Guide to Dapto New South Wales Australia

Dapto is only a 15 minute drive south from Wollongong. The village of Dapto was once a mining, timber cutting and farming community, and today is a large town with many shops, schools and beautiful parks.

Dapto’s rural history is linked to a number of tourist attractions in the area. These include the Yallah Woolshed a popular music and line dancing centre, Logbridge Farm, the Four Seasons Riding Academy, Kanahooka Point Indoor Equestrian Centre, Koonawarra Lakeview Lodge Stud and Kembla Grange Racecourse. The Sunday trash and treasure markets are also popular with locals.

Lake Illawarra is used for a variety of water sports, including sailing, canoeing, water skiing and fishing. It also offers opportunities for picnics, walks and cycling. Dapto is ideally located on its western shore allowing residents to take advantage of these opportunities.

Dapto is also well known for its greyhound racing a popular weekly activity. The Dapto show is an annual event which reflects the suburb’s agricultural heritage.

One of the first references to the name Dapto was in instructions issued to Surveyor Knapp on 10 April 1829. Knapp was instructed “to survey ten 100 acre lots for veterans on Dapto Creek”. In 1833 George Brown received a grant of 300 acres south of Mullet Creek. George Brown transferred the Ship Inn from Wollongong to Mullet Creek Farm in 1834 and thereby established the nucleus of Dapto.

With the coming of the railway in 1887, however, the centre of the township was moved south and the original Dapto, where the inn was located, later became known as Brownsville. A new town began to grow up around the station attracting businesses and services from Brownsville and other nearby settlements. The name Dapto is said to be an aboriginal word either from “Dabpeto” meaning “water plenty”, or from “tap-toe” which described the way a lame aboriginal chief walked. The aborigines called the area “Mookoonburro” meaning “grub”.