Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Wisemans Ferry is a town north of Sydney
, in the state of New South Wales
, Australia
. Wisemans Ferry is located 75 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district
in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire
, The Hills Shire, City of Hawkesbury
and City of Gosford.
The town is a tourist spot with picnic and barbecue facilities. As well as a rich convict and colonial heritage in the area, the Dharug National Park
and Yengo National Park
are close by.
, a former convict
(1778–1838), who received a land grant in the area from Governor Macquarie in 1817. Wiseman established a ferry service on the Hawkesbury River
in 1827 for the transport of produce and provisions to the convicts building the Great North Road
and was known to many as King of the Hawkesbury.
crosses the river to a point down-stream of its confluence with the Macdonald River
, connecting with the old Great North Road. Webbs Creek Ferry
crosses to a point upstream of the confluence, connecting with the St Albans Road that follows the west bank of the Macdonald River.
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...
, in the state of 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...
. Wisemans Ferry is located 75 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district
Sydney central business district
The Sydney central business district is the main commercial centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It extends southwards for about 3 kilometres from Sydney Cove, the point of first European settlement. Its north–south axis runs from Circular Quay in the north to Central railway station in...
in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire
Hornsby Shire
Hornsby Shire is a Local Government Area in the Northern region of Sydney, Australia. The Shire stretches from the suburb of Eastwood in the south to the Hawkesbury River town of Wisemans Ferry, some to the north...
, The Hills Shire, City of Hawkesbury
City of Hawkesbury
The City of Hawkesbury is a Local Government Area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about 50 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district...
and City of Gosford.
The town is a tourist spot with picnic and barbecue facilities. As well as a rich convict and colonial heritage in the area, the Dharug National Park
Dharug National Park
Dharug National Park is a national park in New South Wales , 58 km north of Sydney.-Fact sheet:*Area: 152 km²*Coordinates: *Date of establishment: October 1, 1967...
and Yengo National Park
Yengo National Park
Yengo is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 132 km northwest of Sydney.In 1993 the National Park and Wildlife Service opened their depot in Bucketty. From here they started to manage the newly established Yengo National Park...
are close by.
History
The town is named after Solomon WisemanSolomon Wiseman
Solomon Wiseman was a convict, merchant and ferryman. The town called Wiseman's Ferry, New South Wales, Australia is named after him....
, a former convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
(1778–1838), who received a land grant in the area from Governor Macquarie in 1817. Wiseman established a ferry service on the Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
in 1827 for the transport of produce and provisions to the convicts building the Great North Road
Great North Road (Australia)
The Great North Road is a historic road in Australia built by convicts between 1825 and 1836, being New South Wales's first road to traverse the rugged terrain hindering early agricultural expansion, effectively linking Sydney with the fertile Hunter Valley.The road is of such cultural...
and was known to many as King of the Hawkesbury.
Transport
Today, two ferry services cross the Hawkesbury River from the town of Wisemans Ferry. The eponymous Wisemans FerryWisemans Ferry
Wisemans Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry operates from the eponymous community of Wisemans Ferry on the south bank, to a point on the north bank downstream of the Hawkesbury River's confluence with the Macdonald River, connecting with the...
crosses the river to a point down-stream of its confluence with the Macdonald River
Macdonald River (St Albans)
There are two rivers named Macdonald River in New South Wales, Australia. See Macdonald RiverThe Macdonald River is a tributary of the Hawkesbury River. It rises near Putty and flows about 60 kilometers generally south-east to where it joins the Hawkesbury River near Wisemans Ferry.The upper...
, connecting with the old Great North Road. Webbs Creek Ferry
Webbs Creek Ferry
Webbs Creek Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry operates from the community of Wisemans Ferry, to a point up-stream of the Hawkesbury River's confluence with the Macdonald River, thus connecting with the St Albans Road that follows the west...
crosses to a point upstream of the confluence, connecting with the St Albans Road that follows the west bank of the Macdonald River.