Georges River
Georges River, Kyle Bay
Marhynes Pool, Georges Rover near Appin
The river has a number of important tributaries including Bunburry Curran Creek in Glenfield; Cabramatta Creek in Cabramatta; Prospect Creek in Georges Hall; Williams Creek in Holsworthy; Salt Pan Creek in Padstow; Mill Creek in Menai; and the Woronora River in Illawong.
Como Railway Bridge
The Georges River was an important focal point for Aboriginal life and culture in the southern Sydney region, offering both food, transport and dreamtime links. Several major language groups existed along the river: Eora to the east, Dharug to the west, north and north-east, Dharawal to the south and Gandangarra in the far south-west.
The river was explored by Bass and Flinders in 1795 on their first voyage on the Tom Thumb after their arrival in New South Wales. The exploration led to the establishment of Bankstown. The early 1800's saw European settlers migrating to the areas along the Georges River and the river became increasingly important as a transport route. Much of the catchment was cleared for farmlands and housing, however the banks stayed relatively untamed due to their rugged slopes. Development within the catchment has only flourished since WWII. The consequences of urbanisation in the catchment are significant, with stormwater pollution, increased runoff and vegetation loss all of great concern.
Cattle Duffers Flat, Georges River National Park
Georges River National Park was established in 1992. It is located in the middle reaches of the River within the Bankstown and Sutherland Council areas and covers approximately 5.14km2. Prior to becoming a National Park, it was a state recreation area under the management of a trust.
Georges River is a popular area for recreational fishing. Species present in the river include bass, bream, whiting, yellowtail, jewfish and flathead. The river is also host to a number of commercial oyster farms. The upper ends of the Georges River are abundant with Bass during the summer months and during the winter months these bass migrate down to the lower ends of the river towards the salt water to breed. Waste water inflows to the river are carefully managed to maintain the estuarine habitat.
Liverpool weir, constructed in 1836 by convict labour, forms the tidal limit for the river. It was built to supply water to the town of Liverpool and to serve as a causeway across the Georges River.
The Park consists of a string of parks and nature reserves on the banks of the Georges River and Prospect Creek stretching between the suburbs of Lansdowne and Georges Hall. It caters for a variety of outdoor leisure activities, from model boating to sport and bushwalking. It was here that explorers Matthew Flinders and George Bass camped during their voyage of exploration up the Georges River in the early days of Sydney. Their visit is remembered in the name Flinders Slopes, one of the Park's five sections.
During World War I the Commonwealth Government decided it needed a branch railway to service the army facilities at Holsworthy, which included the Artillery Range, Ordnance (mounted guns and cannon) and Ammunition Stores, the Remount Depot and the Veterinary Depot and Prisoner of War camp. In fact the line was constructed using internee labour. It branched off the Macarthur Line before Liverpool station, crossing the Georges River via a bridge, the pylons of which remain today.
Simmos Beach is a popular picnic spot created around a natural arc of white sand on the banks of the Georges River at Macquarie Fields. An artificial lake on the upper ground has extended the reserve's capacity to handle the large number of visitors. A walking trail from the lower car park leads up the river gorge through picturesque bushland. A number of examples of Aboriginal rock art including hand stencils and animals can be seen in caves and overhangs in the less frequented northern section. The 75 ha. reserve s name recalls Bob Simmonds who illegally mined beach sand here in the 1950s. Facilities include barbecues, picnic tables, grassed area, toilets, bus parking, wheelchair access along riverside boadwalk. Fifth Avenue, Macquarie Fields.
Public transport: train to Macquarie Fields, Bus No. 870, 871, alight at reserve entrance.
Another popular local bushland area with picnic and children's play facilities. Walk down a relatively steep path into the river gorge to Ingleburn Weir and walking paths. The rugged scenery of the gorge is worth seeing and this would be one of the easiest locations to access the Georges River.
Facilities: toilets, picnic and barbecue facilities. Picnic Grove, Ingleburn. Picnic Grove, Ingleburn.
Public transport: train to Macquarie Fields, Bus No. 872, alight at cnr Evelyn St. & Bensley Rd, walk south along Bensley Rd, left into Picnic Grove.
At the end of Georges River Road, Minto, are the relics of one of the oldest roads in the area and one of three historical routes crossing the upper reaches of the Georges River. The road, which was constructed in the 1890s as part of an employment programme, brought access to the settlements of Eckersley and Holsworthy from Campbelltown and Minto and today offers a pleasant walk down to the Georges River. The settlements on the eastern side of the river were established in 1884 and were the site of numerous vineyards and orchards until 1913 when the land was resumed for the Holsworthy field firing range. The remnants of the settlement are today within the Holsworthy Military Area.
The road was surveyed in 1886 and constructed between 1889 and 1891 at a cost of 1,200 pounds. Many of the cuttings, box culverts, sandstone dish drains and buttresses built to support the road as it winds its way through a picturesque wooden valley still exist though the causeway/bridge across the river has long gone. Drill hooks are evident in the rock face where quarrying and blasting took place. An illegal whiskey still operated near the ford across the river. The road continues up the hillside on the eastern side of the Georges River though public access to this section of road is denied as it is within the Holsworthy Military Area.
The Old Ford Track is one of the easier walks along the Georges River within the Campbelltown City Council region, and can be found at the end of Georges River Road at Kentlyn within the Keith Longhurst Reserve. Pass through the gate and follow the track, turn right at the junction and walk down the track to the river. Walkers will notice that trees growing on the plateau at the start of the walk are quite short and scrubby, but as they walk further down into the gully the trees get taller, fighting each other to reach the light.
A more substantial ford across the Georges River was later built at Frere's Crossing to provide access for a number of families living in that part of the settlement. This deviation quickly replaced the original section of road now contained in the Georges River Nature Reserve. Frere's Crossing got its name from George Pierre Frere, a Frenchman who took up land at Eckersley between the Georges River and Punchbowl Creek. Here he built a house and established a vineyard that later supplied his wine cellar in Sydney. The remains of George Frere's two houses and wine vats at Eckersley still exist.
Freres Crossing entrance is at the end of Freres Road, Kentlyn, no vehicular entry is allowed, but walkers are welcome to wander down the fire trail to the Georges River. The track was originally made so that coaches could access the village of Eckersley and beyond, but whether a coach ever did travel down is a question much discussed, but never resolved, and once residents of Eckersley were moved out of the village to allow the area to become part of the Military Reserved the track was allowed to fall into disrepair.
Bushwalkers Basin Reserve is a popular secluded waterhole that punctuates the bottom of a steep downhill walking track which starts at the end of Georges River Road, Kentlyn. The scenic location is a stunning example of a typical Georges River gorge landscape, and offers striking views in the late afternoon sun.
The pool at the end of the walk is probably one of the largest along the stretch of the Georges River within the Campbelltown Council area, and is very popular in summer, without the over crowding found in other parts of Sydney. The waterfall is a delight for photographers and painters, but once again care must be taken when paddling or swimming in the river above the falls as there are large sink holes caused by many years of natural erosion caused by eddies in the river. In season flannel flowers (Actinotus helianthi) carpet the plateau among the typical Hawkesbury Sandstone Woodland trees and understory, and Gymea Lilies (Doryanthes excelsa) wave their large red flowers like sentinels along the cliff lines.