The Parramatta River, New South Wales, Australia, 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 Paramatta and travels in an easterly direction to a line between Yurulbin (formerly Long Nose Point) and Manns Point near Balmain where is joins with the Lane Cove River to form Sydney Harbour, at this point 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
Transport
Main article: Parramatta River ferry services, Sydney Ferry services and wharves
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:
Sydney Harbour Tunnel
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Gladesville Bridge
Mortlake Ferry (the last vehicular ferry operating on the river)
Ryde Bridge (now a dual bridge)
Old Meadowbank railway bridge (converted into a pedestrian and cyclist bridge)
Crossings
Ecological and environment issues
Until 1970 the river 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 5 particularly contaminated areas of Sydney Harbour, and that 4 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.
Homebush Bay - dioxins, lead, phthalates, DDT, PAHs (coal tars) mainly originating from nearby chemical factories of Berger Paints, CSR Chemicals, ICI/Orica, and Union Carbide.
Iron Cove - various metals and chemicals with no clearly defined point source. Pollution may possibly enter through Iron Cove Creek and Hawthorne Canal.
Off former AGL site, now redeveloped as Breakfast Point. Water quality concerns
The Parramatta River is subject to a number of fishing bans because of its contaminated sediments. There is a complete fishing ban in Homebush Bay because of the dioxin contamination, and a complete commercial fishing ban throughout the rest of Sydney Harbour and its tributaries, including the Parramatta River.
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.
Fishing
Major wetlands include:
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.
Bicentennial Park Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBA CAMBA)
Newington Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBA CAMBA) Major wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas
Many areas of the river, particularly the swampy heads of bays, have been reclaimed, 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).
Reclamation
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 Carbide 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 (as of 2000).
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.
Remediation
Recreational activities
There are a number of sailing and yachting clubs on the River:
Sailing and rowing take place under an aquatic licence granted annually by Waterways.
Abbotsford 12ft Flying Squadron in Abbotsford
Concord & Ryde Sailing Club at Putney http://www.concordrydesailing.org
Parramatta River Sailing Club at Gladesville http://www.prsc.org.au/ Sailing
There are Sea Scouts at:
Rhodes: First Yaralla
Meadowbank: First Epping Foreshore walks and cycleways
Major heritage buildings on or near the foreshore include:
Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital (now Rivendell unit for Teenagers)
Callan Park, a former psychiatric hospital, with fine sandstone buildings
Gladesville Psychiatric Hospital, with many sandstone buildings in parklike surroundings on the southern side of Victoria Road. All the buildings on the Northern side were demolished and sold for redevelopment in about 1990.
Yaralla, the italianate mansion of Dame Edith Walker, a generous benefactor of the Concord Community, still preserved in magnificent and extensive grounds through a trust structure in favour of a hospital.
the Newington armaments depot with its armaments railway and concrete bunkers
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:
Sydney Harbour Tunnel
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Gladesville Bridge
Mortlake Ferry (the last vehicular ferry operating on the river)
Ryde Bridge (now a dual bridge)
Old Meadowbank railway bridge (converted into a pedestrian and cyclist bridge)
CrossingsEcological and environment issues
Until 1970 the river 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 5 particularly contaminated areas of Sydney Harbour, and that 4 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.
Homebush Bay - dioxins, lead, phthalates, DDT, PAHs (coal tars) mainly originating from nearby chemical factories of Berger Paints, CSR Chemicals, ICI/Orica, and Union Carbide.
Iron Cove - various metals and chemicals with no clearly defined point source. Pollution may possibly enter through Iron Cove Creek and Hawthorne Canal.
Off former AGL site, now redeveloped as Breakfast Point. Water quality concerns
The Parramatta River is subject to a number of fishing bans because of its contaminated sediments. There is a complete fishing ban in Homebush Bay because of the dioxin contamination, and a complete commercial fishing ban throughout the rest of Sydney Harbour and its tributaries, including the Parramatta River.
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.
Fishing
Major wetlands include:
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.
Bicentennial Park Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBA CAMBA)
Newington Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBA CAMBA) Major wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas
Many areas of the river, particularly the swampy heads of bays, have been reclaimed, 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).
Reclamation
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 Carbide 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 (as of 2000).
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.
Remediation
Recreational activities
There are a number of sailing and yachting clubs on the River:
Sailing and rowing take place under an aquatic licence granted annually by Waterways.
Abbotsford 12ft Flying Squadron in Abbotsford
Concord & Ryde Sailing Club at Putney http://www.concordrydesailing.org
Parramatta River Sailing Club at Gladesville http://www.prsc.org.au/ Sailing
There are Sea Scouts at:
Rhodes: First Yaralla
Meadowbank: First Epping Foreshore walks and cycleways
Major heritage buildings on or near the foreshore include:
Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital (now Rivendell unit for Teenagers)
Callan Park, a former psychiatric hospital, with fine sandstone buildings
Gladesville Psychiatric Hospital, with many sandstone buildings in parklike surroundings on the southern side of Victoria Road. All the buildings on the Northern side were demolished and sold for redevelopment in about 1990.
Yaralla, the italianate mansion of Dame Edith Walker, a generous benefactor of the Concord Community, still preserved in magnificent and extensive grounds through a trust structure in favour of a hospital.
the Newington armaments depot with its armaments railway and concrete bunkers
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