  |
|
|
|
Book Review: Beaches of Jervis Bay and the Shoalhaven
What a fantastic resource book for walk leaders! It's the kind of book that was just waiting to be written.
Peter Henry, a neighbour of mine at Hyams Beach, has written and self-published a comprehensive guide to the Shoalhaven's beaches, starting at Seven Mile Beach to the north and ending at North Durras at the extreme south. The beaches of Booderee National Park - some not strictly in the Shoalhaven - are also covered.
The book is a full colour production featuring a full page photo of each beach and numerous smaller photos and location sketch maps. The text describes each beach and what you can expect to see there. The amenities available at or near each beach are also listed - parking, water, toilets, BBQ facilities, shower, walking trail, camp site and so on. Another great feature is that the book doubles as a Shoalhaven Street Directory - there are 13 Department of Lands maps at the back of the book covering all of the Shoalhaven's population centres. This makes it a bargain at a RRP of $29.95.
A few of the Shoalhaven's "secret" beaches are missing - I suspect the author considered whether access was potentially dangerous. Also, the text indicates if a beach is dangerous for swimming but a "swim danger" icon in the amenities listing would have been a useful addition. The book is available in local bookshops, some news agencies and other outlets and I hope it will be included in the club's library. It deserves success!
(December 2006)
Back to the Book Reviews Page