South Coast Islands

South CoastBioblitz! The Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden Eurobodalla National Park Gulaga / Mt Dromedary Fauna Flora Islands National Parks and Reserves Wallaga Lake

Photographs and Author Phil Warburton ◦

South Coast Islands of New South Wales

The beautiful south coast of NSW features many small islands. 61 of them have been deemed worthy of being named. 20 are coastal islands and 41 are in the estuaries, rivers, and lakes of the region. Nearly all are small and uninhabited, but each has something special about it. Several are wildlife reserves with important biodiversity and conservation value. Some have an ancient spiritual significance to First Nations peoples. Some have interesting connections to the early European explorers. Just a few can be explored on foot.

For Kayakers, the islands represent a challenge – to explore the waters around all 61 islands! Author and retired journalist, Helen Moody, was one kayaker who accepted the challenge to paddle around all the islands. While carrying out this epic feat, Helen became aware of how poorly the islands were documented. Even Google could not be trusted to map the names and locations of the islands accurately. There was no central historical record to refer to, and the geology and natural history of the islands was not well documented.

Helen and a fellow kayaker Mike Jefferis set about telling the stories of these islands in their self-published book, “South Coast Islands of New South Wales. What they produced is an outstanding and valuable piece of work. It contains many beautiful photographs and tells the stories of the Aboriginal connection with the islands, the history of the exploration of the south coast and the arrival of the European settlers and convicts. It covers the geology, flora and fauna, lighthouses, shipwrecks as well as describing the environmental, historical and cultural value of the islands.

The initial print run of 750 copies sold out within days, raising funds for local environmental charities. The book was subsequently adopted by a small south coast publisher and is now once again available in bookshops or online at: https://envirobook.com.au

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Barlings Island
This island lies to the south of Batemans Bay near Tomakin. It is named after a European settler but has much longer Aboriginal connections with many artifacts and human and animal bones dating back thousands of years. The nearby Barlings beach and Long Nose Point nature reserve are popular with tourists.

Budd Island
Overlooked by the bridge that crosses the Clyde River at Batemans Bay, Budd Island is at the centre of the local oyster cultivation industry. The river is one of the largest producers of the prized Sydney rock oysters.

Comerong Island
Situated at the mouth of the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven Rivers, near Nowra, Comerong Island is an important nature reserve and a great destination for a family day out. It can be accessed by a quaint ferry journey across the canal and is a popular destination for walkers, birdwatchers and photographers.

Green Island
This small island lies just off Currajong Point at the entrance to Conjolo Lake. It is one of the few islands that are accessible at low tide. You can walk across the tombolo and navigate through the basalt boulders to access the island. It is much loved by surfers and is a perfect destination for a family outing, offering swimming, snorkelling, fishing, rockpool exploration, and whale watching.

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(Phil Warburton contributed many of the photos that were used in the book including the ones shown in this article.)

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South CoastBioblitz! The Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden Eurobodalla National Park Gulaga / Mt Dromedary Fauna Flora Islands National Parks and Reserves Wallaga Lake

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