Camden County is a cadastral county in New South Wales, one of the original Nineteen Counties proclaimed in the colony’s early land-title system. It covers the coast near Wollongong south to the Shoalhaven River, plus the inland towns of Berrima and Picton.
Key Facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | Southern Highlands and Illawarra coast |
| Named after | John Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden (1759–1840) |
| Principal towns | Camden, Berrima, Picton, Wollongong |
| Area (1852) | 1,403,320 acres (5,679 km²), population 9,663 |
| Local government areas today | Wingecarribee Shire, Wollondilly Shire, City of Wollongong, City of Shoalhaven, Camden Council, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Kiama Municipality, Shellharbour City Council |
Parishes in Camden County
- Bangadilly
- Banksia
- Bargo
- Belanglo
- Berrima
- Bong Bong
- Broughton
- Bugong
- Bullio
- Bumballa
- Bunberra
- Bundanoon
- Burke
- Burragorang
- Burrawang
- Calderwood
- Cambewarra
- Camden
- Caoura
- Colo
- Coolangatta
- Cordeaux
- Couridjah
- Cumbertine
- Dendrobium
- Illaroo
- Jamberoo
- Jellore
- Joadja
- Kangaloon
- Kembla
- Kiama
- Killawarrah
- Meryla
- Mittagong
- Moollattoo
- Murrimba
- Nattai
- Nundialla
- Picton
- Sutton Forest
- Terragong
- Wallandoola
- Wallaya
- Wanganderry
- Warragamba
- Weromba
- Werriberri
- Wilton
- Wingello
- Wollongong
- Wongawilli
- Woonona
- Yarrawa
- Yarrunga
Towns and Localities Today
Camden, Berrima and Picton anchor the county’s inland Southern Highlands section, while Wollongong and Kiama sit on its coastal edge.
| Town | LGA | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Camden | Camden Council | 3,378 (2021) |
| Berrima | Wingecarribee Shire | 813 (2021) |
Geography
Camden County runs from the coast near Wollongong south to the Shoalhaven River, with the Wollondilly River forming its western boundary and the Pacific Ocean its eastern edge.
History
The county was named after John Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden, who lived from 1759 to 1840. Camden Park, the district’s first European settlement, was established by John Macarthur in 1806. Between 1856 and 1859, the Electoral District of Western Division of Camden and Eastern Division of Camden served as the area’s first electorates.
FAQ
Where is Camden County?
It runs from the Illawarra coast near Wollongong inland to Berrima and Picton, and south to the Shoalhaven River.
What towns are in Camden County?
Camden, Berrima, Picton, Wollongong and Kiama are its principal towns.
Is Camden County still used?
Cadastral divisions like Camden County remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today.