Gymea Bay | |
---|---|
The bay of Gymea Bay | |
Location of Gymea Bay in New South Wales | |
Location | Southern Sydney, New South Wales |
Coordinates | 34°02′55″S 151°06′04″E / 34.04861°S 151.10111°E[1][2] |
Type | Bay |
Primary inflows | Coonong Creek |
Primary outflows | Port Hacking River |
Basin countries | Australia |
Frozen | never |
Settlements | Gymea Bay, Gymea |
The Gymea Bay is a bay on the upper estuarine Port Hacking River, fed by the Coonong Creek in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia
Location and features
The bay, the locality, suburb of Gymea Bay and the adjacent suburb of Gymea, were named after the Gymea Lily Doryanthes excelsa, a tall perennial (up to 6m) that is prevalent in the area. The plant was called "Gymea" by the local Eora people and became the inspiration for the suburb's name, by government surveyor W.A.B. Geaves in 1855.[3] The Gymea Lily has been adopted as a symbol of the area and features on the crest of many local organisations. Development in the area has eradicated most of these lilies but some can still be found, a few kilometres south in the Royal National Park.[4]
Recreation
Gymea Bay is home to the heritage-listed Gymea Bay Baths, at the shore of Gymea Bay Baths Reserve at the intersection of Gymea Bay Road and Ellesmere Road. Gymea Bay Amateur Swimming Club has been using the baths for over 40 years.[when?] The bay and Port Hacking estuary are used extensively for watersports such as wakeboarding and water skiing.
Gallery
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Gymea_Bay_Sunset.jpg/220px-Gymea_Bay_Sunset.jpg)
References
- ^ "Gymea Bay (NSW) (bay)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
- ^ "Gymea Bay (bay)". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
- ^ "Suburb names in the Sutherland Shire" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2014.
- ^ Pollon, Frances, ed. (1990). The Book of Sydney Suburbs. Australia: Angus & Robertson Publishers. p. 118. ISBN 0-207-14495-8.