| Lake Illawarra | |
|---|---|
| Illawarra Lake[1] | |
 Lake Illawarra, viewed from Sublime Point lookout, 2015. | |
  Lake Illawarra Location of Lake Illawarra inNew South Wales | |
| Location | Illawarra,New South Wales |
| Coordinates | 34°31′25″S150°50′04″E / 34.52361°S 150.83444°E /-34.52361; 150.83444[2] |
| Type | An open andtrained intermediatewave dominatedbarrier estuary[3] |
| Primary inflows | Macquarie Rivulet, Mullet Creek |
| Primary outflows | Tom Thumb Entrance,Tasman Sea |
| Catchment area | 238 km2 (92 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Managing agency | Lake Illawarra Authority |
| Surface area | 35.8 km2 (13.8 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 2.1 metres (6 ft 11 in) |
| Water volume | 74,275 ML (2,623.0×10 |
| Surface elevation | 0.3 metres (1 ft 0 in)AHD |
| Frozen | never |
| Settlements | Wollongong Shellharbour |
| References | [4][5] |
Lake Illawarra (AboriginalTharawal language: various adaptions ofElouera,Eloura, orAllowrie;Illa,Wurra, orWarra meaning pleasant place near the sea, or, high place near the sea, or, white clay mountain[1]) is an open andtrained intermediatewave dominatedbarrier estuary[3] or large coastallagoon ,[1] is located in theIllawarra region ofNew South Wales, situated about 100 kilometres (62 mi) south ofSydney, Australia.
Until 2014, the lake environment was administered by the Lake Illawarra Authority (LIA), aNew South Walesstatutory authority established pursuant to theLake Illawarra Authority Act 1987 (NSW) with the aim of transforming the degraded waters and foreshores of Lake Illawarra into an attractive recreational and tourist resource. In 2014, the LIA was replaced by the Lake Illawarra Estuary Management Committee (LIEMC), including representatives from Wollongong and Shellharbour City Councils, as well as independent scientific advisors, community members, and local Aboriginal representatives.
Located south of the city ofWollongong, north of the city ofShellharbour, and 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northeast ofDapto, Lake Illawarra receives runoff from theIllawarra escarpment throughMacquarie Rivulet and Mullet Creek, drawing from a catchment area of 238 square kilometres (92 sq mi). With an average depth of 2.1 metres (6 ft 11 in), the relatively shallow lake, brought about because ofinfilling by sand which has been eroded from the surrounding catchments,[6] covers a surface area of 35.8 square kilometres (13.8 sq mi). At an elevation of 0.3 metres (1 ft 0 in)AHD, the maximum volume of water held in the lake is 74,275 megalitres (2,623.0×10^6 cu ft).[5]
The narrow tidal entrance to theTasman Sea of theSouth Pacific Ocean is located atWindang. Before 2007 Lake Illawarra was frequently closed to the sea. The lake system received large amounts of nutrient and sediment from the catchment which tended to remain within the lake. Water levels within the lake also fluctuated greatly, affecting the local flora species. In July 2007 the Lake Illawarra Authority completed works on training the entrance of the lake to create a permanent opening to the sea.
Located on the western shore of Lake Illawarra atYallah is thenatural gas-poweredTallawarra Power Station. The power station draws water from the lake for cooling purposes, and returns water to the lake via an onsite water management system that ensures water quality is maintained at levels above the catchment average.[7]
The lake's location within the sprawling Wollongong urban area means that Lake Illawarra is vulnerable to pollution and urban run-off.[8][9][10][11][12][13]
Lake Illawarra is popular for recreational fishing, prawning and sailing. On 12 January 2009, it was suspected a man was bitten by a bull shark whilst snorkelling at Windang, near the mouth of Lake Illawarra.
Birds found at the lake includepelicans,cormorants,musk ducks,hoary-headed grebes,black swans, black ducks, grey teal ducks,herons,ibises andspoonbills.
The traditional custodians of the land surrounding what is now known as Lake Illawarra are theAboriginalTharawal and Wadi Wadi peoples. Lake Illawarra was a valuable source of food and spirituality. Burial sites and middens (shell and camp rubbish heaps) discovered at Windang and surrounding areas indicate that the Wadi Wadi used the area extensively and performed variouscorroborees and ceremonies in the area.[14] The name Illawarra is derived from various adaptions of theAboriginalTharawal language words ofelouera,eloura, orallowrie;illa,wurra, orwarra mean generally a pleasant place near the sea, or high place near the sea, or white clay mountain.[1]
Matthew Flinders andGeorge Bass called the lake Tom Thumb's Lagoon on Flinders' chart, named after their little boat theTom Thumb, when they were there in March 1796.[15][dubious –discuss][14][16]
InLake Illawarra: an ongoing history, Joseph Davis provides a wide-ranging environmental and historical biography of the lake and its foreshores. The book also contains many images and photographs depicting the lake.[17] Davis editedJohn Brown of Brownsville: his manuscripts, letterbook and the records of Dapto Show Society 1857–1904 that deals with the man who did most to protect the vegetation of thelake islands,[18] and he authoredGooseberry & Hooka: the island reserves of Lake Illawarra 1829–1947, the latter examining the records of John Brown and others and deals with the history of these two islands and how they survived to become nature refuges rather than recreation reserves.[19]
Lakes and other natural bodies of water inNew South Wales, Australia | |
|---|---|
| Coastal lagoons and lakes | |
| Freshwater | |
| Glacial | |
| Saline | |
