Batemans Bay

Batemans Bay is a town in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the shores of an estuary formed where the Clyde River meets the southern Pacific Ocean. The town is administered by the Eurobodalla Shire council and had a population of 17,519 at the 2021 census. It is the closest seaside town to Canberra, making Batemans Bay a popular holiday destination for residents of Australia's national capital. The traditional custodians of the land surrounding Batemans Bay are the Walbunja people of the Yuin nation, who speak the Dhurga language. The town was first sighted and named by explorer James Cook in 1770, and it has a history of European settlement dating back to the early 19th century, with the area being surveyed in 1828 and the village of China Bay being surveyed in 1859. The town has experienced significant growth and development over the years, with the establishment of oyster farming, forestry, eco-tourism, and retail services. In 2016, the town experienced a major crisis when an estimated 120,000 grey-headed flying foxes descended upon and swarmed the town, prompting the town to declare a state of emergency.learn more on wikipedia