Bonnet Bay

Bonnet Bay Sydney, New South Wales
Twilight Inlet, Bonnet Bay
Population	2,133 (2011 census)
Established	1969
Postcode(s)	2226
Location	29 km (18 mi) south of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Sutherland Shire
State electorate(s)	Miranda
Federal Division(s)	Hughes
Suburbs around Bonnet Bay: Illawong Illawong Como Bangor Bonnet Bay Jannali Woronora Sutherland Jannali

Bonnet Bay is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia that is located 29 kilometres (18 mi) south of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire. Its postcode is 2226, which it shares with neighbouring Jannali and Como. Bonnet Bay is located on the eastern bank of the Woronora River, which flows north into the Georges River.

The suburb draws its name from the adjacent bay of the same name.

The original name proposed for the area was Kirkby. A cave in the area was known as 'The Bonnet' because it was shaped like a bonnet and this was adopted for the name of the bay on the Georges River. The Geographical Names Board decided to name the area Bonnet Bay in 1969.

According to the 2011 census of Population, there were 2,133 residents in Bonnet Bay. In Bonnet Bay, 79.0% of people were born in Australia. The other most common countries of birth were England 5.7%, New Zealand 1.3%, China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) 0.7%, Germany 0.7% and Ireland 0.7%. 90.0% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish 0.9%, Greek 0.7%, Italian 0.6%, Mandarin 0.5% and German 0.4%. The most common responses for religion in Bonnet Bay were Catholic 31.9%, Anglican 25.1%, No Religion 15.4%, Uniting Church 5.7% and Presbyterian and Reformed 3.6%.

Burnum Burnum Reserve lies between Bonnet Bay, Como, Jannali, Sutherland and Woronora. It extends for about two kilometres. The reserve effectively surrounds Bonnet Bay, with the only two roads leading into the suburb, cutting through it. Burnum Burnum Reserve hosts some plants that are almost extinct and are protected. However, it also represents a constant fire threat to Bonnet Bay, most notably manifesting in the 1994 Como bushfires. The reserve was originally known as "Jannali Reserve" but the name was changed in 2005 to commemorate Burnum Burnum, the prominent aboriginal Sutherland Shire resident. A small plaque details his speech in England at Australia's bicentenary in 1988.