Hastings River
Encyclopedia
The Hastings River is a large river on the Mid North Coast of the Australia
n state of New South Wales
that empties into the Tasman Sea
, a branch of the South Pacific Ocean
, at Port Macquarie.
The river rises about seven kilometres south west of Kemps Pinnacle in Werrikimbe National Park
on the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range
.
It runs south to Fernleigh, where it then runs east to the coast at Port Macquarie.
The river was first charted by European explorers in 1818, after its discovery by John Oxley
who named the river for the then Governor-General of India
, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
.
Tributaries of the Hastings River include the Forbes River
, Doyles
, Ellenborough
and Thone River
s.
A number of settlements exist near the river:
The Hastings River gives its name to a surrounding wine district and to an endangered species of mammal
, the Hastings River Mouse
(Pseudomys oralis).
Fishing opportunities on the Hastings River exist for freshwater bass and catfish in the upper reaches to estuarine species such as bream, flathead and luderick near the entrance.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
that empties into the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
, a branch of the South Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, at Port Macquarie.
The river rises about seven kilometres south west of Kemps Pinnacle in Werrikimbe National Park
Werrikimbe National Park
Werrikimbe National Park is in the catchment zone of the Upper Hastings River, New South Wales, Australia, about 486 km north of Sydney. This national park is about 80 km west of Wauchope and 90 km east of Walcha on the eastern escarpment of the Great Dividing Range...
on the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
.
It runs south to Fernleigh, where it then runs east to the coast at Port Macquarie.
The river was first charted by European explorers in 1818, after its discovery by John Oxley
John Oxley
John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of English colonisation.October 1802 he was engaged in coastal survey work including an expedition to Western Port in 1804-05...
who named the river for the then Governor-General of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
Francis Edward Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings KG PC , styled The Honourable Francis Rawdon from birth until 1762 and as The Lord Rawdon between 1762 and 1783 and known as The Earl of Moira between 1793 and 1816, was an Irish-British politician and military officer who served as...
.
Tributaries of the Hastings River include the Forbes River
Forbes River (New South Wales)
The Forbes River is a river on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales in Australia. The river rises approximately 800 metres west of Spokes Mountain and flows southwards for about 38 km to its confluence with the Hastings River near Yarras....
, Doyles
Doyles River (New South Wales)
The Doyles River is a river of the state of New South Wales in Australia.-References:...
, Ellenborough
Ellenborough River
-References:...
and Thone River
Thone River
-References:...
s.
A number of settlements exist near the river:
- EllenboroughEllenborough, New South WalesEllenborough is a parish and village straddling the Oxley Highway and the Ellenborough River, less than one kilometre south of its confluence with the Hastings River. The village is about 33 km west of Wauchope and approximately 71 km east of Walcha...
- Long FlatLong Flat, New South WalesLong Flat is a rural village situated on the Oxley Highway and the southern bank of the Hastings River. This village is about 30 kilometres west of Wauchope and approximately 75 km east of Walcha...
- Port MacquariePort Macquarie, New South WalesPort Macquarie is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, located about north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. The city is located on the coast, at the mouth of the Hastings River, and has an estimated population of 44,313....
- situated at the mouth of the Hastings River - WauchopeWauchope, New South Wales-People from Wauchope:* Iva Davies - Musician, Icehouse* Alison Langdon - Channel Nine News Reader - Today Show* Phil Jamieson - Musician, Grinspoon* Andrew Stoner - NSW National Party of Australia leader, Member for Oxley...
The Hastings River gives its name to a surrounding wine district and to an endangered species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
, the Hastings River Mouse
Hastings River Mouse
The Hastings River Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Australia.-Habitat:These rodents often prefer damp and moist environments, along drainage lines if necessary...
(Pseudomys oralis).
Fishing opportunities on the Hastings River exist for freshwater bass and catfish in the upper reaches to estuarine species such as bream, flathead and luderick near the entrance.