Badgerys Creek (New South Wales) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Badgerys Creek |
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|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | Sydney basin (IBRA), Greater Western Sydney |
| Local government areas | Camden, Liverpool, Penrith, Blacktown, Hawkesbury |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | near Bringelly |
| River mouth | confluence with South Creek Badgerys Creek |
| Length | 16 km (9.9 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment |
Badgerys Creek is a small waterway, or stream, located in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the larger Hawkesbury-Nepean river system.
Where Badgerys Creek Flows
Badgerys Creek starts in the southwestern suburbs of Sydney, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) west of a place called Bringelly. From there, it flows mostly north, then turns towards the northeast.
It eventually joins another creek called South Creek. This meeting point, or confluence, is in the suburb also known as Badgerys Creek. The creek is about 16 kilometers (10 miles) long. Over its journey, the water drops about 94 meters (308 feet) from its starting point to where it meets South Creek.
How Badgerys Creek Got Its Name
Badgerys Creek is named after a person named James Badgery (1769-1827). He was an early settler in the area. In 1812, he received a large piece of land, about 640 acres (259 hectares), from the government.
James Badgery came to the colony of New South Wales in 1799. He was hired by William Paterson, an important figure at the time. Badgery used his land to start a farming business. He even named his main farm "Exeter Farm" after his hometown in England.
Over time, his farming business grew into a big agricultural company. By 1828, the Badgery family owned a lot of land in the colony, about 1900 acres (769 hectares).
Changes to the Land Over Time
For many years, the area around Badgerys Creek was mostly rural, meaning it was farmland with very few people. In 1906, the New South Wales Government created a local government area called Nepean Shire to manage the region.
Later, in the 1920s, James Badgery's original land grant was divided up. This happened under a special law called the Soldier Settlement Act, which helped soldiers returning from war get land for farming.
In 1936, a large part of the land near South Creek was bought by the Australian Government. This land was used for a research station by the CSIRO. The CSIRO used it to study animal health. For a short time, it was also used for research into radio astronomy, which is studying radio waves from space. The CSIRO sold this site in 1996.
