The Shire is known as the "Birthplace of Modern Australia". This recognises the fact that there were previous inhabitants of the area known as Cronulla before Captain Cook arrived. Cronulla comes from the Aboriginal word "Kurranulla", which means "the place of pink seashells". The first inhabitants were from the Dharawal people. These tribal people lived around the timbered waterways where they hunted, gathered and fished.

Captain Cook arrived on 29th April, 1770 at Kurnell aboard the Endeavour. He led an expedition there that lasted for eight days. He declared Australia to be the property and territories of England.

The first fleet arrived at Botany Bay in 1778 looking to establish a Penal Colony. After investigation it was deemed the area was not suitable.

Bass and Flinders, after which our Bed & Breakfast is named, came to the Port Hacking area in 1796 to investigate the waterways to determine the suitability of a port. It was decided that the area could not provide such a port.

Whilst other areas of Sydney began to develop with white settlement the Shire area remained virtually untouched. The area did not possess particularly fertile soil. It was mostly timber gatherers and fishermen who visited the area.

In 1827 the name "Cronulla Beaches" was given to the Cronulla area by Surveyor Dixon. In the 1860's Thomas Holt acquired a large part of The Shire. Tenant farmers worked most of the land. This estate was reorganised in 1881. This now meant that tenant farmers could take out leases. After the railway came to Sutherland in 1885 people visiting the area increased. The Shire was proclaimed on March 15, 1906. By World War I the area was mostly semi rural consisting of market gardens. In 1911 came the Steam Train from Sutherland to Cronulla, which further increased people to the area. Cronulla Railway Station opened in 1939. After World War II there was a large population increase in the area and it became suburban.

Cronulla Bicentennial Plaza was created in 1988 to provide a pedestrian mall consiting of mostly cafes, restaurants and specialty shops.

The area's beaches, bays and water ways combined with the cafe/restaurant culture continue to attract many people to the area.