The Southern Rivers catchment covers a 32,000 square kilometre area of the south-east of NSW – from Stanwell Park in the north, to the Victorian border in the south, and includes the major river systems of the Shoalhaven, Snowy and Genoa.

Landscapes range from coastal shores and estuaries to alpine and sub-alpine areas, including the legendary plains and the high country of the Monaro.

The region has extensive agricultural lands, highly developed and expanding urban areas, industrial areas and rural lifestyle residential development. The south coast and southern tablelands includes many holiday destinations – towns and villages whose populations often double at peak holiday times.

The Southern Rivers region is home to approximately half a million people and supports a variety of land uses including: a range of agricultural industries, commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, water harvesting, heavy industry, forestry, surface and underground mining, urban and lifestyle development and tourism and recreation.

There are 17 state electorates, four federal electorates, 2 regional Aboriginal land councils and 13 local Aboriginal land councils in the region.

Southern Rivers CMA covers all or part of 12 local government areas: Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla, Bega Valley, Bombala, Snowy River, Cooma-Monaro, Palerang, Goulburn-Mulwaree and Wingecarribee.

Major urban centres include: Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Nowra-Bomaderry and Batemans Bay.