Parramatta River
Encyclopedia
The Parramatta River is a waterway in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson
, along with the smaller Lane Cove
and Duck
Rivers.
The river begins at confluence of Toongabbie Creek
and Darling Mills Creek west of Parramatta
and travels in an easterly direction to a line between Greenwich Point, Greenwich
, and Robinsons Point, Birchgrove
. Here it flows into Port Jackson
, still about 21 km from the ocean.
The total catchment area of the river is approximately 130 km² and is tidal to Charles Street Weir in Parramatta, approximately 30 km from Sydney Heads.
including its tributary rivers is now subject to a long range Catchment Management Plan. The Government has almost eliminated local representation by disbanding the former local catchment management boards.
The New South Wales
Government has a documented policy in relation to access to the harbour and river foreshores, including public access to intertidal lands where landowners have absolute waterfronts but where the waterfront is exposed at low tide.
Moorings and jetties are the responsibility of NSW Maritime, who are also responsible for the management of the Harbour and river seabed. Many bays contain swing moorings, mostly privately owned, but some associated with commercial marinas.
The Parramatta River, along with Sydney Harbour, is the most significant waterway in Sydney. Since settlement, the river and the harbour have presented a formidable barrier to development north of the waterway - it literally cuts Sydney in half.
As a result, the many crossings are extremely important to the life of the City.
From east to west (including those crossing Sydney Harbour), they are:
was an open drain for Sydney's industry and consequently the southern central embayments are contaminated with a range of heavy metals and chemicals. The Northern Bays are less affected as the Sydney Harbour Bridge
was not completed until 1932 and so industrial development was already well established on the southern side of the Harbour.
Dr Gavin Birch of the University of Sydney
has published a number of papers which show that Sydney Harbour
is as contaminated as most other harbours in industrialised cities, that the main sediment
contamination is in the southern central embayments (Blackwattle to Homebush Bays), that there are five particularly contaminated areas of Sydney Harbour, and that four of them are in the Parramatta river system.
The main contaminated areas of the Parramatta River are:
Water quality is monitored by the New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change for faecal coliforms and e. coli, but only as far west as Cabarita. The Department does not monitor water quality further west on the River, despite increasing development and the use of the river for recreational boating. In the areas monitored, the water quality is generally acceptable except after heavy rains.
because of the dioxin contamination. In 2006 the NSW Government imposed a complete commercial fishing ban throughout the rest of Sydney Harbour and its tributaries, including the Parramatta River west of the Harbour Bridge, which remained in place until 2011.
The Parramatta River is one of the few significant coastal rivers in New South Wales
which has not been the subject of a Healthy Rivers Commission Investigation. The Cooks River and Botany Bay
have been subject to such an investigation. Some have campaigned for a Healthy Rivers Commission inquiry to bring together all the information on the state of the river and its sediments and fish and assist in watershed management
.
There are significant stands of mangroves along the river west of Henley (on the North shore) and Mortlake (on the southern shore) and in the Lane Cove River
.
The mangroves have actually colonised areas that were previously salt marsh. Research into historical drawings and writings indicates that the mangroves were far fewer at English colonisation. Council information panels in Glades Bay explain that the bay's now extensive mangrove stands would once have been open water, sandy beaches and outcrops of rock. Land clearing and development has allowed soil and various nutrients to be washed into the river. This has provided an ideal environment for mangroves to colonise. The excessive siltation of the river is an ongoing problem.
, often being used as rubbish dumps before being converted into playing fields. Large sections of Meadowbank Park were created in this manner. Some industrial sites were also reclaimed heavily from the river, particularly in Homebush Bay. Most creeks leading into the bays have been channelised (lined with concrete walls and floor).
plant and the lead contaminated sediments near the former Berger Paints plant. The former AGL site has been analysed, a remediation plan developed and approved, remediation completed and construction commenced on medium to high density residential development, but the sediments, which independent research shows to be contaminated with pollutants from the AGL operations, have not yet had the investigation stage finalised .
Other areas have had sediments covered with concrete to prevent the fish eating the benthos
. Some of these companies claim that the contamination is best left alone, but environmentalists have argued that the contamination could be being passed up the food chain and claim that the companies are trying to avoid the costs incurred in pollution cleanup.
Sailing and rowing take place under an aquatic licence granted annually by Waterways.
Some of the school rowing sheds are:
There are also a number of rowing clubs:
While a number of regattas are still held on the river each year, mainly in Iron Cove and Hen and Chicken Bay, many of the major regattas are now held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre
(SIRC) where rowing was held for the 2000 Summer Olympics
. Early GPS Schoolboy Head of the River
races were held on the Parramatta River before moving to the Nepean River
and later SIRC.
Most rowing training is done in the middle to upper reaches of the river between Abbotsford and Homebush Bay because there is less water traffic and therefore less waves and more protection from wind. Rowing also takes place in the Lane Cove River
and Iron Cove which also have less traffic.
Major foreshore parks include:
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, along with the smaller Lane Cove
Lane Cove River
The Lane Cove River is a tributary of the Parramatta River, Sydney, Australia. Its lower reaches form an arm of Sydney Harbour.-Description:...
and Duck
Duck River (New South Wales)
The Duck River is a watercourse located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Duck River flows in a generally north then east-north-east direction for about 11.5 km from where it rises from a drain in the suburb of Birrong to where it joins the Parramatta River at Silverwater. It was...
Rivers.
The river begins at confluence of Toongabbie Creek
Old Toongabbie, New South Wales
Old Toongabbie is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Old Toongabbie is located 29 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Parramatta and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.- History:Toongabbie is...
and Darling Mills Creek west of Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
and travels in an easterly direction to a line between Greenwich Point, Greenwich
Greenwich, New South Wales
Greenwich is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Greenwich is located 7 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Lane Cove.The suburb occupies a peninsula on the northern...
, and Robinsons Point, Birchgrove
Birchgrove, New South Wales
Birchgrove is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Birchgrove is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
. Here it flows into Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, still about 21 km from the ocean.
The total catchment area of the river is approximately 130 km² and is tidal to Charles Street Weir in Parramatta, approximately 30 km from Sydney Heads.
River governance
The whole of Sydney HarbourPort Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
including its tributary rivers is now subject to a long range Catchment Management Plan. The Government has almost eliminated local representation by disbanding the former local catchment management boards.
The New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Government has a documented policy in relation to access to the harbour and river foreshores, including public access to intertidal lands where landowners have absolute waterfronts but where the waterfront is exposed at low tide.
Moorings and jetties are the responsibility of NSW Maritime, who are also responsible for the management of the Harbour and river seabed. Many bays contain swing moorings, mostly privately owned, but some associated with commercial marinas.
Transport
Ferry services and wharves
There are River Cat services along the Parramatta River to Circular Quay. The main wharves are:- ParramattaParramatta ferry wharf, SydneyParramatta Ferry Wharf is the commuter wharf serving the city of Parramatta in Sydney Australia. It serves the Parramatta route, which operates express between the next wharf downstream, Rydalmere and Circular Quay...
, (Southern side of River) - Sydney Olympic ParkSydney Olympic ParkSydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
, (Southern) - MeadowbankMeadowbank, New South WalesMeadowbank is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Meadowbank is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area...
, (Northern) - Kissing PointKissing Point, New South WalesKissing Point is a point on the Parramatta River about 2 km south of Ryde, located in the suburb of Putney. Historically, the name referred to a much wider area than the current-day point.- Origin of the name :...
, (Northern) - CabaritaCabarita, New South WalesCabarita is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Breakfast Point is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay....
Park, (Southern) - AbbotsfordAbbotsford, New South WalesAbbotsford is a suburb in the Inner West region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Abbotsford is located 10 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay...
, (Southern) - Five DockFive Dock, New South WalesFive Dock is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Five Dock is located 10 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local Government Area of the City of Canada Bay.-Location:...
, (Southern) - GladesvilleGladesville, New South WalesGladesville is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Gladesville is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the Municipality of Hunter's Hill and is part of the Northern Suburbs area.Gladesville prides...
, (Northern)
Crossings
As a result, the many crossings are extremely important to the life of the City.
From east to west (including those crossing Sydney Harbour), they are:
- Sydney Harbour TunnelSydney Harbour TunnelThe Sydney Harbour Tunnel is a twin-tube road tunnel in Sydney, Australia. The tunnel was completed and opened to traffic in August 1992 to provide a second vehicular crossing of Sydney Harbour to alleviate congestion on the Sydney Harbour Bridge....
- Sydney Harbour BridgeSydney Harbour BridgeThe Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
- Gladesville BridgeGladesville BridgeGladesville Bridge is an arch bridge near Gladesville that spans the Parramatta River, west of central Sydney, Australia. It links the suburbs of Huntleys Point and Drummoyne. It is a few kilometres upstream of the more famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and is part of Victoria Road...
- Mortlake FerryMortlake FerryThe Mortlake Ferry, also known as the Putney Punt, is a cable ferry that runs across the Parramatta River in Sydney, connecting Hilly Street in Mortlake and Pellisier Road in Putney.- History and heritage :...
(the last vehicular ferry operating on the river) - Ryde BridgeRyde BridgeThe Ryde Bridge, which is in fact two bridges, is located in Sydney, Australia that crosses the Parramatta River, linking the suburb of Ryde in Sydney's Northern Suburbs to the suburb of Rhodes in Sydney's Inner West...
(now a dual bridge) - Old Meadowbank railway bridge (converted into a pedestrian and cyclist bridge)
- John Whitton Bridge (the new railway bridge)
- Silverwater BridgeSilverwater BridgeSilverwater Bridge is one of the major road crossings of the Parramatta River in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The bridge carries Silverwater Road over the river to link Silverwater in the south to Rydalmere and Ermington in the north....
at Silverwater. - Thackeray Bridge (a pedestrian bridge) near Rydalmere ferry wharf.
- Carlingford Line railway bridge and adjacent water pipe bridge
- James Ruse Drive bridge
- Gasworks Bridge, Parramatta (historic iron lattice bridge named for the Gasworks which used to be situated nearby)
- Elizabeth St Footbridge, Parramatta (incorporating Wake, an artwork by Milne and Stonehouse)
- Barry Wilde Bridge, Parramatta
- Lennox Bridge, ParramattaLennox Bridge, ParramattaLennox Bridge in Parramatta is a stone arch bridge that spans the Parramatta River, in Parramatta, Sydney, Australia. It was designed by David Lennox and constructed with convict labour over the period 1836 to 1839, making it one of the oldest bridges in Australia.This was Lennox's third bridge,...
Water quality concerns
Until 1970 the riverRiver
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
was an open drain for Sydney's industry and consequently the southern central embayments are contaminated with a range of heavy metals and chemicals. The Northern Bays are less affected as the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
was not completed until 1932 and so industrial development was already well established on the southern side of the Harbour.
Dr Gavin Birch of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
has published a number of papers which show that Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
is as contaminated as most other harbours in industrialised cities, that the main sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
contamination is in the southern central embayments (Blackwattle to Homebush Bays), that there are five particularly contaminated areas of Sydney Harbour, and that four of them are in the Parramatta river system.
The main contaminated areas of the Parramatta River are:
- Homebush BayHomebush Bay, New South WalesHomebush Bay was the former name of a suburb of western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia that took in the suburbs of Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point and part of the neighbouring suburb of Lidcombe. Homebush Bay is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business...
- dioxins, leadLeadLead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, phthalatesPhthalatesPhthalates , or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used as plasticizers . They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride...
, DDTDDTDDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
, PAHsPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons , also known as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are potent atmospheric pollutants that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or carry substituents. Naphthalene is the simplest example of a PAH...
(coal tars) mainly originating from nearby chemical factories of Berger Paints, CSR ChemicalsCSR LimitedCSR Limited is a major Australian industrial company, producing aluminium and building products. It is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. In 2009, it has approximately 10,000 employees and during a period of a major cyclical downturn the company made an after-tax profit of...
, ICIImperial Chemical IndustriesImperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
/OricaOricaOrica is a multinational corporation that manufactures various chemical products. It is the largest supplier of mining explosives in the world. -History:...
, and Union CarbideUnion CarbideUnion Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
. - Iron CoveIron Cove, New South WalesIron Cove is a bay on the Parramatta River, in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It lies approximately due west of Sydney's central business district. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Birchgrove, Balmain, Rozelle, Lilyfield, Haberfield, Five Dock, Rodd Point,...
- various metals and chemicals with no clearly defined point source. Pollution may possibly enter through Iron Cove CreekIron Cove CreekIron Cove Creek was a creek in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the inner-western suburbs of Croydon, Ashfield, Haberfield and Five Dock...
and Hawthorne CanalHawthorne CanalThe Hawthorne Canal is a short canal that connects with Port Jackson, in Sydney, Australia. It was originally a natural waterway known as Long Cove Creek, that has been straightened and given artificial banks. It borders on Summer Hill, Lewisham, Leichhardt and Haberfield...
. - Off former AGLAustralian Gas Light CompanyThe Australian Gas Light Company was an Australian gas and electricity retailer. It was formed in Sydney in 1837, and supplied town gas for the first public lighting of a street lamp in Sydney in 1841 AGL was the second company to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company gradually...
site, now redeveloped as Breakfast PointBreakfast Point, New South WalesBreakfast Point is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Breakfast Point is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district...
.
Water quality is monitored by the New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change for faecal coliforms and e. coli, but only as far west as Cabarita. The Department does not monitor water quality further west on the River, despite increasing development and the use of the river for recreational boating. In the areas monitored, the water quality is generally acceptable except after heavy rains.
Fishing
The Parramatta River is subject to a number of fishing bans because of its contaminated sediments. There is a complete fishing ban in Homebush BayHomebush Bay, New South Wales
Homebush Bay was the former name of a suburb of western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia that took in the suburbs of Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point and part of the neighbouring suburb of Lidcombe. Homebush Bay is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business...
because of the dioxin contamination. In 2006 the NSW Government imposed a complete commercial fishing ban throughout the rest of Sydney Harbour and its tributaries, including the Parramatta River west of the Harbour Bridge, which remained in place until 2011.
The Parramatta River is one of the few significant coastal rivers in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
which has not been the subject of a Healthy Rivers Commission Investigation. The Cooks River and Botany Bay
Botany Bay
Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, a few kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. The Cooks River and the Georges River are the two major tributaries that flow into the bay...
have been subject to such an investigation. Some have campaigned for a Healthy Rivers Commission inquiry to bring together all the information on the state of the river and its sediments and fish and assist in watershed management
Watershed management
Watershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human...
.
Major wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas
Major wetlands include:- Bicentennial Park Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBAJapan Australia Migratory Bird AgreementThe Japan Australia Migratory Bird Agreement is a treaty between Australia and Japan to minimise harm to the major areas used by birds which migrate between the two countries. Towra Point Nature Reserve plays a role in the agreement, being an area in Australia used by migratory birds...
CAMBACamba"Camba" is a word long used in Bolivia to refer to the indigenous population in the western tropical region of the country, or to those born in the area of Santa Cruz, Beni, and Pando ....
) - Newington Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBAJapan Australia Migratory Bird AgreementThe Japan Australia Migratory Bird Agreement is a treaty between Australia and Japan to minimise harm to the major areas used by birds which migrate between the two countries. Towra Point Nature Reserve plays a role in the agreement, being an area in Australia used by migratory birds...
CAMBACamba"Camba" is a word long used in Bolivia to refer to the indigenous population in the western tropical region of the country, or to those born in the area of Santa Cruz, Beni, and Pando ....
)
There are significant stands of mangroves along the river west of Henley (on the North shore) and Mortlake (on the southern shore) and in the Lane Cove River
Lane Cove River
The Lane Cove River is a tributary of the Parramatta River, Sydney, Australia. Its lower reaches form an arm of Sydney Harbour.-Description:...
.
The mangroves have actually colonised areas that were previously salt marsh. Research into historical drawings and writings indicates that the mangroves were far fewer at English colonisation. Council information panels in Glades Bay explain that the bay's now extensive mangrove stands would once have been open water, sandy beaches and outcrops of rock. Land clearing and development has allowed soil and various nutrients to be washed into the river. This has provided an ideal environment for mangroves to colonise. The excessive siltation of the river is an ongoing problem.
Reclamation
Many areas of the river, particularly the swampy heads of bays, have been reclaimedLand reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
, often being used as rubbish dumps before being converted into playing fields. Large sections of Meadowbank Park were created in this manner. Some industrial sites were also reclaimed heavily from the river, particularly in Homebush Bay. Most creeks leading into the bays have been channelised (lined with concrete walls and floor).
Remediation
While some areas of the river with heavily contaminated sediments have not been remediated, there is significant remediation of sediments about to start in Homebush Bay. These include the dioxin contaminated sediments near the former Union CarbideUnion Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
plant and the lead contaminated sediments near the former Berger Paints plant. The former AGL site has been analysed, a remediation plan developed and approved, remediation completed and construction commenced on medium to high density residential development, but the sediments, which independent research shows to be contaminated with pollutants from the AGL operations, have not yet had the investigation stage finalised .
Other areas have had sediments covered with concrete to prevent the fish eating the benthos
Benthos
Benthos is the community of organisms which live on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone. This community lives in or near marine sedimentary environments, from tidal pools along the foreshore, out to the continental shelf, and then down to the abyssal depths.Many organisms...
. Some of these companies claim that the contamination is best left alone, but environmentalists have argued that the contamination could be being passed up the food chain and claim that the companies are trying to avoid the costs incurred in pollution cleanup.
Sailing
There are a number of sailing and yachting clubs on the River:- Abbotsford 12ft Flying Squadron in AbbotsfordAbbotsford, New South WalesAbbotsford is a suburb in the Inner West region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Abbotsford is located 10 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay...
- Concord & Ryde Sailing Club at PutneyPutney, New South WalesPutney is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located west-northwest of the Sydney central business district on the northern bank of the Parramatta River...
http://www.concordrydesailing.org - Parramatta River Sailing Club at GladesvilleGladesville, New South WalesGladesville is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Gladesville is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the Municipality of Hunter's Hill and is part of the Northern Suburbs area.Gladesville prides...
http://www.prsc.org.au/
Sailing and rowing take place under an aquatic licence granted annually by Waterways.
Sea Scouts
There are Sea Scouts at:- Rhodes: First Yaralla
- Meadowbank: Epping Scout Group has a boat shed at 150 Bowden Street, next to the public ferry wharf, and in the summer uses it for sailing and canoeing activities
Rowing
The river has a long historical association with rowing. There is a monument in honour of Henry Searle, a champion sculler of his day, in the river at Henley.Some of the school rowing sheds are:
- MLC SchoolMLC SchoolMLC School is an independent day school for girls, located in Burwood, Sydney. Founded in 1886, MLC admits students from pre-kinder age through to Year 12, and is a Uniting Church of Australia school.- History :...
- The King's SchoolThe King's School, SydneyThe King's School is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school for boys in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831, it is Australia's oldest school and forms one of the nine "Great Public Schools" of New South Wales. Situated within a site, Gowan Brae,...
- Sydney Boys High SchoolSydney Boys High SchoolSydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
- Newington CollegeNewington CollegeNewington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
- The Scots CollegeThe Scots CollegeFor other schools with a similar name see Scots College.The Scots College is an independent Presbyterian day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
- Sydney Grammar SchoolSydney Grammar SchoolSydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
- Shore School
There are also a number of rowing clubs:
- Leichhardt Rowing Club (Iron Cove)
- Drummoyne Rowers in Iron Cove
- Sydney Rowing Club at Abbotsford
- UTS Haberfield at Haberfield
- BalmainBalmain, New South WalesBalmain is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain is located slightly west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
While a number of regattas are still held on the river each year, mainly in Iron Cove and Hen and Chicken Bay, many of the major regattas are now held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre
Sydney International Regatta Centre
400px|thumb|Sydney International Regatta Centre BridgeThe Sydney International Regatta Centre, located in Penrith, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is a rowing and canoe sprint venue built for the 2000 Summer Olympics...
(SIRC) where rowing was held for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. Early GPS Schoolboy Head of the River
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
races were held on the Parramatta River before moving to the Nepean River
Nepean River
The Nepean River is a river in the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia.The headwaters of the Nepean River rise near Robertson, about 100 kilometres south of Sydney and about 15 kilometres from the coast. The river flows north in an unpopulated water catchment area into Nepean Dam, which...
and later SIRC.
Most rowing training is done in the middle to upper reaches of the river between Abbotsford and Homebush Bay because there is less water traffic and therefore less waves and more protection from wind. Rowing also takes place in the Lane Cove River
Lane Cove River
The Lane Cove River is a tributary of the Parramatta River, Sydney, Australia. Its lower reaches form an arm of Sydney Harbour.-Description:...
and Iron Cove which also have less traffic.
Foreshore walks and cycleways
Much of the foreshore is still in the hands of industry and private individuals as residences, however there is an increasing amount of waterfront land available as foreshore reserve with walkways and cycleways. As former industrial sites undergo remediation and redevelopment, the foreshores are opened up for public access. Where there is no foreshore access, cycleways are routed through quiet residential streets with clearly marked sections of the road reserved for cyclists.Major foreshore parks include:
- Cabarita Park
- Kissing Point Park, Ryde
- Meadowbank Park
- Putney Park
- George Kendall Riverside ParkGeorge Kendall Riverside ParkGeorge Kendall Riverside Park is a 27.2 hectare recreational park in Ermington, New South Wales, on the northern bank of the Parramatta River.The park is named after George Frederick Kendall, an alderman of the Ermington/Rydalmere Municipality from 1944–1948....
, Ermington - Bicentennial Park, Homebush Bay
- Millennium Parklands, Homebush/Auburn
Heritage items
Major heritage buildings on or near the foreshore include:- Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital (now Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family UnitRivendell Child, Adolescent and Family UnitRivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Unit is a mental health facility specialising in the problems of young people. It is located at Hospital Road, Concord West, New South Wales, Australia.-Description and history:...
), was designed by Sir John SulmanJohn SulmanSir John Sulman was an Australian architect. Born in Greenwich, England, he emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1885. From 1921 to 1924 he was chairman of the Federal Capital Advisory Committee and influenced the development of Canberra.-Early life:Sulman was born in was born at Greenwich, England...
and built in 1891-93. - Callan ParkCallan Park, New South WalesCallan Park is a heritage listed site in Lilyfield, a suburb in the Municipality of Leichhardt in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia....
, a former psychiatric hospital, with fine sandstone buildings designed by James BarnetJames BarnetJames Johnstone Barnet was the Colonial Architect for New South Wales from 1862 - 1890.-Life and career:Barnet was born at Almericlose, Arbroath, Scotland. The son of a builder, he was educated at the local high school...
in 1877. - Gladesville Mental HospitalGladesville Mental HospitalGladesville Mental Hospital was a psychiatric hospital established in 1838 in the suburb of Gladesville, Sydney, Australia, its original name was Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum.-Description and history:...
, with sandstone buildings in park-like surroundings, designed by Mortimer LewisMortimer LewisMortimer William Lewis , was an English architect and surveyor who migrated to Australia and became Colonial Architect in the state of New South Wales from 1835 to 1849. Lewis was responsible for designing and overseeing many government buildings in Sydney and rural New South Wales, many of which...
in 1836. - Yaralla, the Italianate mansion of Thomas WalkerThomas WalkerThomas or Tom Walker may refer to:*Thomas Walker , English academic at Oxford University*Thomas Walker , American explorer*Thomas Walker , English ancestor of Bush family...
and his daughter Dame Eadith Walker, generous benefactors of the Concord community, now functions as Dame Eadith Walker Hospital. It was built in the late 1860s, with later extensions by Sir John Sulman. - Newington, a Regency home built in 1832 by John Blaxland. In 1863, the property was acquired by the Wesleyans and turned into Newington College. In 1887 it became part of Silverwater State hospital, and later became an administrative block in the Silverwater Prison.
- The above buildings are all listed on the Register of the National EstateRegister of the National EstateThe Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
.
Inflowing Waterways
Waterways flowing into the Parramatta River include:- Archers Creek, Meadowbank
- Charity CreekCharity CreekCharity Creek is a creek located in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The creek flows generally south to the Parramatta River where it joins at Meadowbank Park, Meadowbank....
, Meadowbank - Clay Cliff Creek
- Duck RiverDuck River (New South Wales)The Duck River is a watercourse located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Duck River flows in a generally north then east-north-east direction for about 11.5 km from where it rises from a drain in the suburb of Birrong to where it joins the Parramatta River at Silverwater. It was...
- Haslams CreekHaslams CreekHaslams Creek is located in Sydney, Australia. It flows through Sydney Olympic Park.-External links:***...
- Hawthorne CanalHawthorne CanalThe Hawthorne Canal is a short canal that connects with Port Jackson, in Sydney, Australia. It was originally a natural waterway known as Long Cove Creek, that has been straightened and given artificial banks. It borders on Summer Hill, Lewisham, Leichhardt and Haberfield...
- Iron Cove CreekIron Cove CreekIron Cove Creek was a creek in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the inner-western suburbs of Croydon, Ashfield, Haberfield and Five Dock...
- Lane Cove RiverLane Cove RiverThe Lane Cove River is a tributary of the Parramatta River, Sydney, Australia. Its lower reaches form an arm of Sydney Harbour.-Description:...
- Powells CreekPowells Creek-Description:Powells Creek begins as a concrete stormwater channel in the inner-western suburb of Strathfield, and flows north-west through the suburb of Homebush, past Bressington Park, where it joins Saleyards Creek....
- Smalls CreekSmalls CreekSmalls Creek is a creek located in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The creek flows generally south to the Parramatta River where it joins at Meadowbank Park, Meadowbank.The Smalls Creek/Denistone Catchment is 218 ha in area...
, Meadowbank - Subiaco Creek
- Vineyard CreekVineyard Creek (New South Wales)Vineyard Creek is a creek located in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The creek is about 4 km long and flows generally south to the Parramatta River which it joins at Rydalmere....
External links
- The Parramatta River Catchment Group
- Parramatta River at NSW Department of Natural ResourcesDepartment of Natural ResourcesMany sub-national governments have a Department of Natural Resources or similarly named organization:Australia*Queensland Department of Natural Resources and MinesCanada*Natural Resources Canada*New Brunswick**New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources...
- Parramatta River defined by the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales
- Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River Catchment map at EPA website
- The Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust
- Information on proposed remediation at Homebush Bay and the Rhodes peninsula