Lake Illawarra
Lake Illawarra (Aboriginal Tharawal language: various adaptions of Elouera, Eloura, or Allowrie; Illa, Wurra, or Warra meaning pleasant place near the sea, or, high place near the sea, or, white clay mountain) is an open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary or large coastal lagoon , is located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, situated about 100 kilometres (62 mi) south of Sydney, Australia.
| Lake Illawarra | |
|---|---|
| Illawarra Lake | |
Lake Illawarra, viewed from Sublime Point lookout, 2015. | |
Lake Illawarra Location of Lake Illawarra in New South Wales | |
| Location | Illawarra, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | 34°31′25″S 150°50′04″E |
| Type | An open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary |
| 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 (2,623.0×106 cu ft) |
| Surface elevation | 0.3 metres (1 ft 0 in) AHD |
| Frozen | never |
| Settlements | Wollongong Shellharbour |
| References | |
Until 2014, the lake environment was administered by the Lake Illawarra Authority (LIA), a New South Wales statutory authority established pursuant to the Lake 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.