illawarra region report 1974

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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

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Report prepared for Department of Urban and Regional Development & Illawarra Regional Planning Committee, March 1974; utilising McHarg constraints analysis mapping

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Page 1: Illawarra Region Report 1974

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

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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

Page 3: Illawarra Region Report 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.

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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

Page 5: Illawarra Region Report 1974

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

Page 6: Illawarra Region Report 1974

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.

Page 7: Illawarra Region Report 1974

7 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 3.1 Locations and Residential Development of the Illawarra Region within Local Government Boundaries

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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

Page 9: Illawarra Region Report 1974

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Figure 3.2A Local Government Electoral Boundaries

Page 10: Illawarra Region Report 1974

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

Page 11: Illawarra Region Report 1974

11 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 3.2B State Government Electoral Boundaries

Page 12: Illawarra Region Report 1974

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.

Page 13: Illawarra Region Report 1974

13 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 3.2C Federal Government Electoral Boundaries

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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.

Page 15: Illawarra Region Report 1974

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.

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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

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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

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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.

Page 19: Illawarra Region Report 1974

19 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.2A Water Resources

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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.

Page 21: Illawarra Region Report 1974

21 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.2B Rainfall Pattern

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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.

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23 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.3A Steep Land

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24 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.3B Major Contours

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25 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.3C Unstable Slopes

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26 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.3D Major Transport Links

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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.

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28 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.4A Coal Measures

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29 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 44.B Basalt, Limestone and Sand Deposits

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30 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.4C Soils

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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.

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32 Illawarra Region Report 1974

Figure 4.5 Present Land Use Pattern

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Figure 7.1A Socio-Economic Features

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Figure 7.1B Level of Developed Services

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Figure 7.1C High Schools in Southern Illawarra; Catchment of Kiama High School in 1961; High Schools built since 1961

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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

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(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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Figure 9 Proposed Land Use

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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