1 Illawarra Region Report 1974
THE ILLAWARRA REGION
REPORT
A PRELIMINARY TO PLANNED
DEVELOPMENT
This report is specially directed to:
Department of Urban and Regional Development
Illawarra Regional Planning Committee
Contents 1. DIRECTIVE AND INTENT OF REPORT ............................................................................................................ 3
1.1 Present Climate of Action in the Illawarra Region ........................................................................................... 3
1.2 Directive of Report .......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Intent of Report ............................................................................................................................................... 3
2. CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................................................. 4
3. DEFINITION OF REGION AND PRESENT POLITICAL STRUCTURES WITHIN THE REGION .................. 6
3.1 Definition of Region ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Figure 3.1 Locations and Residential Development of the Illawarra Region within Local Government
Boundaries ........................................................................................................................................................ 7
3.2 Present Political Structures within the Region .................................................................................................. 8
3.2A Local Government Representation ............................................................................................................ 8
Figure 3.2A Local Government Electoral Boundaries ........................................................................................ 9
3.2B State Government Representation .............................................................................................................10
Figure 3.2B State Government Electoral Boundaries ........................................................................................11
3.2C Federal Government Representation .........................................................................................................12
Figure 3.2C Federal Government Electoral Boundaries ....................................................................................13
3.2D State Government Departments Regional Organisation ............................................................................14
3.2E. Federal Government Departments Regional Offices ................................................................................15
3.3 Informal Political Structures ...........................................................................................................................16
3.3A Trade Unions ...........................................................................................................................................16
3.3B Political Party Organisation ......................................................................................................................16
3.3C Public Associations ..................................................................................................................................16
4. PHYSICAL RESOURCE ANALYSES FOR REGION ........................................................................................17
4.1 General Comments .........................................................................................................................................17
4.2 Analysis of Water Resources ..........................................................................................................................17
(1) The Coastal Streams....................................................................................................................................17
(2) The Shoalhaven River System .....................................................................................................................18
2 Illawarra Region Report 1974
(3) The Nepean River System ...........................................................................................................................18
(4) The Wollondilly River System ....................................................................................................................18
Figure 4.2A Water Resources ...........................................................................................................................19
Analysis of Rainfall Pattern ..............................................................................................................................20
Figure 4.2B Rainfall Pattern .............................................................................................................................21
4.3 Topographical Features and Transport Facilities .............................................................................................22
Figure 4.3A Steep Land ....................................................................................................................................23
Figure 4.3B Major Contours .............................................................................................................................24
Figure 4.3C Unstable Slopes .............................................................................................................................25
Figure 4.3D Major Transport Links ..................................................................................................................26
4.4 Geology of the Illawarra Area .........................................................................................................................27
Figure 4.4A Coal Measures ..............................................................................................................................28
Figure 44.B Basalt, Limestone and Sand Deposits ............................................................................................29
Figure 4.4C Soils ..............................................................................................................................................30
4.5 Present Land Use Pattern ................................................................................................................................31
Figure 4.5 Present Land Use Pattern .................................................................................................................32
5. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION ...........................................................................................33
5.1 Development ..................................................................................................................................................33
5.2 Original Aboriginal Occupation ......................................................................................................................33
5.3 Discovery .......................................................................................................................................................34
5.4 Development ..................................................................................................................................................34
6. PAST PATTERN OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN WOLLONGONG AREA ..................................................38
Table 1A Showing Government Activity in the Wollongong Area (A) North Wollongong ...............................39
Table 1B Showing Government Activity in the Wollongong Area (B) Central Wollongong............................40
Table 1C Showing Government Activity in the Wollongong Area (C) South Wollongong. ...............................41
Table 1D Showing Government Activity in Rest of Illawarra (D) For Comparison, Other Coastal Areas ..........42
Table 1E Showing Government Activity in Rest of Illawarra (E) For Comparison, Berrima District and Picton43
Table 2 Ethnic Composition within the Illawarra Region ..................................................................................44
7. PRESENT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES IN THE REGION ..................................................46
7.1 General Comments .........................................................................................................................................46
Figure 7.1A Socio-Economic Features ..............................................................................................................47
Figure 7.1B Level of Developed Services .........................................................................................................48
Figure 7.1C High Schools in Southern Illawarra; Catchment of Kiama High School in 1961; High Schools built
since 1961 ........................................................................................................................................................49
7.2 Water Resources .............................................................................................................................................50
7.3 Electricity Supplies .........................................................................................................................................51
8. GENERAL PROPOSITIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGIONS .........................................................52
9. PARTICULAR PROPOSITIONS FOR LAND USE IN THE THREE REGIONS ................................................54
Figure 9 Proposed Land Use .............................................................................................................................55
10. PARTICULAR PROPOSITIONS FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE THREE REGIONS ......................56
Dianne Allen, March, 1974
3 Illawarra Region Report 1974
1. DIRECTIVE AND INTENT OF REPORT
1.1 Present Climate of Action in the Illawarra Region
The Illawarra region is on the brink of major government involvement in its development.
The N.S.W. Government, through the State Planning Authority has established an Illawarra
Regional Planning Committee, whose role it will be to establish guidelines for the development
of the region within a regional plan.
The Australian Government, through its policy of financing local government and. directing
urban and regional development has had a Grants Commission hearing of the needs of the
Illawarra region, and the Grants Commission, in consultation with the: Department of Urban and
Regional Development will be directly funding regional development projects
1.2 Directive of Report
This report is presented on the basis that :-
(1) the Grants commission has recently heard the case for financing regional projects in
the Illawarra region
(2) the case presented by local government bodies, was, on that occasion, I believe very
weak
(3) the needs of the Illawarra region are very great
(4) so far as I am aware, no-one in local government has seen enough of the region to be
aware of the nature and needs of the region, as a region
(5) there are adequate reasons to support a strong case for funding significant regional
development works
(6) that any decision to provide funds allocated to regional development works should be
made in the light of as full a knowledge of the region that exist•
And the report is directed to those making decisions on the future development of the area, and to
those preparing representations on the needs of the area to bodies able to provide funds t) develop
the area.
1.3 Intent of Report
It is hoped that the report can collect together the present information about the area, analyse the
information and present its findings in such a way that
(1) it will help inform local government authorities in the area of the overall picture
(2) it will help stimulate more debate on the directions that development should take in
the area
(3) it will establish that the region is not and cannot be an integrated whole
(4) it will help establish that the region should therefore be treated as three separate units
(5) it will help establish that the Grants Commission ought to have cognisance of this and
re--appraise its consideration of the Illawarra area in the light of this
(6) it will stimulate the bodies within the region to call for further hearings of the Grants
Commission, and that preparations for these hearings will be made in the light of the need to recognise three separate units within the area.
4 Illawarra Region Report 1974
2. CONCLUSIONS
The conclusions drawn from this study of the Illawarra region are summarised as follows:—
2.1 The region, as defined by the Department of Urban and Regional Development, which
followed the boundaries proposed and implemented by the N.S.W. Department of
Decentralisation and Development, is not a single region in an integrated sense. Nor should it be made into an integrated region.
2.2 There are, in fact, three distinct areas in the region— the Berrima District, the Shoalhaven
District and the Wollongong or real Illawarra District. These areas, with their distinctive
communities, are separated because of geography and history, and the features of geography, so
strongly dividing the region should not be overcome.
(I say "should not" rather than "cannot", because such is the power of man's handiwork
that present barriers can be overcome. And such is the centralising nature of our present
political and social structures that by attempting to ease the difficulty of numbers by
unifying, make everything the same, the economic and social pattern for the whole area
could be exclusively integrated.
But it is not, in my opinion, in the interests of (a) the responsible expenditure of
government funds or (b) the people in the three different communities of the area that
those geographical barriers be broken down or the social pattern be made more uniform.)
2.3 The features of the area that establish the case that national finance should be expended in the
area to direct its development are:-
(1) there are very extensive reservations of land for the catchment of water for supplies
for the Sydney Metropolitan Water Supply, these restrict the availability of much of the
area for economic development.
(2) the nature and extensiveness of the Mineral resources of coal, basalt, sand and
limestone in the area mean that
(a) to effectively reserve these deposits for the needs of 'the future, development in
the area will have to. be restricted
(b) to develop these resources without absolutely degrading the local environment
will require substantial investment in environmental protection techniques
As the benefits of these resources accrue to mere than the local community, so should the
responsibility of financing this protection be carried by more than the local community.
(3) the natural arability of parts of the area is very high, and these areas should be
protected from the encroachment of other activities that could be located on other less
arable lands.
Past free enterprise patterns of "development" of land use have not practised this
kind of land management.
Finance of restrictive planning will be needed to counter these present trends.
(4) the quality of urban developments, directed by government housing projects, or
established by directionless free enterprise, has been of a very low level. To raise this
standard, well-informed well-guided, government and community planning, funding and
5 Illawarra Region Report 1974
development will be required. With the community government taking the lead, economic
and other benefits of good urban planning can accrue to the community as a whole, rather
than to specific sections of the community.
(5) the scenic value of the area to N.S.W. and to the Australian east coast is substantial.
The development of the tertiary industry tourism, in this area could be a substantial
undertaking. To retain the scenic assets, while developing other assets in the area will
require substantial development finance.
2.4 The financing and development of these three districts should be dealt with separately and
concurrently.
2.5 The nature of the problems facing the Wollongong District are associated with the need to
redevelop and restructure the urban and social milieu. Finance should be directed in these areas
rather than into new expansive activities.
2.6 The nature of the problems facing the Shoalhaven District are associated with the need for
adequate controls as private development takes off, and sufficient funding so that development of
public facilities can do the controlling by leading development, rather than following in its
footsteps.
2.7 The nature of the problems of the Berrima District are associated with the need to define the
direction that development is to take in the Berrima District, and then later to control the private
development that is likely to take off in the area. Again sufficient funding that will allow public
development to lead and so guide private development is required.
2.8 There are small pockets of rural economy in the Wollongong District, larger areas in the
Berrima and Shoalhaven Districts.
The viability of these areas and the kinds of controls needed to insure that their viability is
sustained while urban development is going on in their midst is a significant problem
facing this region.
If the rural activities cannot be retained as viable economic and employment alternatives
to urbanisation, then the whole area will degenerate into homogeneous suburbia.
Present agricultural activities in these areas has probably not yet reached its saturation
point, but unless adequate finance is available to finance the development and
intensification of agricultural enterprise on these lands, then all the preventative zonings
in the world won't prevent the degeneration of the rural community in the area
6 Illawarra Region Report 1974
3. DEFINITION OF REGION AND PRESENT POLITICAL STRUCTURES WITHIN THE REGION
3.1 Definition of Region
This report looks at the Illawarra region as defined by the N.S.W. Department of Decentralisation
and Development in 1972, namely the local government areas of the City of Wollongong,
Municipalities of Shellharbour, Kiama and Bowral and Shires of Shoalhaven, Mittagong and
Wingecarribee.
The maps used in this report cover from 34015'S to 35
015'S latitude and from 150
000' to 151
000'
longitude and so include some details from the Shires of Wollondilly and Mulwaree and omit
some details of the Shire of Shoalhaven.
This area is not a geographic unit, nor is it welded by historical development, or community
interest or economic interreliance.
The area has been included into the metropolitan complex of Sydney and the N.S.W. coastal
region, and development funds look like coming into the area, changing its present nature,
because of its proximity to Sydney and because of some of its important natural resources.
7 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 3.1 Locations and Residential Development of the Illawarra Region within Local Government Boundaries
8 Illawarra Region Report 1974
3.2 Present Political Structures within the Region
There are two ways of looking at the political structures within the area : one is to consider the
formal political boundaries and formal political representation for the area and the formal and
informal organisation of government departments within the area; the second way is to look at
some of the informal associations of people within the area.
3.2A Local Government Representation
1. City of Wollongong
Ward 1 Representatives: Aldermen J.S. Collins, J.F. Parker (Lord Mayor), F.G. Woodward
Ward 2 Representatives: Aldermen M.S. Graham, J.E. Smith (Deputy Lord Mayor), T.B.G. Ward
Ward 3 Representatives: Aldermen D.A.R. Clark, H. Hanson, E.W. Tobin
Ward 4 Representatives: Aldermen C.J. Clarke, G.R. Goding, R. Wetherall
Ward 5 Representatives: Aldermen F.N. Arkell, A. F. Keys, B.J. Lang
2. Municipality of Shellharbour
East Ward : Aldermen J.T. O'Dwyer (Mayor) , R.L. Clay, K.P. Hore
Central Ward : Aldermen P.A. Hodsdon (Deputy Mayor), R.A. Smith, A.L. Reynolds
West Ward: Aldermen K.G. Grey, K.L, Raftery, R.H. Stevenson
North Ward : Aldermen C.J. Glenholmes, A. Harrison, R.J. Harrison
3. Municipality of Kiama
Aldermen B. East (Mayor), P. Noble (Deputy Mayor), N. Fredericks, W. Geurts, G. Honey, J.
O'Keefe, P. Saphin, H. Waghorn, R. Smith
4. Shire of Shoalhaven
Riding A : Councillors B.F. Mclntosh, L,G. Ritchie, H. Sawkins (President)
Riding B : Councillors D.P. Ellison, K.G. Furness, J.E. Hatton M.L.A.
Riding C : Councillors B. Faust, S.R. Robinson, T.H. Smith
5. Shire of Mittagong
Riding A : Councillors G.M. Elliott, W.G. Emery, D.J. Taylor
Riding B : Councillors R.H. Brown, E.M. Forrest, S.H. Sheedy
Riding C Councillors P. O'Halloran (Shire President) , C.R Alcorn, J.H.S. Saunders
6. Municipality of Bowral
Aldermen D.J. Wood (Mayor), M.J. Pierce (Deputy Mayor), S.L. Dunkerley, P. Reynolds, E.C.
Willis, S.A. Deveson, C.M. McPhedran, J.L. Price, C.W. Nankivell
7. Shire of Wingecarribee
Riding A: Councillors J. D. Wilson, F. A. Badgery
Riding B: Councillors G.D. Larsen, J.R. Nichols
Riding C: Councillors W.J. Missingham, L. H. Jones
Riding D: Councillors J.R. Goode, B.A. Badgery
9 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 3.2A Local Government Electoral Boundaries
10 Illawarra Region Report 1974
3.2B State Government Representation
1. Heathcote
R.F. Jackson (A.L.P.), M.L.A.
2. Corrimal
L.B. Kelly (A.L.P.), M.L.A.
3. Wollongong
E.D. Ramsay (A.L.P.), M.L.A.
4. Illawarra
W.G. Peterson (A.L.P.), M.L.A.
5. Wollondilly
Hon. T.L.Lewis (Lib), M.L.A., Minister for Lands and Tourism
6. South Coast
J.E. Hatton (Ind.), M.L.A
11 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 3.2B State Government Electoral Boundaries
12 Illawarra Region Report 1974
3.2C Federal Government Representation
1. Hughes
Hon. L.R. Johnson (A.L.P.), M.H.R, Minister for Housing
2. Cunningham
Hon. R.F.X.Connor (A.L.P.), M.H.R, Minister for Minerals and Energy
3. Macarthur
J.C. Kerin (A.L.P.), M.H.R.
13 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 3.2C Federal Government Electoral Boundaries
14 Illawarra Region Report 1974
3.2D State Government Departments Regional Organisation
Generally speaking, the State Government has been following a policy of decentralising
organisation and administration of government departments.
The most significant criterion for establishing such regional offices is usually need, so that the
formal defining of the Illawarra sub-region, in 1972, by the Department of Decentralisation and
Development, while it could have some effect in the future of determining the location of offices,
does not at present reinforce a pattern of boundaries of responsibilities of government department
regional offices.
Furthermore the degree of independent authority that the regional offices and administration has
is severely limited.
1. Department of Education
The South Coast Area, with its headquarters in Wollongong serves the Illawarra region as well as
the South Coast to the Victorian border, and includes the Goulburn area.
In the Illawarra Region there are inspectorates at Corrimal, Wollongong, Dapto, Kiama, Nowra
and Bowral.
2. Department of Public Works
The Port Kembla District, with its headquarters at Port Kembla, serves the Illawarra region, as
well as the South Coast and Southern Tablelands areas.
3. Department of Labour and Industry
The headquarters of the Department of Labour and Industry is situated at Wollongong.
4. Department of Health
The reconstituted department of Health, working now through the Health Commission has
regional headquarters in Wollongong
5. Department of Lands
The Nowra Land Board District, servicing the County of Camden and the County of St Vincent,
serves the Illawarra region from its office at Nowra.
6. The National Parks and Wildlife Service
The Illawarra region has been divided into two parts for the purposes of National Parks and
Wildlife Service administration. The Royal National Park office (Audley) services Wollongong,
Shellharbour and part of Kiama local government areas, while the Morton National Park office
(at Fitzroy Falls) serves the rest of Kiama Municipality and the rest of the Illawarra region.
15 Illawarra Region Report 1974
7. Department of Agriculture
The nearest major centre of the Department of Agriculture is Sydney or Goulburn. There are
minor inspectoral offices at Kiama and Nowra.
8. Other Departments
Other State Government departments having offices in the region are
Child Welfare: Wollongong, Nowra, Bowral
Electricity Commission: Port Kembla
Government Insurance Office: Wollongong, Nowra
Housing Commission: Wollongong, Nowra
Main Roads: Wollongong
Maritime Services Board: Port Kembla
M.W.S. &.D.B.: Wollongong
Motor Transport: Wollongong, Kiama, Nowra, Mittagong
Public Transport: (Railway) Wollongong
Soil Conservation Service: Nowra
Valuer—General: Wollongong, Nowra
3.2E. Federal Government Departments Regional Offices
1. Post—Master General's Office
The July, 1973, telephone directory saw the P.M.G. change its areas.
There are now three separate areas covering the Illawarra area.
N7 covers the local government areas of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama.
N16 covers the Shoalhaven Shire and the far south coast.
N15 covers the local government areas of Mittagong, Bowral and Wingecarribee, and.
includes the Goulburn area.
2. Other Departments
The Defence Department has offices at Wollongong and Nowra. Immigration and Customs and
Excise have offices in Wollongong.
The Commonwealth Employment Service also has offices in Wollongong. Apart from these,
there is very little Federal Government department activity in the area.
16 Illawarra Region Report 1974
3.3 Informal Political Structures
3.3A Trade Unions
The South Coast Trades and Labour Council centred at Wollongong, and the Shoalhaven Trades
and Labour Council, centred at Nowra, represent the level of activity and organisation of the
Trade Union Movement in the area. The Shoalhaven Council has only just been established,
whereas the South Coast Council is very well established.
3.3B Political Party Organisation
The Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party have well established branch organisation
throughout the area. This also organises on the basis of State Electoral and Federal Electoral
boundaries, with delegated councils representing local branches at for electoral purposes.
The Australia Party has a much less well organised system, but this is growing. The organisation
tends to reflect Federal electorates.
3.3C Public Associations
Public Associations, in the form of Ratepayers' Associations, Progress Associations, Resident
Action Groups, Conservation organisations, tend to wax and wane in numbers, enthusiasm, and
persistence in the face of certain issues. Of these, there are three that cut across local government
boundary considerations. These are in order of age, oldest first:
South Coast Conservation Society
Berrima District Association for Planned Development
Illawarra Coalition of Resident Action Groups
17 Illawarra Region Report 1974
4. PHYSICAL RESOURCE ANALYSES FOR REGION
4.1 General Comments
The broad features of the geomorphology of the Illawarra area are determined by
(1) the coast and coastal landforms
(2) the major river and drainage basins
(3) the uplifted sedimentary deposits of the Sydney Basin which form both the
Escarpment and the Tablelands
The two analyses: of water resources and steep land, serve to provide the basis of determining the
geographical areas.
The analyses of mineral resources, present land use pattern give an indication of the present
economic development of the area, and its likely potential for further development of primary
resources.
These analyses can then be combined to provide a pattern of constraints that will affect future
development. These constraints have mostly been effective in directing development up till now.
These analyses can also be combined to provide a pattern of land use that makes maximum use of
the potential available far development.
4.2 Analysis of Water Resources
The map provided shows the surface water resources of the Illawarra area, together with the land
reservations that protect the catchment areas of the Sydney Water Supply.
The resources can be divided into four main groups:
(1) the short creeks and river systems whose development is restricted to the coastal strip,
and associated lakes, bays and basins
(2) the Shoalhaven River System
(3) the Nepean River System (4) the Wollondilly River System
(1) The Coastal Streams
These streams and their associated water bodies are a very important aspect of the water
recreational areas of the Illawarra coastal area.
This is a result of the two factors of (a) the interest of water and water sports and activities and
(b) the proximity to the sea and beaches and associated beach sports and activities.
The more significant members of this set that have played and are continuing to play a major part
in the coastal activities are:
Lake Illawarra and its associated tributaries - Mullet Creek, Duck Creek and Macquarie Rivulet
18 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Minnamurra River
Crookhaven River and the delta complex with the nearby mouth of the Shoalhaven River
Jervis Bay and its main tributary, Currambene Creek
St George's Basin and its tributaries
(2) The Shoalhaven River System
The Shoalhaven River complex has four main areas important in its development
(1) the main stream running approximately north-south. This is to be dammed at Welcome
Reef, for reserves for the Sydney Water Supply
(2) Kangaroo River and tributaries which drain the scarp running approximately east-west
in the northern area of Shoalhaven Shire. This, too, is to be dammed at Tallowa, to
augment the Sydney Water Supply, and as part of the overall Shoalhaven Scheme to
provide hydroelectricity in peak hours.
(3) the Yalwal Creek and tributaries which is dammed for the Nowra Water Supply
(4) The Shoalhaven River from the mouth to west of the Noma Bridge which comes in for
very extensive recreational use. The uncertainty of free access through the mouth of the
Shoalhaven means that commercial use of this part of the river has been restricted, but
should the mouth be kept permanently opened, use of the river as part of a commercial
transport route would be expanded.
(3) The Nepean River System
The Nepean River System in the Illawarra area, is almost completely annexed to supply the
Sydney Water Scheme.
Dams on the Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon and Nepean Rivers, and the extensive continuous
catchment area around these main branches of the Nepean-Hawkesbury River Complex provide
water for the Sydney Metropolitan area and other areas served by the same supply.
The water needs of Wollongong and north to Stanwell Park and south to Gerringong are supplied
from the so-called Metropolitan Water Supply, the Cordeaux & Avon Dams' supplies being used
for this purpose.
(4) The Wollondilly River System
The Wollondilly, and its tributary, the Wingecarribee, water the agricultural lands of the Berrima
District before they reach the catchment area of Warragamba Dam. This catchment area reserves
a considerable portion of the north-west area of the Illawarra area.
The Warragamba Dam is the major dam and water reservoir for supplying the west and northern
part of the Sydney Metropolitan area.
19 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.2A Water Resources
20 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Analysis of Rainfall Pattern
The rainfall and its distribution annually, and seasonally, is of great significance when
determining the potential of an area for intensified agricultural use.
It also determines the adequacy of water storage and catchment areas to provide year round water
supplies to urban areas.
Further discussion of water resource development and the potential for further development in the
Illawarra area is treated later in section 7.
21 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.2B Rainfall Pattern
22 Illawarra Region Report 1974
4.3 Topographical Features and Transport Facilities
The topographic features of the Illawarra area can be readily defined by referring to the following
analyses :
(1) analysis of land with a change in slope of more than 25%, the cost of engineering
major transport links traversing this land is very expensive, the higher the quality of such
links, the high the cost of provision of the same
(2) analysis of two major contour boundaries in the area, the 500' and 1,000' boundary,
helps to clarify the meaning of the steep land analysis
(3) land known to be unstable
These three analyses give a graphic picture of the boundaries for urban development and the
barriers that restrict communication between the geographic units of the Illawarra area.
From the analysis of water resources and steep land it can now be seen that there are seven major
geographic units :
(1) the Wollongong coastal plain
(2) the Wollongong Escarpment
(3) the Berrima Tableland
(4) the Burragorang Valley
(5) Nowra Coastal land
(6) the Shoalhaven and Kangaroo Valley
(7) the Shoalhaven Plateau
Of these, there are three areas that are suitable for urban development : (1) the Wollongong
Coastal Plain ( almost completely developed at this stage) ; (2) the Berrima Tableland ; (3) the
Nowra Coastal Plain
The analysis of present transport facilities, cast on such a background show in part why the are
not very strong links between Wollongong, the Shoalhaven and the Berrima Districts.
Hopes that these links can be forged stronger by the click of the fingers are unreal.
This is dealt with in detail in section 7.
23 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.3A Steep Land
24 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.3B Major Contours
25 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.3C Unstable Slopes
26 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.3D Major Transport Links
27 Illawarra Region Report 1974
4.4 Geology of the Illawarra Area
The geology of the Illawarra area is simplified in that it belongs to the relatively undisturbed
sedimentary basin known as the Sydney Basin.
The surface deposits divide into three major groups
(1) Permian deposits: The Gerringong Volcanics and Shoalhaven sediments, including the
Illawarra Coal Measures
(2) Triassic deposits: Wianamatta shale, Hawkesbury sandstone and Narrabeen sandstone
(3) Quaternary alluvial deposits
This provides the basis for soil types, and when combined with rainfall, determines vegetation
types and suitability for agricultural pursuits.
The geology also provides the mineral resources of the Illawarra area.
These mineral resources divide into two major economic groups:
(1) coal deposits of the Illawarra Coal Measures, defined by both surface outcrops and
subsurface deposits. The Coal measures dip in a basin shape from east to west and from
north to south right across the area between the edge defining the surface outcrops.
(2) materials for the construction industry . These divide into three groups
(a) basalt from the Gerringong Volcanics and some later tertiary flows, this forms
a large slice of the aggregate supply
(b) sand from alluvial deposits, essential ingredient of concrete
(c) limestone for the production of cement
The present exploitation of these deposits is treated later in section 7 but it can be noted here that
the development of those resources has been inhibited by the limitations of the transport system
in the area.
A reminder, too, that the present underdeveloped transport network in the area is a result of
topographic restraints treated in section 4.3.
28 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.4A Coal Measures
29 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 44.B Basalt, Limestone and Sand Deposits
30 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.4C Soils
31 Illawarra Region Report 1974
4.5 Present Land Use Pattern
Present land use in the Illawarra area is dominated, in terms of area, by the reservations for water
supply catchment areas and agricultural development.
Agricultural activities predominant in the area relate to grazing, with some large areas of the
Shoalhaven district involved in forestry activities.
The present pattern of land use also gives a guide to the past history of development of the
Illawarra area.
The level of present development and the location of present urban centres also tend to define
where future development is moat likely to occur, and also the areas in which future major
investment would or should occur.
32 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 4.5 Present Land Use Pattern
33 Illawarra Region Report 1974
5. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION
5.1 Development
The development of the Illawarra area has probably followed a very similar historical pattern to
most other areas in Australia.
The exploration of the area was followed by clearing and grazing activity. Intensified agriculture
then developed, with town centres springing up at appropriate points for transportation of goods
from the area to the major centre of Sydney and its exporting port.
The coming of the railway often meant a change in pattern of. farming activities , with
concentration on one kind of activity at the expense of others; and the patronage of some centres
waned as the new terminals on the rail lines attracted more activity.
Industrial activity coming at the turn of the century, boosted particularly by the second World
War, has wrought significant changes in our community, and the growth of the motor industry
and the comparative development of the road system has seen the emphasis in production patterns
and life styles shift once again in our community.
Transport, its medium, location and emphasis has been the most significant factor directing
development in the Australian community life.
There is, however, uniqueness in the development of each area, determined by the particular
resources that an area has, the particular problems that the area has and the calibre of the
particular men and women who opened up the area.
5.2 Original Aboriginal Occupation
The aboriginal inhabitants of the Illawarra area had their separate tribal identities associated with
the natural features of the area - the lakes and bays, rivers and creeks, mountains, beaches and
plains.
The aboriginals of the coast land migrated to and from the area and the Berrima Tablelands and
the Sydney coastal plain.
Many of the original land entrances to the coastal aria. of Wollongong and Nowra were opened
up by explorers following aboriginal guides down their known passes of the steep escarpment.
In the Berrima district a fairly substantial number of aboriginals, who would have depended
largely on the kangaroo which grazed the savannah, were quelled after an outbreak in 1816 which
would have followed the intrusion of cattle grazing introduced by Oxley in 1815.
34 Illawarra Region Report 1974
5.3 Discovery
In Apri1, 1770, Captain Cook mapped the South Coast, prior to making his landing at Botany
Bay.
He first sighted land, after crossing the Tasman sea, south. of Jervis Bay, and he put Pidgeon
House Mountain on the map. He then came up the coast, naming Cape St George, Long Nose
Point, Rod Point and Hat Hill (Mt Keira).
Cook endeavoured to land on a beach north of Wollongong but was prevented by the surf.
Bass and Flinders were the next white folk to document a voyage of discovery in the Illawarra
area, and in March 1796 they accidently - their boat was carried up to the beach with an extra
helping of water- landed on a beach south of Wollongong.
Aboriginals befriended them at Red Point and guided them into the entrance of Lake Illawarra.
In 1797, a survivor of a shipwreck south of Bega, William Clarke, arrived in Sydney, having
struggled through the area, and claimed a find of coal.
Governor Hunter then sent Bass to check on the find and coal at Coalcliff was confirmed.
Another excursion by Bass in 1797-98, defined the Kiama Blowhole, Seven Mile Beach and the
mouth complex of the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven Rivers, before he ventured further south and
concluding that Tasmania was an island.
More exploration of the Shoalhaven area was carried out from Jervis Bay headquarters.
In 1815 Charles Throsby opened up the Illawarra coast by following an aboriginal along a track
down the mountainside between Bulli and Mt Keira.
In 1818 Charles Throsby, again in the company of aboriginals, travelled from the Berrima district
into the Shoalhaven district via Kangaroo Valley, having been thwarted at Bundanoon by flood
waters.
The Berrima district was explored by Wilson, Price and Roe in. 1798, and the description of the
countryside around Bong Bong as "full of large meadows and some thousands of acres of land
without any timber on it, except here and there one tree, and some very large lakes of water some
three miles large..." augured well for the area.
5.4 Development
The first activity to get under way in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven coastal region was the getting
of cedar.
The first record of this appears to be 1812 when the Speedwell arrived in Sydney with a cargo of
cedar from the Shoalhaven.
35 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Land grants were issued in the Illawarra area from 1816 on. Many of the grants, for large parcels
of land, had absentee 1andiords, and managers sent in were slow to develop the area in its early
stages.
Berry's grant, the first one in the Shoalhaven region, for 10,000 acres was given in 1822. He
settled and with some 100 convicts extended the cedar getting and cattle grazing in the area.
Cedar getting licences accounted for the first opening up of the dense brush country from
Saddleback to Wollongong. Clearing tenancies followed and the major agricultural pursuit was
cattle, grazing.
The harbouring facilities, developed minimally for the leading of cedar, were then enhanced for
the transporting of a wide range of primary products, with butter and other dairy products being
the mainstay of the rural activity in the area.
The towns then developed around these port facilities.
Wollongong Shellharbour, Kiama, Gerringong and Berry, on Broughton Creek and Terara and
Numba on the Shoalhaven River were amongst the first major centres.
Development of the coal and allied industries did not get off to a start until 1828, and even then it
was a shaky start. Loading facilities at Bellambi, Clifton and Wollongong aided the transportation
of the high grade coal out of the area, but generally speaking, the poorer transportation facilities
in the Illawarra district, compared to the Hunter District and the safe anchorage at Newcastle
Harbour, meant that development in the Illawarra area was slow and precarious.
Coal mines were developed at Mt Keira, Bellambi, Bulli, Woonona, Balgownie, Coalcliff, Mt
Kembla, Corrimal, Clifton and Mt Pleasant.
Tragedy hit the industry with explosions at Bulli in 1887 and Mt Kembla in 1902 , and these have
led to the improvement of mining conditions.
Coke works, to use low grade coal, were developed from 1878 on.
The demand for blue metal in the 1860!s-70's led to the development of a number of quarries in
Kiama, loading facilities at Bombe headland as well as Kiama Harbour, and a general upgrading
of prosperity in the Kiama centre which has not been repeated since.
The railway, linking Clifton to Wollongong in June,1887, Wollongong to Kiama in
November,1887 and finally Sydney to Clifton Wollongong and Kiama in October, 1888 changed
the direction of development in the Illawarra.
Areas flourishing as ports waned, and rail terminals now became important centres. This was
particularly so of Shellharbour vs Albion Park and Terara vs Nowra.
The port of Port Kembla was opened in 1883, and E.R. &S. established smelting works in the
area in 1908. In 1927, Hoskins moved its Iron & Steel Works from Lithgow to Port Kembla. The
rail link from Moss Vale-Mittagong, supplying iron ore to Unanderra-Fort Kembla, developed in
1932 finally, polarised the industrial development in the area. Some earlier plans to develop Lake
Illawarra as a suitable port for the smelting works at Dapto, promulgated during the 18701s-90's
were dropped, and Tom Thumb lagoon became the industrial site of the area.
36 Illawarra Region Report 1974
The building of the Nowra bridge in 1881, and the opening of the railway from Sydney to
Bomaderry in 1893, not only established Nowra and Bomaderry as the twin centres for the
Shoalhaven but tolled the end of many flourishing village/town areas — notably Numba, Terara
and Cambewarra.
Improvement of the roads, and the replacement of rail transport by private motor transport since
World War II has seen the small centres of the area become less prosperous and the larger centres
of Wollongong and Nowra have become more prosperous.
Cars look like being the death of Wollongong while effective public transport in the area is
ignored, and further growth in Nowra will make its relationship with the car less comfortable.
At present, the Wollongong area has reached a significant stage of industrial and urban
development. Its growth after World War II, described in detail later in section 6, has been
nothing short of phenomenal, and present problems in the Wollongong region can be pinpointed
to the rate of growth and the ability of the public sector to keep pace with this rate.
The Shoalhaven district, by comparison, which lagged some eight years behind the Illawarra at
the beginning, has, in 1974, some 40 years after the move of Hoskins to Port Kembla, no major
heavy industry and. is still largely a rural area with a highly developed service sector, dependent
on tourism and recreation in the area: the sea and water activities being the major attraction of the
district.
The independent development of the Berrima District began with land grants in 1815. Charles
Throsby with a grant of 1000 acres was one of the first settlers.
Cattle grazing was the first of the agricultural pursuits to be followed. Diversification to wheat,
maize, turnips, potatoes and other crops followed. The crops mostly for home consumption and
fodder for pigs and the bullock teams that ploughed the ground were not extended to any great
degree because of the cost of transporting them to Sydney. Potatoes, which have since become
the mark the brush country of Robertson, were particularly affected by these transportation costs.
The opening of the railway in 1867 saw the primary industry concentrate more on dairying.
The opening up of the Yarrawa Brush - now the pastoral areas of Burrawang, Robertson and
Kangaloon did not get under way until the 1860's, and the .task of clearing the thick brush was
reminiscent of the difficulties that were encountered when opening up Kiama and Jamberoo for
agricultural use. The opening of the Yarrawa Brush and the potato and cabbage and other
vegetable farming done there was considerably enhanced by the coming of the railway which
reduced the transportation costs.
Of the early centres developed, Berrima, Bong Bong, Mittagong the later developments of road
and rail facilities were determine their life and prosperity. Of these three, and there were other centres too, only Mittagong is today an important centre.
Mittagong town, closest to Sydney, existed in the 1830's by virtue of a couple of inns. The iron
works came in 1848, the Great Southern. road passed through Mittagong between 1830 and 183b
and in 1867 the rail link from Mittagong to Picton , an important stage linking the Berrima
district to Sydney was opened.
37 Illawarra Region Report 1974
" Bowral and Moss Vale owe their existence to three factors the opening of the railway,
the establishment of a prosperous settlement in the brash country to the east, and the
development of the tourist traffic to those places. Bundanoon owes its growth mainly to
the tourists and it continues to be a popular summer resort." (.History of the Berrima
District, 1798-1973, by James Jarvis)
The present development of the Berrima district is still basically a wide ranging agricultural
community, relying on dairying, fruit growing, potato and other vegetable crops. Beef grazing
and fat lamb activities are also proving profitable with present market conditions.
38 Illawarra Region Report 1974
6. PAST PATTERN OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN WOLLONGONG AREA
The establishment and growth of industrial activity at Port Kembla, commencing in 1883 with the
opening of the new port, stepped up in 1927 with the location of the Australian Iron and Steel
company activities changed the nature of Wollongong from a rural community with ancillary
mining activities into a rapidly expanding urban and industrial complex.
Arthur Cousins, in his book "The Garden of New South Wales" published in 1948, gives us a
contemporary view of the situation around Port Kembla at that time, just as post-war
reconstruction was getting under way
"So, in the forties of the twentieth century Port Kembla is not only a busy coal port, but
also a busy and prosperous industrial centre with such great industries as Australian Iron
and Steel, Lysaghts Ltd., Commonwealth Steel Rolling Mills, Electrolytic Smelting and
Refining Company, Metal Manufacturing Co., Australian Fertilisers Propriety Co.,
Newbolt Silica and Fire Brick Co., and others, giving employment to thousands. As far
back as 1926 Australian Iron and Steel and its subsidiary industries alone were employing
3000 men. It is from Port Kembla that electricity is supplied to Wollongong and all parts
of Illawarra.
"Connected with these industries are several coke manufacturing plants.
"The great and rapid growth of population brought about extremely acute housing
difficulties, workmen and their families being compelled to live for some time in humpies
and other dwellings, altogether inadequate from every view point. Houses were erected in
Port Kembla, Wollongong and suburbs, bringing about the enormous increase in
population spoken of above."
The dependence of the Wollongong urban complex on the steel and associated industries is
known amongst the popular myths of the area, and. while this may result in oversimplification, it
does help us paint with a broad brush, some of the problems of the Wollongong area.
Firstly, heavy industry requires a substantial labour force of skilled and unskilled labour.
As much of this labour has not been available in the indigenous workforce, the encouragement of
migrant labour to the area has been very necessary.
The skilled workforce generally comes from British migrants trained in steel and associated
industry in England. The unskilled workforce has been gained from European countries.
These migrants have come with very little capital behind them and so the provision of
accommodation as well as other public services has required an immense injection of government
funds.
Government development in the Illawarra area, through the activity of State Government bodies
and local government, has followed a particular pattern, the main feature of which is the
considerable lag between the need arising and the provision of services to fill that gap.
In general the pattern has been one of
(1) development of housing commission estates followed by
(2) development of primary schools followed by
39 Illawarra Region Report 1974
(3) development of high schools followed by
(4) installation of sewerage
From the time of purchase of land by the housing commission to tenancy of the house, local
government has received no revenue from the land involved in this kind of development, and the
provision of developed recreational and social facilities in the area come much later.
The fact that much of the growth is only very recent history, and is still developing, means that
there is a dearth of adequate social and recreational outlets in the area, and this is resulting in
cumulative social problems in the area.
The following figures, showing the level of Housing Commission activity in the area since 1958,
together with some description of the development of sewerage and educational facilities, give
some idea of the expansion and growth that has come most recently to the Wollongong urban
area.
Table 1A Showing Government Activity in the Wollongong Area (A) North Wollongong
Year Location
Bulli Woonona Bellambi Corrimal Balgownie Gwynneville
*1957 211 226 117 376 140 140
**1958 10
1959-1960 5 6
1961 73 1 4
1962 2
1963
1964
1965 36
1966 42
1967
1968 8
1969 43
1970 33
1971 18
1972
1973 79
***1973 211 301 196 400 240 222
Sew Ret 1971 1972 1965 1965 1963 1957
Pub Sch b.1957 b.1957 1956 b.1957 b.1957 1951
High Sch 1956 1964 Not yet 1951 Not yet * Number of Housing Commission Homes established by 1957. ** Number of Housing Commission Homes added in the area in the following years ***Total Number of Housing Commission Homes in the area in 1973. SOURCES: Annual Reports Housing Commission, Statistical Tables;
M.W.S. & D. B. Maps of Area Served (incomplete)
Schools—not readily available at this time; or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_in_Illawarra_and_the_South_East_%28New_South_Wales%29
40 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Table 1B Showing Government Activity in the Wollongong Area (B) Central Wollongong
Year Location
Mt.
Kembla
Fairy
Meadow
North
W'gong
W’gong Coniston Unan-
derra
Cringila
*1957 5 139 28 138 175 764 10
**1958 1
1959-1960 20
1961 1
196 42 3 10
1963 11
1964
1965 55 16
1966
1967
1968 24
1969 10
1970 99
1971 60
1972 1
1973 18
***1973 5 139 28 448 184 808 10
Sew.Ret NotYet by1963 b1957 b1957 b1957 1966 by1963
Pub.Sch b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957 1957
HighSch b1957 1969(Figt
ree)
* Number of Housing Commission Homes established by 1957. ** Number of Housing Commission Homes added in the area in the following years ***Total Number of Housing Commission Homes in the area in 1973. SOURCES: Annual Reports Housing Commission, Statistical Tables;
M.W.S. & D. B. Maps of Area Served (incomplete)
Schools—not readily available at this time. Or
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_in_Illawarra_and_the_South_East_%28New_South_Wales%29
)
b1957, means that the facility was available before 1957
by1963, the information about sewerage is implied from maps, and records between 1959-1963 were not available at
the time.
41 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Table 1C Showing Government Activity in the Wollongong Area (C) South Wollongong.
Year Location
Berkeley Pt
Kembla
Warra-
wong
Dapto Koona-
warra
Warilla Total Growth+
*1957 326 281 67 22 3657
**1958 318 270 4 347
1959-1960 301 1 1 370
1961 196 264
1962 153 1 1 159 419
1963 14 6 12 242
1964 133 177 368
1965 238 6 73 274 695
1966 60 134 453 688
1967 11 31 260 324
1968 23 47 526 635
1969 25 7 17 250 355
1970 7 ++632 ++151 263 12 529
1971 8 299 498+* 9028
1972 46 294
1973 43 9
***1973 1902 632 270 142 1082 2152
Sew.Ret 1966 1959 by1963 1968 1971 NotYet
Pub.Sch b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957 1970 1956
HighSch 1969(Fig
tree)
1961 1972 1958 1973 1966
* Number of Housing Commission Homes established by 1957. ** Number of Housing Commission Homes added in the area in the following years ***Total Number of Housing Commission Homes in the area in 1973. + Total Growth is for all three tables plus some minor additions in other locations ++ In 1970 the Annual Report of Housing Commission changed its recording for Pt Kernbla, and treated Warrawong
as a separate area, figures given were totals recorded that year, following figures are additions since then. +* final Total available, in 1971, 9028 homes had been built in area SOURCES: Annual Reports Housing Commission, Statistical Tables;
M.W.S. & D. B. Maps of Area Served (incomplete)
Schools—not readily available at this time. Or
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_in_Illawarra_and_the_South_East_%28New_South_Wales%29
b1957, means that the facility was available before 1957
by1963, the information about sewerage is implied from maps, and records between 1959-1963 were not available at
the time.
42 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Table 1D Showing Government Activity in Rest of Illawarra (D) For Comparison, Other Coastal Areas
Year Location
Shell-
harbour
Kiama Jamb-
eroo
Gerri-
gong
Berry Boma-
derry/
Nowra
Total Growth+
*1957 20 16 5 1 6 29B 147N 224
**1958 2 41N 43
1959-1960 6 15 13B 62N 96
1961 8 6 27N 41
1962 7 4 21N 32
1963 16 16
1964 6 11 18 35
1965 6 11 93 110
1966 2 42 44
1967 7 129 136
1968 8 4 30 42
1969 6 11 1 66 84
1970 12 8 90 110
1971 4 90 94
1972 12 106 118
1973 5 129 134
***1973 109 88 5 1 7 1149 1359
Sew.Ret NotYet NotYet NotYet NotYet NotYet 1937
Pub.Sch b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957B
b1957N
HighSch NotYet 1954 NotYet NotYet NotYet 1968B 1956N
* Number of Housing Commission Homes established by 1957. ** Number of Housing Commission Homes added in the area in the following years ***Total Number of Housing Commission Homes in the area in 1973. + Total Growth is for all three tables plus some minor additions in other locations ++ In 1970 the Annual Report of Housing Commission changed its recording for Pt Kernbla, and treated Warrawong
as a separate area, figures given were totals recorded that year, following figures are additions since then. +* final Total available, in 1971, 9028 homes had been built in area SOURCES: Annual Reports Housing Commission, Statistical Tables;
M.W.S. & D. B. Maps of Area Served (incomplete)
Schools—not readily available at this time. OR
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_in_Illawarra_and_the_South_East_%28New_South_Wales%29
b1957, means that the facility was available before 1957
by1963, the information about sewerage is implied from maps, and records between 1959-1963 were not available at
the time.
43 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Table 1E Showing Government Activity in Rest of Illawarra (E) For Comparison, Berrima District and Picton
Year Location
Picton Mitta-
gong
Berrima Bowral Moss
Vale
Total Growth+
*1957 31 19 22 2 18 92
**1958 0
1959-1960 4 3 2 9
1961 1 2 10 13
1962 1 7 8
1963 3 3
1964 4 1 2 8 15
1965 3 3 6
1966 2 6 2 20 30
1967 2 7 6 18 33
1968 4 7 10 4 25
1969 4 3 16 13 36
1970 7 1 5 4 17
1971 5 8 10 23
1972 17 12 21 50
1973 2 16 18
***1973 63 73 22 65 151 374
Sew.Ret 1937
Pub.Sch b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957 b1957
HighSch 1958 NotYet NotYet b1957 1964
* Number of Housing Commission Homes established by 1957. ** Number of Housing Commission Homes added in the area in the following years ***Total Number of Housing Commission Homes in the area in 1973. + Total Growth is for all three tables plus some minor additions in other locations ++ In 1970 the Annual Report of Housing Commission changed its recording for Pt Kernbla, and treated Warrawong
as a separate area, figures given were totals recorded that year, following figures are additions since then. +* final Total available, in 1971, 9028 homes had been built in area SOURCES: Annual Reports Housing Commission, Statistical Tables;
M.W.S. & D. B. Maps of Area Served (incomplete)
Schools—not readily available at this time. Or
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_in_Illawarra_and_the_South_East_%28New_South_Wales%29
b1957, means that the facility was available before 1957
by1963, the information about sewerage is implied from maps, and records between 1959-1963 were not available at
the time.
44 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Another of the factors that presents problems in urban Wollongong, is dependent on the ability of
people to communicate and to consequently be able to make the most of facilities available.
The following Census figures, broken down into local government areas for the 1966 Census, and
only for the whole Illawarra Statistical Division for the more recent 1971 Census, give some idea
of the ethnic composition of the people needing facilities in the area.
Table 2 Ethnic Composition within the Illawarra Region
Place Year Australasia UK & other Eng Sp Non Eng Speaking
Greater
Wollongong
1966 M 53,619 10,068 14,333
F 52,803 9,140 9,543
Shell. 1966 M 8,056 1,420 1,866
F 7,809 1,316 1,585
Kiama 1966 M 2,601 259 95
F 2,607 239 74
Shoalhaven 1966 M 10,957 980 346
F 10,217 808 215
Mittagong 1966 M 7;648 235 145
F 2,528 240 114
Bowral 1966 M 2;303 232 146
F 2,166 249 114
Wingecarribee 1966 M 3,406 266 148
F 3,381 247 133
Total I.S.D. 1966 M 83,590 13,469 17,079
F 81,511 12,239 11 778
Total I.S.D. 1971 M 92,498 16,476 19,036
F 90,319 15,464 14,601
One of the areas where social, economic, or ethnic differences shows up is in performance at
school.
For the purposes of considering the needs of education in the Wollongong area, it .is instructive
to consider the following further break down of statistics.
In 1971, in the total Illawarra Statistical Division, of the Australian born persons between the age
of 0-24 years old, some 13,077 or 13.5% came from non-English speaking backgrounds.
In 1971, in the total Illawarra Statistical Division some 24,388 children are not yet attending
school, while some 59,171 children are attending school at grades 1 - 10.
The non-English speaking children, and those coming from non-English speaking backgrounds,
the children coming from deprived socio-economic groups (eligibility for a Housing Commission
home is determined on income) and living in communities lacking in social and recreational
opportunities, become the illiterate, frustrated and then unmanageable delinquents in schools.
This is but the start of the unnecessary cycle of social degradation in the community.
45 Illawarra Region Report 1974
And it is unnecessary. It can be countered by staffing on the basis of selective and positive,
discrimination in the preschools, primary schools and high schools in those areas of Greater
Wollongong where the need is greatest.
As yet there are no pre-schools at Berkeley, Warrawong, Warilla, Koonawarra, that are freely
available for any child.
On top of this, the lack of public transport in the urban area of Wollongong usually means that at
least $1,200 of every worker’s income is committed annually to 'the upkeep of a car to enable
that worker to earn money. This has a substantial impact on the real income available to a family
unit, to allow it to independently develop social and recreational facilities or opportunities.
46 Illawarra Region Report 1974
7. PRESENT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES IN THE REGION
7.1 General Comments
The present level of development in the region has in effect been dealt with in previous pages.
The graphical representation of this in terms of present land use (Figure 4.5), socioeconomic
facilities available (Figure 7.1A), and the level to which economic resources have been developed
Figure 7.1B), help to collectively present a summary of present levels of development.
At this stage most aspects of the resources of the region and the potential of the communities of
the region are underdeveloped, and in some areas, the level of underdevelopment is inhibiting
achievement and damping growth.
At the community level, serious shortfalls between the existence of need and the provision of
services, as particularly exemplified in the case of Wollongong, threatens to cripple the orderly
life of the city.
Of our natural resources, present deficiencies in rail services appropriate to handle freight within,
into and out of the area is limiting production of mineral resources, intensification of agriculture,
,and the development of secondary industry.
Economic factors in the overall Australian economy are taking their toll in the agricultural sector,
and speculation in land is accelerating the urbanisation of all centres in the Illawarra area, while
State and local government seem to be unable to keep abreast of the needs that such urban
expansion brings.
47 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 7.1A Socio-Economic Features
48 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 7.1B Level of Developed Services
49 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 7.1C High Schools in Southern Illawarra; Catchment of Kiama High School in 1961; High Schools built since 1961
50 Illawarra Region Report 1974
7.2 Water Resources
The water resources within the region would appear to be well and truly developed.
In the Local Government areas of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama, water supply and
sewerage treatment supply is out of the hands of local government, and is in the control of the
M.W.S.&.D.B.
This, to a large degree, controls the rate &/or quality of urban development in these areas.
There is no alternative to this, as there is insufficient water in the area to supply the present
population from local water supply catchments.
An influx of funds to the M.W.S. &D.B. specially earmarked for the Wollongong area would
enable the M.W.S. &D.B. to significantly reduce the backlog of present operations.
Further specially earmarked funds for new areas would allow local authorities to direct the
provision of these services to new areas, prior to subdivision and occupation.
Shoalhaven Shire appears to have its water supply and sewerage treatment works in hand, with
forward planning evident. It has the Clyde River System to fall back on (providing the Sydney
M.W.S. & D.B does not annex it). However annexation of the main Shoalhaven System will
mean that if major expansion and development of the urban community occurs in Nowra and its
nearby environs, large development funds will be required to bring water from the Clyde to this
area.
Sewerage to sparse populations around the coastal resorts is causing concern because of the
heavy capital costs, and the need to protect the amenity of these areas. The fact that these areas
have seasonally variant populations that reach quite substantial peaks in summer adds to the need.
Mittagong, Bowral and Wingecarribee are able to supply their present level of urban development
from small reservoirs and are able to treat the present level of waste generated from these areas.
However, these resources are probably close to exhaustion in their present form. If it is the
intention of the N.S.W. State Government to include Mittagong, Bowral and Wingecarribee in
the M.W.S.&.D.B. area, and then supply these areas from the reserves from the Shoalhaven
Scheme stored at Wingecarribee Dam, then growth in the Mittagong, Bowral and Wingecarribee
areas will not be inhibited, excepting perhaps by the funds available to the M.W.S. & D.B. and its
works program, if it is to take over full service in the area.
The funding of tertiary treatment works, so that waste water from the Mittagong, Bowral and
Wingecarribee area, which later enters the Wollondilly River System and Waragamba Dam, will
probably be required to ensure the maintenance of the present quality of water stored in the
Warragamba Dam.
Two more points need to be made about water supply. These are:
(1) The present process of annexing large areas in the hinterland of the Major Sydney
Region for catchment areas means that there is
(a) inhibition on development in the hinterland
(b) excessive open space areas in the hinterland
(c) equivalent lack of open space in the major Sydney Region
51 Illawarra Region Report 1974
(d) an overemphasis on centralising activities in the major Sydney Region.
This needs to be challenged, both for the sake of the major Sydney Region, and for the
sake of the hinterland.
(2) The present practice of charging water and sewerage rates on the basis of U.C.V.
rather than cost for benefit (with fairly limited surcharges for special users) only
encourages the non-conservatory habits of the urban population. This has two undesirable
consequences
(a) the rate of augmentation of water supplies for Sydney is accelerated
(b) the task of treating waste water is made unnecessarily difficult.
This too needs to be challenged, and research into ways and means of recycling urban
water is required.
7.3 Electricity Supplies
The whole area is presently served by three County Councils that purchase electricity from the
N.S.W. Electricity Commission.
All three enterprises seem to be able to keep abreast of present and predicted future development.
52 Illawarra Region Report 1974
8. GENERAL PROPOSITIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGIONS
o The three separate and. distinct regions : Wollongong, the Shoalhaven and the Berrima
Districts should be dealt with individually.
o The development of the three regions should be dealt with concurrently to offset the
possibility of any sort of centralising emphasis being placed unduly on Wollongong, the
present most developed area, the area presently considering its need for "breathing space"
- areas to expand into and colonise in the glorious pattern of past imperialists.
o The development in Wollongong should be centred on urban renewal - social
development and redevelopment of present physical environs to provide a more functional
city.
o The development of the Shoalhaven District should be based on improving present links
with Sydney-Wollongong and Canberra-Melbourne establishing extensive tertiary
industry based on specialist education tourism and recreation in mixed rural economy
surrounds.
The need for local government to have the funds to lead the development in areas based on
community benefit choice, is paramount.
o The development of the Berrima District should be based or improving links with Sydney
and Goulburn-Canberra- Melbourne, and intensifying rural activities as well as opening
up coal reserves in the western area, and increasing tertiary service industry of recreation
and tourism. Compact urban centres in the rural milieu should be pre-Planned and
developed to contain urban growth without infringing on the arable lands.
o The railway network throughout the three regions should be the area of transportation that
has funds selectively channelled to it. Rail opening up the coal reserves near the Illawarra
Escarpment without infringing the escarpment, by improving the Unanderra-MossVale
link to two tracks and by linking Robertson to Sutherland-Sydney with quality passenger
services for miners will open up the eastern reserves; link improved from Berrima District
to Sydney via Picton—Campbelltown then Sydney, with quality passenger services for
miners will allow the opening up of the western reserves near Burragorang. Handling of
the coal for export at Sydney Harbour is more appropriate than endeavouring to improve
port facilities on the Illawarra coast, and Port Kembla will then be able to better serve the
processed steel industry.
Improved rail links between Port Kembla— Wollongong and Sydney and via the
tablelands to Melbourne, or through the Shoalhaven to Melbourne will enable some of the
processed steel to be handled for internal Australian uses in this way, thus releasing Port
Kembla for more export activity of processed steel.
o The most appropriate way for Grants Commission funds to be provided for the
development of the area would be the following
(A) Special Earmarked funds for Capital Works associated with urban development and
urban renewal. Some of this will go to local government bodies with authority and
53 Illawarra Region Report 1974
facilities to handle those activities; other will go to State Government instrumentalities
with specialist authority to provide particular services.
(B) Special Funds for Expanding Local Government Regional Activity in Social Services.
If there is no intention of the Australian Department of Social Security to establish its own
regional bureaucracies in the three regions of the Illawarra, the present elementary
faculties of local government could have special funds expended in this area, or if local
government is prepared to hand these over to the Health Commission the present gambit
of Health Commission activities could be extended, by appropriate funding, in the social
welfare/social mental health area.
(C) Funding of Planning and Research Departments for the three regions, centred in the
present local government structure.
As one of the major problems facing local government is financing administration, there
has been and will continue to be a natural reticence to employ "non—productive"
planners, of the calibre and number required to guide forward planning. Grants to
establish such departments in each of the three regions, with recurrent grants to sustain the
appropriate level of forward planning while controlling the feedback from development
activities in the area, is absolutely vital.
The links between this group and State and Federal planning activity should be very
strong and the local links with people working in the social service sector should also be
very strong.
54 Illawarra Region Report 1974
9. PARTICULAR PROPOSITIONS FOR LAND USE IN THE THREE REGIONS
There are two broad principles applied to the whole area when deciding land use:
(1) The protection of Steep Land from unnecessary development is required in the
interests of water and soil conservation.
And if the conservation of water and soil are not sufficient reason, careful thought will remind
those who know the area, that the steep country is a significant feature of the visual impact of the
area and has a tremendous assets in its undeveloped state,
(2) The wise and careful management of arable land, in the face of urban expansion.
The high quality soil resources in some areas, the natural rainfall pattern with minimal seasonal
climate changes and low lying land liable to flooding are inappropriate places to establish an
expanding urban community.
For a start agriculture is forced to move to less productive areas, and in the light of present and
pending population demands more productive land should be kept in agriculture and less
productive land have houses and buildings and non-agricultural activities established on them.
Further, the banishment of agriculture from the coastal regions near to Sydney in favour of
urbanisation merely extends the suburban uniformity over more and. more land, and times taken
to travel out of urban lands into open space areas becomes progressively longer.
Proper land use management in these agricultural areas does need to be encouraged - replacement
forestry should be encouraged before cropping (or better described “mining”) forestry large tracts
of forest in the steep country south of Nowra must be protected in this way. Large tracts of forest
near the Burragorang also should be developed in this way. Coal mining developed hand in hand
with this in the west of the Berrima District will ensure maximisation of resources and capital
investment in transport.
55 Illawarra Region Report 1974
Figure 9 Proposed Land Use
56 Illawarra Region Report 1974
10. PARTICULAR PROPOSITIONS FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE THREE REGIONS
Past development of the urban complexes in the area, and in most Australian conditions, has
proved to be of poor quality.
This past experience is now paying off in that we know what not to do, and together with other
overseas experiences, we can see other patterns that have been more successful, and give
consideration to how those are best adapted to present Australian conditions.
In the Wollongong District an urban renewal pattern is needed.
Both the Shoalhaven and the Berrima District still have a wide range of choice open to them.
These are places where we can experiment with small area high density centres with well
developed tertiary based economies, with the rural lands within walking distance.
The major lesson to learn from Wollongong is that rapid growth brings severe problems unless
vast government expenditure is directed to the full range of services that an urban community
needs.
Finally, it goes without saying that more research must be done on the small areas to give better
patterns for development of resources, and this report must look forward to these.
Submitted by
Dianne Allen, 1974