Bass Point Reserve, Heritage coastal site in Shellharbour, Australia.
Bass Point Reserve is a coastal reserve covering 72 hectares near Shellharbour, featuring littoral rainforest and diverse marine habitats along sheltered bays. Walking trails wind through the site, offering lookouts over the water and access to rocky shorelines with distinctive rock formations.
People first settled at Bass Point over 20,000 years ago, leaving behind artifacts and shell middens that reveal their long occupation. The site reflects thousands of years of continuous human presence before European arrival.
The Elouera people held strong ties to this land, gathering seafood and hunting wildlife across generations. Shell middens scattered along the shore still reveal traces of their daily practices.
Entry is free year-round, and the site has parking, picnic areas, and restroom facilities throughout the grounds. Wear sturdy shoes for the rocky paths and bring water and sun protection, as conditions can be exposed.
In 1943, four Australian soldiers died attempting to rescue the crew of an American merchant vessel that crashed on the rocks during a storm. A memorial at the site honors those who perished in this wartime rescue effort.
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