbunja clan. A number of sites surrounding the bay are considered culturally significant to the Aboriginal peoples.[4]

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 1760–62.[3][5] Alternatively, the name was chosen in honour of John Bateman, 2nd Viscount Bateman, a former Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in the 1750s.[6]

In 1906, little penguins inhabited the Tollgate Islands, and Snapper Island was said to be a burial place used by indigenous people.[7] 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.[8]

See also

• List of lakes of Australia

References

1. "Batemans Bay: Physical characteristics". Coastal and floodplain management: Coastal zone management: Estuaries of NSW. NSW Environment & Heritage. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
2. "Map of Batemans Bay, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
3. "Batemans Bay". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
4. "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.
5. 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.
6. Robson, John (2009). Captain Cook's War and Peace. University of New South Wales Press. p. 107. ISBN 9781742231099.
7. "Interesting Islands near Baleman's Bay". Bega Budget (NSW : 1905 - 1920). 22 September 1906. p. 6. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
8. 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.