THE MARINE FISHING-GEOUNDS. 



unindented rock-hound coast the Shoalhaven and Crookliayen 

 Rivers are reached. These rivers are navigahle hy coastal 

 steamhoats for some distance ; they ahound with fish of all 

 kinds common to our other waters, hut their comparative 

 remoteness from Sydney has hitherto militated against the 

 transmission of their produce |to market excejit during the 

 winter months ; the steamboat service is not available for the 

 work, as between Shoalhaven and Port Jackson are several 

 ports of call, so that the time of arrival at the terminal point 

 cannot always be calculated. The difficulty in the way of fully 

 utilising this prolific fishery will, however, soon be of the past. 

 An extension of the South Coast E-ailway to Jervis Bay has been 

 projected, and the line is now in process of construction to an 

 intermediate point, the village of Nowra, a settlement ontlie 

 Shoalhaven E;iver, about 10 miles from the sea; on completion 

 of this extension this fishery will be placed within a very few 

 hours distance from Sydney. Just immediately south of the 

 Crookhaven River is a lagoon known as Lake Wolumla ; it 

 is about 3^ miles long by 1 mile in width ; it is a natural 

 breeding and feeding ground, and its adaptability for the 

 propagation of marine fish by artificial means cannot be too 

 strongly asserted. 



Bherrewerre or Saint George's Basin. — This water forms 

 the southern limit of the Home Eisheries Division ; equally with 

 other waters it contains fish in abundance, and good hauling- 

 grounds exist along nearly the whole length of its shores. 

 But its remoteness from the metropolis and the difficulty of 

 transporting the fish which would have to be carted for 20 

 miles over a rough bush road to the nearest steaml)oat wharf 

 precludes its present use as a fishing-station. On couipletion 

 of the extension of the South Coast Railway to Jervis Bay — 

 the basin Avill be brought within 2 miles of train haulage, and 

 its produce will largely enhance the fish supj)ly. Jervis Bay, 

 a very large stretch of water to the north-east of St. George's 

 Basin, is similarly situated ; its immense resources must remain 

 locked up until suitable modes of transit are established. 



THE NOETHEEN A]N"D SOUTHEEN DIVISIONS OF EISHEEIES. 



Those embrace respectively the line of coast from Port 

 Stephens northerly to the Tweed River, and from Saint 

 George's Basin southerly to Cape Howe ; they include 

 many navigable rivers, and extensive lakes, and lagoons, but 



