GERRINGONG Gerringong is a town that will be encounted south of Kiama heading to Nowra. Gerringong is now a by-pass town and requires the traveler to make the diversion when heading south. Gerringong is about 20k’s north of Shoalhaven Heads. Gerringong is a small town centre but has; because of growth has a sizable population. One theory says that the name derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "fearful place “Supposedly great fear was caused to tribes there by the sight of Captain Cook's ship in full sail. There are other theories as to the meaning of the name. In 1933 Sir Charles Kingsford Smith undertook his historic flight from nearby Seven Mile Beach to New Zealand. A memorial stone at Gerroa marks the event. The first European settlers were red cedar cutters, who were first recorded as having visited and logged in the area in 1814. As in much of coastal New South Wales, the cleared land was used for dairy farming. Gerringong had a small boat harbour used for the export of cedar and dairy produce In 1854, a town plan for Gerringong was approved and the Governor proclaimed it a village. The Heritage Museum, containing lots of fascinating items, scale models of buildings, a photographic record of motor racing on Seven Mile Beach in the 1920s, and a display on the local dairying industry. The Anglican and Catholic Churches are century plus buildings and classic for the era. The Gerringong Hotel location is a product of the old highway and the railway. But, now way out of downtown. The Gerringong War Memorial is a bit of a surprise. But is very impressive. Gerringong is a pretty town that has a lot to offer. A visit is a must, because many a coffee and café awaits.