Woronora River
{{Short description|River in New South Wales}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Woronora
| name_native =
| name_native_lang =
| name_other =
| name_etymology = Aboriginal (Dharug): "black rocks"{{NSW GNR|id=SXlpBKUlJP|title=Woronora River|access-date=5 January 2013}}
| image = 2007 0810klklk0004.JPG
| image_size =
| image_caption = Woronora River
| map =
| map_size = 300
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Australia Sydney satellite
| pushpin_map_size = 300
| pushpin_map_caption= NASA satellite view of Greater Metropolitan Sydney, with the location of the mouth of the Woronora River, as marked
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Australia
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name2 = New South Wales
| subdivision_type3 = Region
| subdivision_name3 = Greater Metropolitan Sydney
| subdivision_type4 =
| subdivision_name4 =
| subdivision_type5 = LGA
| subdivision_name5 = Sutherland Shire
| length = {{convert|36|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location=
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg =
| discharge1_max =
| source1 = Illawarra escarpment
| source1_location =
| source1_coordinates=
| source1_elevation =
| source2 = Waratah Rivulet
| source2_location = near Darkes Forest
| source2_coordinates= {{coord|34|23|17|S|150|54|18|E|display=inline}}
| source2_elevation = {{convert|353|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth = confluence with the Georges River
| mouth_location = between Como and Illawong
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|33|59|40|S|151|4|3|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
| progression =
| river_system = Georges River catchment
| basin_size = {{convert|174|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left = Still Creek (New South Wales)
| tributaries_right = Heathcote Creek, Forbes Creek (New South Wales)
| custom_label = Dam
| custom_data = Woronora (1941)
}}
The Woronora River is a perennial river of the Sydney Basin, located in the Sutherland Shire local government area of Greater Metropolitan Sydney, approximately {{convert|22|km}} south of the Sydney central business district, in New South Wales, Australia.
'Woronora' is an Aboriginal place name. Records show the spelling of the name has varied since it first appeared in the 19th century, the earliest being Wooloonora (Dixon, 1827, quoted in Walker 1974:66, followed by Wolonora (Dixon, 1837, and Woronora Mitchell, 1835). The name was first applied to the Woronora River, a tributary of the Georges River, before being given to an electoral district, a local road east of the river, and finally the suburb itself.
The Woronora River rises on the northwestern slopes of the Illawarra escarpment and has its origin from Waratah Rivulet, near Darkes Forest, and flows generally north for approximately 36 kilometres (22 mi), joined by three minor tributaries, before reaching its confluence with the Georges River, between Como and Illawong.
Location and features
It has its origin from Waratah Rivulet, near Darkes Forest, and flows generally north for approximately {{convert|36|km}}, joined by three minor tributaries, before reaching its confluence with the Georges River, between Como and Illawong. The total catchment area of the river is approximately {{convert|174|km2}} and the area is generally administered by the Sydney Catchment Authority in its upper reaches and the Sutherland Shire Council in its lower reaches.{{cite web |publisher=Sutherland Shire Council |url=http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/files/8b593cb4-faec-4080-8dd3-9e3a00e46ff0/woronora-rvr-floodplan-mngmt-study-sept-1995.pdf |title=Woronora River Floodplain Management Study |author=Acer Wargon Chapman |date=September 1995 |access-date=5 January 2013}} Much of the course of the river is through the Dharawal State Conservation Area, Heathcote National Park and the Royal National Park as it descends {{convert|354|m}} from source to mouth.
The river is impounded by the Woronora Dam, opened in 1941. The {{convert|71790|ML|adj=on}} impoundment is Lake Woronora, formed to augment water supply for southern Sydney and the northern Illawarra region.
The Woronora River is traversed by high level and low level road bridges and a footbridge in the suburb of Woronora. A road bridge on Heathcote Road, linking Heathcote and Holsworthy also provides a crossing over the river. At the area known as "The Needles", near Woronora Road in {{NSWcity|Engadine}}, a footbridge links the suburb to Barden Ridge.
"The Needles" is considered the "head of navigation" where there is relatively deep water with pointed vertical rocks, mostly just below the surface, hence the name. Until 2008, there was a vehicle causeway there at an area called the Pass of Sabugal, so named by Major Mitchell who surveyed the route in 1843 for what would become part of Old Illawarra Road. The causeway was modified in 2008 to allow the passage of fish and so is now unsuitable for vehicular traffic but still suitable for pedestrians or cyclists. The Needles area is downstream of Heathcote Rd bridge by about 3.4 km. Just above the Heathcote Rd bridge was "Woronora Wier" which was demolished pre-1994 and the roadside parking area removed for safety reasons.
Etymology
In the Australian Aboriginal Dharug language the river draws its name, meaning "black rocks". 'Woronora' is an Aboriginal place name. Records show the spelling of the name has varied since it first appeared in the 19th century, the earliest being Wooloonora (Dixon, 1827, quoted in Walker 1974:66, followed by Wolonora (Dixon, 1837, and Woronora Mitchell, 1835). The name was first applied to the Woronora River, a tributary of the Georges River, before being given to an electoral district, a local road east of the river, and finally the suburb itself.
Gallery
Image:Woronora Bridge 2.JPG| Woronora River Bridge, view towards Sutherland
Image:2007 0810klklk0003.JPG|Woronora River Bridge walkway.
Image:2007 0810klklk0011.JPG
Image:2007 0810klklk0007.JPG
See also
{{stack|{{portal|New South Wales|Environment|Water}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{Cite book|url=http://encore.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1060630__Sa%20landscape%20appraisal%20of%20the%20woronora%20river%20valley__Orightresult__U__X7?lang=eng&suite=cobalt|title=A landscape appraisal of the Woronora River valley|last=Carswell|first=Dave|date=1983|via=Sutherland Library Catalogue|publisher=Dave Carswell|access-date=7 November 2016}}
External links
- {{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ieo/GeorgesRiver/maplg.htm|title=Georges River catchment|format=map|work=Office of Environment and Heritage|publisher=Government of New South Wales}}
- [http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/files/a8c763dd-8e2a-42fc-b37d-9ebf00e6a20b/WoronoraRiverSMP.pdf Woronora River Stormwater Management Plan], commissioned by Sutherland Shire Council, September 2000.
- [http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/files/8b593cb4-faec-4080-8dd3-9e3a00e46ff0/woronora-rvr-floodplan-mngmt-study-sept-1995.pdf Woronora River Floodplain Management Study], commissioned by Sutherland Shire Council, September 1995.
- [http://kaimiaway.org.au/woronora_river/feasibility/index.htm The Woronora River at "The Great Kai'mia Way"]
- [http://maps.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=202654&cmd=sp Map of Woronora River, NSW] at Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
- {{cite web | url = http://dictionaryofsydney.org/structure/woronora_mill | title = Woronora Mill – Working the Tides | access-date = 8 October 2015 | author = Greg Jackson, Pam Forbes and Brad Duncan | date = 2014 | work=Dictionary of Sydney}}
[ CC-By-SA] - [http://meusepress.tripod.com/sydneyrivers.pdf Guide to Sydney Rivers site]
{{Waterways of Sydney |state=autocollapse}}
{{Rivers of the Sydney Basin |state=autocollapse}}
{{Rivers of New South Wales |state=autocollapse}}