8pm Update
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In good news, at 8pm, NSW RFS Zone Manager Peter Alley said there had been no reported problems with the Currowan Fire, despite the change in wind direction to south-easterly.
Earlier it was reported to be within the Bungonia Gorge, but it remains on the eastern side.
"We have heard nothing more. All is quiet at the moment," Mr Alley said.
4pm Tuesday update
At 4pm, NSW RFS operations officer Lachlan Gilchrist said the Currowan Fire is within the Bungonia Gorge, but remains on the eastern side.
"It has not crossed the Shoalhaven River yet," Mr Gilchrist said.
"We are anticipating the southerly wind change that will come through tonight. This is a very big fire that is now generating its own weather system.
"People need to enact their bushfire survival plans. It remains a very real threat to those communities at Bungonia and Tallong
3pm Tuesday update
The current winds are assisting to keep the fire away from Bungonia and Tallong.
At 3pm, NSW RFS Zone Manager Peter Alley said the Currowan Fire is close to Bungonia Gorge but the prevailing north-westerly winds are pushing it the other way.
"It is just a waiting game as far as we are concerned," Mr Alley said.
"The latest wind chart has just come in and we will probably just catch the edge of that southerly change out there at Bungonia and Tallong later on tonight."
Earlier
Communities southeast of Goulburn are on heightened alert with a forecast wind change expected to push the Currowan fire towards them.
The blaze, which has burnt through 226,702 hectares, is currently at emergency level, according to the RFS website. This was due to significant impacts on the south coast.
It is burning between Nowra in the north, Braidwood in the west, and Batemans Bay in the south.
RFS operations officer Lachlan Gilchrist said at 9.30am there were no ignitions in the Southern Tablelands zone but deteriorating conditions were starting to make their way through.
"That's concerning," he said.
"There has been no increase in fire activity (from yesterday) but we expect that to change with the (southerly) wind change and I can only reinforce that people in Windellama, Bungonia, Marulan and Tallong need to be in a heightened state of alert. If their plan is to leave, leave now.
Based on Bureau forecasts, he expected the wind change to move through late afternoon and into the evening. Just before 11am, the Bureau has cancelled a severe weather warning predicting 70 to 90km/h winds for the South Coast, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and Australian Capital Territory forecast districts which was issued on Monday.
However Mr Gilchrist said conditions were still deteriorating and the Bureau's earlier forecast was consistent with their advice, from the same source.
"We are still looking at catastrophic conditions and the wind speeds we're getting at our weather stations, including Nerriga, are exceeding forecasts (of 70km/h)," he said.
Currently, no properties are under threat in Goulburn Mulwaree.
But Mr Gilchrist said he did not want to see a situation, as was currently the case in Batemans Bay and surrounding coastal communities, where people were trying to leave "with a wall of flames behind them."
"Batemans Bay is very concerning to us because that wind may eventuate in these (Goulburn district) communities," he said.
At 11.40am a Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson said in the Goulburn district, we are receiving north-westerly winds with gusts of up to 45km/h.
"At the moment you are getting north-westerly winds around the 30km/h mark with stronger gusts," the spokesperson said.
"Looking further into the afternoon, up until 6pm the winds will continue to be north-westerly in your area.
"There is a southerly wind change happening in Goulburn at around 7pm with winds to about 25km/h.
"Then the winds will become south-easterly around the 30km/h.
"We are not expecting the strong winds that were forecast yesterday (and) this is why that weather alert has been cancelled. This forecast was related more to areas south of Goulburn to the coast and below the ACT."
Advice to people
The Veolia Arena on Braidwood Road, Goulburn was opened at 10am Tuesday as a safe place for people to go for tea and coffee and sit with domestic pets, Hume Police District Inspector Keith Price said. The adjoining Recreation Area is also a large animal evacuation point.
The RFS has advised people in Tallong, Wingello, Penrose, Bundanoon, Exeter, Werai, Manchester Square, Avoca, Fitzroy Falls and Barrengarry to monitor conditions and follow their bush fire survival plans.
Mr Gilchrist said people also needed to be aware that fire could close the Hume Highway later on around Mittagong as conditions worsened. In this case, if they had planned to travel to Goulburn as a safe place, they should do so now.
He had been advised that some people had already chosen to leave the Tallong and Bungonia areas.
Bungonia district resident Greg Callandar said he was staying to defend. He lives on a 25-acre property some 15km south of Bungonia.
"I have all the (firefighting) gear and have set up the dams and water tanks and spray painted on the tanks whether it's fresh or dam water because people coming into the property won't have a clue," he said.
A tractor is set up with three water tanks, two 30-metre hoses and two shorter ones. Spray bars were also installed on front of the tractor, he had radio communications, a fire suit, breathing apparatus and a defibrillator.
Mr Callander, who administers the Bungonia community Facebook page, has compiled a list of those staying and leaving their properties due to the fire threat. Forty-one were staying, while nine family groups had left.
The ex-police officer of 30 years said he was feeling "quite confident."
"If it happens, it happens and if it doesn't, it's a bonus. If it does happen, everyone is at the ready and that's a good thing. A lot of people have pulled their finger out," he said.
The RFS held community meetings at Windellama, Bungonia, Tallong and Marulan over the weekend to prepare them for the possibility of a wind change and fire threat.
There was standing room only at most, and at Tallong and Marulan, two meetings were held to ensure everyone was informed.
The RFS and National Parks and Wildlife Service has built containment lines around all centres. However, RFS has also warned that traditional containment strategies were not working in the current conditions.
Meantime, Irene Turner, who lives on Roberts Road, off Oallen Ford Road, near Windellama, was preparing with husband Lloyd to leave if necessary.
"We're still being told it's contained but have been warned it's going to be a bad day," she said at 9.30am Tuesday.
"We'll play it by ear and if we're told to go, we'll go. Two of our neighbours have already gone to Goulburn. We're all on alert."
The couple has already taken their birds and chooks to Goulburn, had their vehicle packed with household belongings and would take their three dogs and cats if they left. They built their two-storey fibro and timber home 27 years ago but have lived on the property longer.
"It's hard to know what to take after 27 years. We'd hate to lose the house," Mrs Turner said.
Oallen Ford Road remains closed from Sandy Point Road.
Severe fire conditions and a total fire ban are in place today for the Southern Ranges.
