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{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type     = suburb
| name     = Cronulla
| city     = Sydney
| state    = NSW
| image    = 2019-09-22 Cronulla, New South Wales.jpg
| caption  = Cronulla, New South Wales, pictured facing south in September 2019.
| alternative_location_map = Australia NSW metro Sydney
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in metropolitan [[Sydney]]
| coordinates         = {{Coord|-34.05744|151.15219|format=dms|display=title|type:city_region:AU-NSW}}
| local_map = yes
| zoom     = 12
| lga      = Sutherland Shire
| postcode = 2230
| pop      = 17899
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=census>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL11120|name=Cronulla (State Suburb)|access-date=27 November 2023|quick=on}}</ref>
| elevation = 20
| area      = 
| est       = 1908
| stategov  = [[Electoral district of Cronulla|Cronulla]]
| fedgov    = [[Division of Cook|Cook]]
| dist1     = 26
| dir1      = south
| location1 = [[Sydney central business district|Sydney CBD]]
| near-nw   = [[Caringbah, New South Wales|Caringbah]]
| near-n    = [[Kurnell, New South Wales|Kurnell]]
| near-ne   = [[Greenhills Beach, New South Wales|Greenhills Beach]]
| near-w    = [[Woolooware, New South Wales|Woolooware]]
| near-e    = ''[[Bate Bay]]''
| near-sw   = [[Burraneer, New South Wales|Burraneer]]
| near-s    = [[Maianbar, New South Wales|Maianbar]]
| near-se   = [[Bundeena, New South Wales|Bundeena]]
}}
[[File:North Cronulla Beach 1.JPG|thumb|South end of North Cronulla Beach]]
'''Cronulla''' is a [[suburb]] of [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. Boasting numerous surf beaches and swimming spots, the suburb attracts both tourists and [[Greater Western Sydney|Greater Sydney]] residents. Cronulla is 26 kilometres south of the [[Sydney central business district]], in the [[Local government in Australia|local government area]] of the [[Sutherland Shire]].

Cronulla is on a [[peninsula]] framed by [[Botany Bay]] to the north, [[Bate Bay]] to the east, [[Port Hacking]] to the south, and [[Gunnamatta Bay]] to the west. The neighbouring suburb of [[Woolooware, New South Wales|Woolooware]] lies to the west of Cronulla, and [[Burraneer, New South Wales|Burraneer]] lies to the southwest. The [[Kurnell]] [[Cronulla sand dunes, Kurnell Peninsula|peninsula]], the site of the first landfall on the eastern coastline made by Captain [[James Cook]] in 1770, is reached by driving northeast out of Cronulla on Captain Cook Drive.

==History==

Cronulla is derived from the [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] word {{lang|aus|Kurranulla}}, meaning "place of the small pink seashell" in the dialect of the area's [[indigenous Australians|Indigenous]] inhabitants, the [[Gweagal]], who were a clan of the Tharawal (or [[Tharawal people|Dharawal]]) tribe. They inhabited the southern geographic areas of Sydney. The beaches were named by Surveyor [[Robert Dixon (explorer)|Robert Dixon]] who surveyed here in 1827-28 and, by 1840, the main beach was still known as Karranulla.<ref>http://www.sutherland.nsw.gov.au/ssc/rwpattach.nsf/0/Factsheet_6_FINAL_20030728.pdf/$file/Factsheet_6_FINAL_20030728.pdf Sutherland Shire Place Names {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004033452/http://www.sutherland.nsw.gov.au/ssc/rwpattach.nsf/0/Factsheet_6_FINAL_20030728.pdf/%24file/Factsheet_6_FINAL_20030728.pdf |date=4 October 2006 }}</ref> In July 1852 the schooner Venus was wrecked on the beach, which was referred to in newspaper reports as Cooranulla.<ref>Sydney Morning Herald, 30 Jun 1852,p2</ref>

[[Matthew Flinders]] and [[George Bass]] explored and mapped the coastline and Port Hacking estuary in 1796 and the southernmost point of Cronulla is named Bass and Flinders Point in their honour. John Connell received a grant of {{convert|380|acre|km2}} in 1835. Thomas Holt (1811–88) owned most of the land that stretched from Sutherland to Cronulla in the 1860s. Holt built Sutherland House on the foreshore of Gwawley Bay in 1818, on the eastern side of Sylvania. In 1888 master mariner Captain Joseph Henry Rounce Spingall became the pioneering resident of Cronulla when, with his family, he constructed the two-storey 'Oriental Guest House' on land above where today's North Cronulla Hotel sits. The Depression of 1890 and a lack of reliable transport access from Sutherland saw "The Captain's" pub sold. The Cronulla area was subdivided in 1895 and land was offered for sale at 10 pounds per acre. In 1899, the government named the area {{lang|aus|Gunnamatta}}, which means ''sandy hills''. On 26 February 1908, it was officially changed to Cronulla and Gunnamatta was used for the name of the bay, on the western side.
[[File:Northies cronulla..jpg|thumb|left|Northies Hotel]]
After the Illawarra railway line was built to Sutherland in 1885, the area became popular for picnics and swimming. [[Trams in Sydney|Steam trams]] operated between Cronulla and Sutherland from 1911. Many regulars rented beach houses at Cronulla every year for school holidays. The Oriental Hotel was built by Captain Spingall in 1888, on the present site of apartments behind the North Cronulla Hotel. The Cecil Hotel was located on the foreshore of South Cronulla and the Ritz Café was popular with holiday-makers. The Cecil Apartments were built on the former site of this hotel. The steam trams were replaced by the Cronulla branch of the Illawarra railway line when it opened in 1939.<ref>''The Book of Sydney Suburbs'', Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia {{ISBN|0-207-14495-8}}</ref>

The post office opened in January 1891, known as Cronulla Beach, but closed in 1893. It reopened in 1907 and the name was officially changed to Cronulla in 1929.  
[[File:Cronulla School of Arts Building est. 1912.jpg|thumb|Cronulla School of Arts Est 1904]]
The Cronulla School of Arts was established in 1904. The original wooden building was demolished and replaced by the current School of Arts building in November 1912 and is now one of the oldest buildings in Cronulla.

The first public school opened in 1910.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} In 1955, [[Cronulla Library]] opened.<ref name=Watt>{{cite book|last1=Watt|first1=Bruce|title=The Shire : A journey through time|date=2014|publisher=Everbest|location=China|isbn=9780646920191|page=199}}</ref> From the 1950s, many of the guest houses began being replaced by high rise flats. Even though it developed as a residential area, Cronulla remained popular with beachgoers and tourists. Several hotels, motels and serviced apartments operate today. The Cronulla Bicentennial Plaza opened in February 1989.

In 2005 the beachfront at Cronulla was the scene of widely publicised [[2005 Cronulla riots|mob disturbances and violent confrontations]].<ref name="smh1">{{cite news|title=Mob violence envelops Cronulla|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/mob-violence-envelops-cronulla/2005/12/11/1134235936223.html|publisher=[[Australian Associated Press]]|date=11 December 2005|access-date=31 August 2006}}</ref> These incidents continued over a number of days and also spread to other areas in Sydney.<ref name="aus01">{{cite news|title=Now churches are targeted|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17572776%255E601,00.html|publisher=[[The Australian]]|access-date=31 August 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208214651/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17572776%255E601,00.html|archive-date=8 February 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Heritage listings ==
Cronulla has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* Captain Cook Drive: [[Cronulla sand dunes]]<ref name=nswshr-1668>{{cite NSW SHR|5051207|Cronulla Sand Dune and Wanda Beach Coastal Landscape|hr=01668|fn=10/07771; S96/00890|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*Cronulla School of Arts 1912: https://artstheatrecronulla.com.au
* Cronulla railway: [[Cronulla railway station]]<ref name=nswshr-1123>{{cite NSW SHR|5011980|Cronulla Railway Station group|hr=01123|fn=H06/00200|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*41 Cronulla Street: [[Cronulla Post Office]]<ref>{{cite AHD|106203|Cronulla Post Office|fn=1/16/035/0015|access-date=23 September 2018}}</ref>
* 202 Nicholson Parade: [[Cronulla Fisheries Centre]]<ref name=nswshr-1011>{{cite NSW SHR|5045100|Cronulla Fisheries Centre, The|hr=01011|fn=10/7769; S96/00446, EF14/5299|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>

==Beaches==
[[File: Sand Dunes in the Sutherland Shire, Sydney 3.jpg|thumb|Greenhills Beach Sand Dunes]]
Cronulla is a popular tourist attraction and attracts many beachgoers from all over Sydney. Cronulla Beach features a long stretch of sand that runs from Boat Harbour to North Cronulla, followed by rock pools and another sandy beach at South Cronulla. The beaches of Cronulla from north to south are: Boat Harbour, Greenhills Beach, [[Wanda Beach]], [[Elouera Beach]], [[North Cronulla Beach]], [[Cronulla Beach]], [[Blackwoods Beach (Cronulla)|Blackwoods Beach]], [[Shelly Beach (Cronulla)|Shelly Beach]] and [[Oak Park Beach (Cronulla)|Oak Park Beach]]. Local names also apply to various parts of the beach, such as ''The Alley'', between Cronulla Beach and North Cronulla, ''The Wall'', between North Cronulla and Elouera, ''Midway'', between Elouera and Wanda,''Sandshoes'', near the mouth of the [[Port Hacking]] estuary, ''Voodoo Reef'' and ''The Point''. The beaches are popular recreational areas for [[human swimming|swimming]], [[surfing]], [[bodyboarding]], [[bodysurfing]] and other water sports.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-south/cronulla|title=Cronulla|publisher=Sydney.com|access-date=12 June 2013}}</ref>

[[Shark Island, Cronulla Beach|Shark Island]], just off Cronulla Beach, is a famous [[surfing]] and [[bodyboarding]] spot, and the site of the annual [[Shark Island Challenge]] bodyboarding contest. Gunnamatta Bay provides protected [[human swimming|swimming]] at the baths off Gunnamatta Park. Port Hacking is a popular location for such water sports as [[waterskiing]] and [[wakeboarding]].

==Parks==
[[File:North Cronulla Dunningham Park 2.JPG|thumb|Dunningham Park, North Cronulla]]
* Bass & Flinders Point is the southernmost part of Cronulla and features a monument to explorers [[George Bass]] and [[Matthew Flinders]], who explored the [[Port Hacking]] estuary.
* Darook Park, Gunnamatta Park and Tonkin Park are all located on Gunnamatta Bay.
[[File:Cronulla - panoramio (60).jpg|thumb|Oak Park, South Cronulla|left]]
* Cronulla Park is located behind the beach at South Cronulla.
* Dunningham Park sits behind the beach at North Cronulla, shaded by large [[Norfolk Island pine]]s. It features a children's playground, picnic tables and a kiosk.
* Monro Park, featuring the Cronulla War Memorial,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Trembath|first1=Murray|title=Flashback Friday {{!}} When Monro Park nearly became a car park|url=https://www.theleader.com.au/story/5336808/flashback-friday-when-monro-park-nearly-became-a-car-park/?cs=1507|access-date=14 April 2018|work=[[St George & Sutherland Shire Leader]]|date=13 April 2018|language=en}}</ref> is located opposite Cronulla railway station.
* Don Lucas Reserve is located beside the car park at Wanda Beach, popular for sport and recreational activities such as flying [[kites]].
* Shelly Park sits behind Shelley Beach.
* Oak Park
* Hungry Point Reserve at the end of Nicholson Parade.

==Commercial area==
[[File:Cronulla1.jpg|Cronulla Theatre and Cronulla Plaza|thumb]]
The main shopping strip runs along Cronulla Street, which has been partly converted into a pedestrian mall known as Cronulla Plaza. It also extends along the Kingsway, Gerrale Street and other surrounding streets. Cronulla has developed a café culture, with some cafés and restaurants located along the North Cronulla foreshore and Cronulla Plaza. The suburb boasts a [[Rydges]] high-rise hotel, although tourists can choose from a variety of hotels, motels and serviced apartments. Cronulla has many restaurants, pubs and bars, as well as a [[Hoyts]] cinema that opened late-2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6506014/saved-hoyts-to-take-over-cronulla-cinema/|title=Saved! {{!}} Hoyts to take over Cronulla cinema|last=Trembath|first=Murray|date=2019-11-22|website=St George & Sutherland Shire Leader|language=en|access-date=2020-02-13}}</ref>

==Transport==
[[File:Cronulla Ferry Wharf 2.JPG|thumb|Cronulla Ferry Wharf]]
Trains terminate at [[Cronulla railway station]] on the [[Cronulla railway line|Cronulla branch]] of the [[Illawarra railway line]], on the [[Sydney Trains]] network. Cronulla Tunnel Gallery is just north of the station, linking Cronulla Street to Tonkin Street.

[[Cronulla & National Park Ferry Cruises]] runs passenger services around [[Port Hacking]] and a regular route between Cronulla and [[Bundeena]], on the edge of the [[Royal National Park]]. The Cronulla Ferry wharf sits on [[Gunnamatta Bay]], beside Tonkin Park.

[[U-Go Mobility]] operates several bus routes that stop at Cronulla Railway Station. For full details of all bus services see [[Cronulla railway station#Transport|Cronulla station]].

==Sport and recreation==
[[File:Cnulla beach.jpg|thumb|Cronulla Beach and rock pool]]

* The local [[National Rugby League]] football club is the [[Cronulla Sharks|Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]]. The Cronulla-Sutherland League's Club and home ground, [[Endeavour Field]], are located on Captain Cook Drive at [[Woolooware, New South Wales|Woolooware]].
* Cronulla-Sutherland Junior Baseball Little League represented [[Little League World Series in Australia|Australia]] in the [[2015 Little League World Series]] where they had a record of one win and two losses.
* [[Surf lifesaving]] clubs are located along the beach at [[Wanda Beach|Wanda]], [[Elouera Beach|Elouera]], [[North Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club|North Cronulla]] and [[Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club|South Cronulla]].
* Many soccer clubs are located in the Cronulla district, the most prominent being [[Cronulla Seagulls FC]] and the Cronulla RSL clubs.
* Surfing plays a major role in Cronulla. Famous professional surfer and 1999 world champion [[Mark Occhilupo]] ('Occy') grew up surfing in Cronulla. Many surfboard shapers hand craft their surfboards in Cronulla and the Sutherland Shire and [[Cronulla Beach]] holds the [[Australian Boardriders Battle]] on [[Australia Day]].
*The annual [[Shark Island Challenge]] bodyboarding contest and the annual [[Shark Island Swim Challenge]] are held at [[Cronulla Beach]].
* The Cronulla International Cycling Grand Prix has been held in Cronulla since 2006. In 2009 it was also the [[Australian National Criterium Championships]].<ref>[https://archive.today/20120905120249/http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/default.asp?id=29560 National Championships awarded to Cronulla Grand Prix] Cycling NSW. Retrieved 13 December 2009</ref><ref>Daniel Lane [http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/mcewen-leads-pack-of-cycling-aces-in-race-to-rebuild-shiresreputation/2006/11/25/1164341453361.html McEwen leads pack of cycling aces in race to rebuild shire's reputation] ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 26 November 2006. Retrieved 13 December 2009</ref>
* The Bate Bay Body Bashers are a [[Bodysurfing]] club based in Cronulla. They compete in team bodysurfing competitions against other Australian clubs including the East Sydney Bodysurfers and the Northern Beaches Wompers. They were Australian Champions in 2017.<ref>John Veage{{Cite web|url=http://www.theleader.com.au/story/4918545/big-win-for-bate-bay-body-bashers/|title=Big Win for Bate Bay Body Bashers|website=www.theleader.com.au|date=12 September 2017 |access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref>
* The Cronulla Polar Bears Winter Swimming Club compete against [[Bondi Icebergs Club|Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club]], South Maroubra Dolphins Winter Swimming Club, Clovelly Eskimos Winter Swimming Club, Maroubra Seals Winter Swimming Club, Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club, Coogee Penguins Winter Swimming Club, Bronte Splashers, Wollongong Whales and Cottesloe Crabs in the Winter Swimming Association of Australia Championships<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsaainc.com/|title=My Site|website=www.wsaainc.com|access-date=2018-01-13}}</ref>
* The Sutherland Shire is also home to a number of Rugby Union Clubs led by Southern Districts Rebels, who participate in the Shute Shield competition.  It also has a number of junior teams competing in Sydney Juniors Union and many senior clubs who play in the NSW Suburban Rugby Union competition.

==Events==
* Cronulla Spring Festival is held every year on the second weekend of September. It includes free entertainment, food and many variety stalls.
* Opera on the Beach is an event commonly held at Cronulla as part of the nation's [[Australia Day]] celebrations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cronullabeachyha.com/events.html|title=Events & What's Happening|work=Thursday 26 January 2012|publisher=Cronulla Beach YHA Sydney NSW Australia|access-date=12 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314065332/http://www.cronullabeachyha.com/events.html|archive-date=14 March 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [https://artstheatrecronulla.com.au Arts Theatre Cronulla] produces four plays per year since 1963 

==Popular culture==
*''[[Puberty Blues (novel)|Puberty Blues]]'' is a book and movie about the surfing culture in the Sutherland Shire.
* The ''[[Australia's Next Top Model]]'' (Cycle 4) house was situated on Gunnamatta Bay.
* ''[[The Shire (TV series)|The Shire]]'' is a reality [[TV show]] with Cronulla as its main setting; its filming commenced in early 2012.

==Demographics==
According to the [[2021 Australian census|2021 census]], there were 17,899 people in Cronulla.
* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 1.5% of the population.
* The most common ancestries were English 41.5%, Australian 33.4%, Irish 15.3%, Scottish 10.4% and Italian 5.0% 
* 78.6% of people were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were England 3.6%, New Zealand 1.6%, Brazil 0.7% and the United States of America and South Africa at 0.6%.  
* 85.9% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included, Spanish 1%, Greek 0.9%, Portuguese 0.8%, and Italian 0.6%. 
* The most common responses for religion were No Religion 37.6%, Catholic 26.2%, and Anglican 15.5%.
* The median weekly household income was 18% higher than the national median at $2,058.
* Real estate costs were correspondingly high; the median mortgage repayments were $2,404 compared to the national median of $1,863.
* Of occupied private dwellings in Cronulla, 72.5% were flat or apartments, 20.5% were separate houses and 6.1% were semi-detached.<ref name=census/>

==Notable residents==

* [[Tom Jay Williams]], singer, songwriter and model
* [[Scott Morrison]], 30th Prime Minister of Australia
* [[Luke Baines]], actor, singer and model
* [[Lara Bingle]], model, former partner of cricketer [[Michael Clarke (cricketer)|Michael Clarke]]
* [[Brendan Cowell]], actor, appeared on ''[[Love My Way]]'' and ''[[Game of Thrones]]''
* [[Aileen Griffiths]] OAM, community worker and organiser
* [[Daniel MacPherson]], Australian actor, TV presenter, notable for being in ''[[City Homicide]] and [[Dancing with the Stars]]''
* [[Chris McCormack (triathlete)|Chris McCormack]], ironman, triathlete
* [[Craig Alexander (triathlete)|Craig Alexander]], ironman, triathlete
* [[Toni Pearen]], TV presenter, actress
* [[Ben McNeill]], film producer
* [[Jai Waetford]], former singer, former actor, appeared on''[[Home and Away]]''
* [[Myles Pollard]], actor, appeared on ''[[McLeod's Daughters]]''
* [[Jason Stevens]], former [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]] player
* [[Sharni Vinson]], actress, appeared on ''[[Home and Away]]''
* [[Damian Keogh]], former Australian basketball captain and CEO of [[Hoyts|Hoyts cinema group]] and Val Morgan
* [[Steve Waugh]], former Australian Cricket Captain
* [[Krystal Forscutt]], former Australian model
* [[Beau Ryan]], former rugby league player, television presenter
* [[Valentine Holmes]], Rugby league player

==Schools==
Cronulla is home to a number of primary and secondary schools: 
*[[Cronulla High School]]
*[[St Aloysius College, Cronulla]]
*Our Lady of Mercy College
*Cronulla Public School
*Cronulla South Public School
*St Francis De Sales
*Burraneer Bay Public School
*St Aloysius Catholic Primary School

==Churches==
There are several [[church (building)|church]]es in the Cronulla area: 
*St Andrews Anglican Church
*[https://www.stalcron.org.au/ St Aloysius Catholic Church]
*Cronulla Baptist Church
*Cronulla Uniting Church
*Presbyterian War Memorial Church
*C3 Church Cronulla
*Establish Church

==See also==
* [[2005 Cronulla riots]]
* [[Arts Theatre Cronulla]]
* [[Cronulla railway station]]
* [[Cronulla sand dunes]]
* [[Electoral district of Cronulla]], a seat in the [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Sydney/Cronulla}}
{{Commons category|Cronulla, New South Wales}}
* [http://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-south/cronulla/ Cronulla - Sydney.com]

{{Australiansurf}}
{{Sydney Sutherland suburbs}}
{{Beaches of Cronulla}}
{{Authority control}}



[[Category:Cronulla, New South Wales| ]]
[[Category:Suburbs of Sydney]]
[[Category:Botany Bay]]
[[Category:Beaches of New South Wales]]