Map of Nowra, NSW 2541 - Census Demographics - Melway, Sydway, Brisway, Ausway, Street Smart (original) (raw)

Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Located 125 kilometres (78 mi) SSW and approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi) by road south of the state capital of Sydney, it has a population together with its twin-town of Bomaderry of 27,478. It is also the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven. Geologically, the city is situated in the southern reaches of the Sydney basin.

The region around Nowra is a farming community, sustaining a thriving dairy industry and a number of State forests, but is also increasingly a retirement and leisure area for Canberra and Sydney. The naval air station HMAS Albatross is located about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south-west of Nowra.

The name Nowra, originally written by Europeans as 'nou-woo-ro' (pronounced Nowa Nowa by the Aborigines of the area), is the Aboriginal word for black cockatoo.