In 1797 the Shoalhaven area was crossed by the survivors of the wreck of the Sydney Cove and then by explorer George Bass who, investigating their reports, followed Seven Mile Beach, crossed the shoals at the entrance to the Shoalhaven River and noted the fertile river flats. He named the shallow mouth of the Crookhaven River (as it is now known) 'Shoals Haven'.

In 1805 the coastline was mapped from the land by Lieutenant Kent and assistant surveyor-general James Meehan. They explored the area noting the dense rainforest and heavy timber in the area.

Seven years later surveyor George William Evans journeyed from Jervis Bay to the Shoalhaven, which he crossed in a bark canoe, and climbed Cambewarra Mountain where he remarked upon the magnificent views. He descended to Broughton Creek and struck out to the coast before returning to Appin.

James Meehan returned in 1818 when he was sent with explorers Charles Throsby and Hamilton Hume by Governor Macquarie to seek a route from the southern tablelands to Jervis Bay. Meehan and Hume followed the Shoalhaven upriver while Throsby, with the help of Aboriginal guides, explored Kangaroo Valley down to the Shoalhaven then crossed it and journeyed on to Jervis Bay. The following year Meehan and Hume returned to the area.

From 1830 the current site of Shoalhaven Heads was known as 'Jerry Bailey' for reasons now lost. The name was changed in 1955.

There were nothing but primitive huts manned by fishermen for quite some time and no lasting settlement occurred until the 1930s.

Coolangatta was settled in 1822 by Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft. They obtained a grant of 10,000 acres and 100 convicts and built their settlement on the foothills of the mountain named 'Coolangatta', an Aboriginal word meaning view.