Middle Harbour Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Middle Harbour Creek |
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Middle Harbour Creek after heavy storms downstream from the cascades
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| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | Sydney basin (IBRA), Northern Beaches |
| Local government areas | Warringah |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Middle Harbour Castlecrag and Seaforth 33°47′40.38″S 151°13′57.18″E / 33.7945500°S 151.2325500°E |
| Length | 6.1 km (3.8 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Middle Harbour |
| Basin size | 77 km2 (30 sq mi) |
| Tributaries |
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| National park | Garigal National Park |
Middle Harbour Creek, a tributary of Middle Harbour, is a youthful tide-dominated, drowned-valley estuary north–west of Sydney Harbour, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Ecology
Formed by the confluence of Bare Creek and Frenchs Creek, north of Davidson, Middle Harbour Creek is located in the Garigal National Park and flows from Mona Vale Road in the north down to Bungaroo where the creek becomes Middle Harbour. Its catchment area is approximately 77 square kilometres (30 sq mi).
Access along the majority of the creek is easy with tracks from (the western shore) St Ives, East Killara, East Lindfield, (eastern shore) Belrose, Davidson, Frenchs Forest and Forestville. Day walks are popular with access to the creek along several well maintained fire trails, the better-known being the Bungaroo Track, Cascades Track and Bare Creek track. The bushland surrounding the creek is rich in Bloodwoods (Eucalyptus gummifera), Scribbly gums (Eucalyptus haemastoma), The narrow-leaved stringy bark (Eucalyptus oblonga).
History
Middle Harbour Creek was first explored by Governor Arthur Phillip on an expedition that started from Manly Cove on 15 April 1788. The original intention of the expedition was to discover food. The expedition camped on 16 April at Bungaroo where the tidal Middle Harbour finishes and the creek begins.
Access
- Bungaroo Track
- Cascades Track runs from the corner of Acron Road and Douglas Street, St Ives or Stone Parade, Frenchs Forest. The track is a well maintained fire trail with an extremely steep cemented section and a creek crossing (from the St Ives side) at a ford before reaching the cascades, which is a beautiful cascading of water over sandstone. Until the 1970s the Cascades was a popular swimming water hole with local children. There are several sandstone caves in the area which offer walkers a great view of the area.
- Bare Creek Track runs from close to Austlink Corporate Park on the intersection of Mona Vale Road and Forest Way Roads, however the trail is overgrown and often difficult to find at that location. The best way to find the track is by following the trail from the end of Wyatt Avenue around the back of Sydney East Substation to find the Heath Track which meets the Bare Creek Track after a short walk.
Gallery
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Middle Harbour Creek close to the source near Mona Vale Road St Ives.
- The Northern Beaches Mountain Biking Group (NoBMoB) have details of trails around Cascades
