the Hindmarsh family, who still live there today and occasionally open it for inspection. In 1854, a town plan for Gerringong was approved and the Governor proclaimed it a village. In 1872, the business area, Church of England church and some houses were destroyed by a bush fire. In the late 1860s and 1870s, locals advocated the erection of a jetty at the Boatharbour. In 1880 a 200-foot-long jetty was completed but it was too short to allow coastal ships to berth. It was extended, in the mid-1880s, first by 200-feet and subsequently another 100 feet. The 500-foot-long jetty was extensively damaged in fierce storms in 1891. It was rebuilt but, during that work, was damaged again by stormy weather in 1892, necessitating more repairs. A new crane was installed in 1893. The jetty was probably used to land materials for railway construction. In 1893, the South Coast railway line was extended to Gerringong, leading to the end of shipping from the town. The disused jetty was given to the local council, for use as bridge material, around 1901. The last standing remnants of the jetty were washed away in 1904. By 1897, the dispossession was complete; local Aborigines had "dwindled to a handful" living in a camp just south-west of Gerringong, at Crooked River and another camp at 'Ooirie Creek' (now Ooarie Creek) near Omega, whose inhabitants were later relocated. The lives of the surviving Aborigines were, for many years, controlled by the Aborigines Protection Board, and the disdain of many—if not all—white inhabitants. Telephone services were extended to Gerringong by June 1915 and electricity was connected in 1928. In 1954, Gerringong Municipal District amalgamated with Kiama Municipal Council. The town water supply was connected in 1971, signalling an end to tanks attached to each house. Land along the coastal fringe tends to receive higher rainfall than the interior water catchment areas, which are often in rainshadow. In 2002, the town sewerage system was connected. Modern Gerringong At the , Gerringong and the surrounding area had a population of 3,966. There is still an Aboriginal presence in Gerringong. In 2016, 2.5% of the population identified as indigenous. The main local industries are agriculture (including dairying and vineyards), tourism and retail trade. Others enjoy the seaside lifestyle but commute to work in Wollongong or Nowra and even Sydney. The town has a modern primary school, a town hall (built 1948),