Blackwood River
Encyclopedia
The Blackwood River is a major river and catchment in the South West of Western Australia
.
The river begins at the junction of Arthur River
and Balgarup River near Quelarup and travels in a south westerly direction through the town of Bridgetown
then through Nannup
until it discharges into the Southern Ocean
at Hardy Inlet
near the town of Augusta
.
The river has 41 tributaries including Dinninup Brook, Balingup Brook, St John Brook, Boyup Brook, Tweed River, Ti Tree Gully, Christmas Creek and Tanjannerup Creek.
The upper or larger catchment area of the river is in agricultural areas, while the middle catchment area passes through forest areas, and the lower portion of the river passes into mixed forest, agricultural and residential lands. The river emerges into Flinders Bay
at Augusta
.
It was first discovered by a European in 1827 by Captain (later Admiral Sir) James Stirling
and named in honour of Henry Blackwood
, under whom Stirling had served as a youth from April 1808 to April 1810.
Historically it was of considerable importance in the early days of the Swan River Colony
, and more recently of importance in the ecology of the Augusta-Margaret River region due to conflicts in land use policy. The upper catchment contains Toolibin Lake
, a nature reserve and Ramsar
site.
Hardy Inlet
has a number of islands - namely Molloy Island and Thomas Island.
The mouth of the river has attracted interest in its various points of opening and closing over the last 100 years, Duke Head at the west side being a benchmark location for the shifting mouth.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The river begins at the junction of Arthur River
Arthur River, Western Australia
Arthur River is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, between Williams and Kojonup on Albany Highway.-History:Arthur River is named after the river that flows through it, a headwater of the Blackwood River...
and Balgarup River near Quelarup and travels in a south westerly direction through the town of Bridgetown
Bridgetown, Western Australia
-Notable people:*Emily Barker, singer-songwriter*Jon Doust, author and comedian*Robyn McSweeney, politician*Tom O'Dwyer, cricketer*David Reid, politician*Deborah Robertson, novelist and poet-External links:* * * * * * * *...
then through Nannup
Nannup, Western Australia
Nannup is a town and shire in the South West region of Western Australia, approximately south of Perth on the Blackwood River at the crossroads of Vasse Highway and Brockman Highway, linking Nannup to most of the Lower South West's regional centres...
until it discharges into the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
at Hardy Inlet
Hardy Inlet
Hardy Inlet is an inlet that is located in the South West region of Western Australia.The town of Augusta is situated on the South Western shore of the inlet, the inlet opens to the Southern Ocean via Flinders Bay...
near the town of Augusta
Augusta, Western Australia
Augusta is a town on the south-west coast of Western Australia, where the Blackwood River emerges into Flinders Bay. It is the nearest town to Cape Leeuwin, on the farthest south-west corner of the Australian continent. In the 2001 census it had a population of 1,694; by 2006 the population of...
.
The river has 41 tributaries including Dinninup Brook, Balingup Brook, St John Brook, Boyup Brook, Tweed River, Ti Tree Gully, Christmas Creek and Tanjannerup Creek.
The upper or larger catchment area of the river is in agricultural areas, while the middle catchment area passes through forest areas, and the lower portion of the river passes into mixed forest, agricultural and residential lands. The river emerges into Flinders Bay
Flinders Bay
Flinders Bay is a bay and locality that is immediately south of the townsite of Augusta, Western Australia, and close to the mouth of the Blackwood River and lies to the north east of Cape Leeuwin.-Bay:Flinders Bay...
at Augusta
Augusta, Western Australia
Augusta is a town on the south-west coast of Western Australia, where the Blackwood River emerges into Flinders Bay. It is the nearest town to Cape Leeuwin, on the farthest south-west corner of the Australian continent. In the 2001 census it had a population of 1,694; by 2006 the population of...
.
It was first discovered by a European in 1827 by Captain (later Admiral Sir) James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
and named in honour of Henry Blackwood
Henry Blackwood
Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Blackwood, 1st Baronet, GCH, KCB , whose memorial is in the St. John's Church, Killyleagh, was a British sailor....
, under whom Stirling had served as a youth from April 1808 to April 1810.
Historically it was of considerable importance in the early days of the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
, and more recently of importance in the ecology of the Augusta-Margaret River region due to conflicts in land use policy. The upper catchment contains Toolibin Lake
Toolibin Lake
Toolibin Lake is a 493 ha nature reserve containing a seasonal fresh to brackish water perched lake or wooded swamp, in south-western Australia. It lies about 200 km south-east of Perth, in the Shire of Narrogin, and 40 km east of the town of Narrogin, in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia...
, a nature reserve and Ramsar
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site.
Hardy Inlet
Hardy Inlet
Hardy Inlet is an inlet that is located in the South West region of Western Australia.The town of Augusta is situated on the South Western shore of the inlet, the inlet opens to the Southern Ocean via Flinders Bay...
has a number of islands - namely Molloy Island and Thomas Island.
The mouth of the river has attracted interest in its various points of opening and closing over the last 100 years, Duke Head at the west side being a benchmark location for the shifting mouth.
Further reading
- Brearley, Anne, Ernest Hodgkin's Swanland : estuaries and coastal lagoons of South-western Australia Crawley, W.A. : University of Western Australia Press for the Ernest Hodgkin Trust for Estuary Education and Research and National Trust of Australia (WA), 2005. ISBN 1-920694-38-2
- Muirden, Peter: Pen, Luke and Marnie Leybourne (2003) Stream and catchment hydrology in South West Western Australia Perth, W.A. Dept. of Environment. Department of Environment river restoration, 1442-6919 ; report no. RR19 ISBN 1920849246
- Pen, Luke J.(1999) Managing our rivers : a guide to the nature and management of the streams of south-west Western Australia (editor, June Hutchison) East Perth, W.A. : Water and Rivers Commission. ISBN 0730974502