Shells, shellfish & shell-grit

Shells on the beach were a nineteenth century tourist attraction. Oyster shells and barnacles on the walls of the ocean baths cut and scratched bathers who often demanded that councils remove the shells from the baths.

Names like Shelly Beach, Pearl Beach and Shellharbour indicate the range of shells and shell-grit once associated with these beaches. Shell-grit was mined at Cronulla, Gerringong and Mollymook.

While shell-grit mining near baths at Cronulla provoked no protests,  public protests and a formal appeal through the Mining Warden's court in 1925 ended the lease to mine shell-grit near Gerringong's Boat Harbour. Working that shell-grit mining lease involved workmen carting loads of shell-grit through the Ladies Baths up to 18 times an hour.

Concerns for the conservation of wildlife on the rock platforms means there are now restrictions on the taking of shelled animals in many areas.

Further Information

Back Top