[2][3] Located within the Shoalhaven local government area, the town is 18 kilometres (11 mi) east-southeast of Nowra on Jerrinja Wandi Wandian Aboriginal Country.

The town is flanked by the Crookhaven River to the north, Curleys Bay to the west, and Lake Wollumboola to the south.

The beaches are patrolled during the summer holiday period, and being located on either side of Penguin Head face in different directions, providing a variety of surf conditions for board riders, swimmers, body surfers and families with young children.

[citation needed] The modern street plan of Culburra Beach has been popularly attributed to Walter Burley Griffin,[6][4] who also designed the street plan for Canberra, but was in fact the work of developer Henry Halloran, as landowner, designer, and surveyor.

[6] The man in the photograph was Harold Salvage (1905–1991), a British builder, who was part of a group of friends on a surfing trip.