Across the Shire
Where it sits
The Shire lies directly south of Botany Bay and the Georges River, with the Tasman Sea on its east and the Port Hacking estuary in its south. Its suburbs include Sutherland, Cronulla, Miranda, Caringbah, Sylvania, Kurnell, Como, Jannali, Engadine, Menai and Bundeena.
Post-war suburbs
The Housing Commission began buying land here after the Second World War, and the district only became suburban Sydney in the early 1950s. Sylvania Waters was built around man-made canals, and the Menai district opened up in the 1970s.
Homes today
At the 2021 Census, 60.8% of occupied homes in the Shire were separate houses, 13.9% were townhouses or semi-detached and 24.8% were flats or apartments.
Bush and fire
In January 1994, fires destroyed parts of Como West, Jannali and Bonnet Bay, and the Como and Jannali fire alone destroyed 101 houses. The Shire now has 12 Rural Fire Service stations because of its national park and bushland.
Wind
On 16 December 2015 a tornadic supercell produced a 213 km/h gust at Kurnell.
Which coastal class is your house in?
| Where you are | BlueScope's class | What it means for steel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beachfront streets along Bate Bay, such as Cronulla, Elouera and Wanda | Surf: breaking surf and ocean spray | Standard COLORBOND more than 200 m away, Ultra more than 100 m, SUPERDURA Stainless at any distance | |
| Streets facing Botany Bay, such as at Kurnell | Exposed: BlueScope names Botany Bay | The same distance rules as surf | |
| On Port Hacking, Gunnamatta Bay or the Georges and Woronora rivers | Not named in BlueScope's examples | Have your roofer confirm the class in writing before ordering | |
| Well inland, away from salt water | Beyond the marine distances | Coastal limits don't apply, but ask the roofer to confirm |
What else changes from one part of the Shire to another
Bush edges. Streets backing onto the Royal National Park or the river gorges carry ember risk. The NSW RFS says embers can arrive more than 100 m ahead of a fire, and it recommends non-combustible gutter and valley guards installed to AS 3959. See ember guards.
Salt on the underside. Rain rinses a roof, but not the sheltered spots. BlueScope's maintenance bulletin says to wash unwashed areas, such as under the eaves and the underside of gutters, every three months in coastal areas with salt spray.
Wind-lifted roofs. After a big southerly or a storm like the one that hit Kurnell, look from the ground for lifted sheets, loose ridge caps and bent flashings, and have a roofer check fixings before the next blow.
Our take across the Shire
Work out which water your house faces before choosing a metal roof, and get the roofer to write the coastal class and the exact product on the quote. If you back onto bush, put ember protection ahead of looks. Tell us your suburb, postcode and the job, and we'll pass it to one licence-checked roofer who covers that part of the Shire, or let you know straight away if we can't.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.