A BRIEF INSIGHT INTO

Beautiful Cronulla

1899

Cronulla, initially a village named Gunnamatta, came into being when residential land went on sale. Visitors soon came for fishing and walking, but it became really popular after 'surf bathing' began in the early 1900s.

1907

Cronulla Life Saving Club opened and was one of Australia's first.

1911-1931

It wasn't always easy getting to Cronulla. In the early days, getting to Cronulla from Sydney could involve an adventurous ferry trip on open seas. After the first Sydney train services reached Sutherland, a single track steam tram ran between Cronulla's Shelly Park and Sutherland station.

1912

A passenger ferry service briefly linked La Perouse and Kurnell to reach Cronulla’s popular beach, tourist and holiday area. But it was unprofitable.

1916

A punt began carrying vehicles across the Georges River between Taren Point and Sans Souci. It operated for 46 years until just before the Captain Cook Bridge opened.

1929

Two cable ferries started crossing the river.

We didn't become a part of the Sydney rail network until 1939. But then we did get a station now heritage listed as an 'outstanding Inter-war Functionalist style railway building'.

1965

Our main traffic bridge link opened - known as Captain Cook Bridge.

Now we worry about finding somewhere to park!

Captain Cook Bridge, crossing the Georges River between Taren Point and Sans Souci, opened in 1965. Bridgeworks in the east of Sutherland Shire were completed in 1987 when a duplication of Tom Uglys Bridge opened.

*Images by: Local History Collections Sutherland Shire Libraries