Pittwater

Pittwater extends from Mona Vale and Warriewood in the south, along the eastern ridge of the Barrenjoey Peninsula leading to Palm Beach and along the western ridge of the Lambert Peninsula leading to West Head. The eastern parts of the catchment are largely urbanised whilst the western parts are primarily Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. Within the Pittwater lies Careel Bay, Refuge Cove, Saltpan Cove, Horseshoe Cove, Crystal Bay, McCarrs Creek, Browns Bay, Elvina Bay, Lovett Bay, Towlers Bay, Portuguese Bay, Coasters Retreat and The Basin.{{NSW GNR|id = ujlpFxWAIt|title = Pittwater|access-date = 7 August 2013}} Scotland Island is located within the estuary.

Pittwater contains a diversity of estuarine habitat types including mangrove wetlands, saltmarsh, sand flats and seagrass meadows, including threatened areas of coastal saltmarsh.

File:Pittwater sunset.jpg on the western shoreline.]]

File:Barrenjoey Head from West Head.jpg]]

The Dharug peoples were the traditional inhabitants of the land and waterways north and south of Sydney Harbour, from Botany Bay in the south, inland along the Parramatta River and through the Lane Cove River and across Broken Bay and beyond to Brisbane Water. Amongst the Dharug there were many smaller units called clans, of which the Garigal were most prominent in the area surrounding Pittwater and the Northern Beaches.{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkAboriginalHeritage.aspx?id=N0019 |title=Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park: Aboriginal heritage |work=NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service |publisher=Office of Environment and Heritage |access-date=1 January 2013}} During 1789 the impact of smallpox on aboriginal peoples led to extensive mortality, with the death rate estimated at somewhere between 50% and 90%. Conservatively, between 500 and 1000 Aboriginal people died on the coastal strip bounded by Botany Bay and Broken Bay. A significant proportion of these were Garigal.{{cite web |url=http://www.khs.org.au/local/kuringgai.html |title=The Ku-Ring-Gai Tribe |author=Kohen, James |publisher=Ku-ring-gai Historical Society Inc |work=Focus on Ku-ring-gai |year=2012 |access-date=1 January 2013}}

The waterway was surveyed by crew members of {{HMS|Sirius|1786|6}} in 1788, and named Pitt Water after William Pitt the Younger, the then Prime Minister of Great Britain.{{cite web |url=http://www.atn.com.au/pittwater/history.htm |title=The History of Pittwater Peninsula |publisher=Australian Travel & Tourism Network Pty Limited}} The first regular water transport across Pittwater was the cutter Francis which carried settlers and farm produce from Sydney between 1793 and 1800.{{cite book |title =Ships, Shores and Trading Ports | first =Mary | last =Clark |date=August 2001 | publisher =Waterways Authority of NSW | pages =107–108 | isbn =0-7313-8898-4}} By 1803 a fleet of privately owned coasters had begun operating between Pittwater, Cowan Creek and Berowra Waters, usually travelling in convoy to reduce the risk of piracy by escaped convicts living along the shore. These vessels were generally built on Scotland Island and were not sufficiently seaworthy to leave Broken Bay. A customs house operated from Pittwater between 1843 and 1900, and a government-built sandstone lighthouse was completed at Barrenjoey in 1881. Both the Old Customs House and the lighthouse are listed on the Register of the National Estate.{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=lga_name%3Dpittwater%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=2942 |title=Site of the Old Customs House, Barrenjoey Rd, Palm Beach, NSW, Australia |work=Australian Heritage Database |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities |date=1 November 1983 |access-date=22 September 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=lga_name%3Dpittwater%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=2940 |title=Barrenjoey Lighthouse Group, Beach Rd, Palm Beach, NSW, Australia |work=Australian Heritage Database |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities |date=21 October 1980 |access-date=22 September 2012}}

Shipping declined as a transport medium following road and rail construction through the region between 1850 and 1890, especially the construction of a rail bridge over the Hawkesbury River in 1899. The last locally constructed shipping vessel was launched from a shipyard at Blackwall in 1912, and scheduled shipping services ceased in 1914. However, since the 1950s, Pittwater has become predominantly residential in character and is a suburban region of Sydney.{{cite web |url=http://www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/council/council_information/history_of_pittwater_council_as_told_by_jim_revitt |publisher=Pittwater Council |title=History & Heritage: Overview |access-date=22 September 2012}} The greater Sydney metropolis has extended to Palm Beach, Church Point and offshore communities in Pittwater, however its early character has been largely retained.

File:Pittwater from Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park.jpg.]]

Today, the Pittwater is a popular water recreation, such as sailing and fishing. The area is an important natural heritage area that comprises wetlands, bushland, lagoons, a waterway, rock platforms and beaches.{{cite web |url=http://www.holidayoz.com.au/pittwater/natural.htm |title=Pittwater Natural Resources |work=Pittwater |publisher=Holiday Oz |year=2007 |access-date=22 September 2012}}

The Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race is held in January annually, and has been since 1981. However, in 2016 the race was held as Pittwater to Southport (in Queensland) since the facilities at Coffs Harbour had been badly damaged by East coast storms.{{cite web |url=http://www.pittwatertocoffs.com.au/index.php/race-history/race-results-1981-2011?showall=1/ |title=Race Results |publisher=The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club |work=2013 Pittwater & Coffs Harbour Regatta |access-date=25 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203060638/http://www.pittwatertocoffs.com.au/index.php/race-history/race-results-1981-2011?showall=1%2F |archive-date=3 February 2014 }}

The area gives its name to:

• The former Pittwater Council
• The Electoral district of Pittwater
• Pittwater High School
• Pittwater Park
• Little Pittwater Bay, in Hornsby Shire

Chef Pamela Clark resides in Pittwater.

{{stack|{{portal|New South Wales|Water|Environment}}}}

• List of rivers of Australia
• List of rivers of New South Wales (L–Z)
• Rivers of New South Wales

{{commons category|Pittwater}}

• [http://www.hn.cma.nsw.gov.au/topics/2065.html Cowan Creek / Pittwater Subcatchment] at the Hawkesbury–Nepean Catchment Management Authority website
• [http://pnha.org.au/about/ Pittwater Natural Heritage Association] website
• [http://www.pittwateronlinenews.com/ Pittwater online news] website
• [http://www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/environment/water/creeks/map_of_pittwaters_creeks_and_wetlands Map of Pittwater's Creeks and Wetlands] from Pittwater Council
• [http://pittwater.org/ local church website]

{{The Hawkesbury River |state=autocollapse}}

{{Waterways of Sydney |state=autocollapse}}

{{Rivers of the Sydney Basin |state=autocollapse}}

{{Rivers of New South Wales |state=autocollapse}}

Category:Rivers of New South Wales

Category:Hawkesbury River

Category:Central Coast (New South Wales)