|
|
The Hawkesbury River: A Social And Natural HistoryStock informationGeneral Fields
Special Fields
DescriptionThe Hawkesbury River is the longest coastal river in New South Wales. A vital source of water and food, it has a long Aboriginal history and was critical for the survival of the early British colony at Sydney. The Hawkesbury's weathered shores, cliffs, and fertile plains have inspired generations of artists. It is surrounded by an unparalleled mosaic of national parks, including the second-oldest national park in Australia, Ku-ring-gai National Park. Although it lies only 35 km north of Sydney, to many today, the Hawkesbury is a "hidden river" - its historical and natural significance is not understood or appreciated. Author descriptionPaul Boon is a Professor in the Institute for Sustainability and Innovation at Victoria University, Melbourne, and has published extensively on aquatic ecology and management. He is an Associate Editor of the journals Marine and Freshwater Research and Pacific Conservation Biology, a past President of the Australian Society for Limnology, and serves on numerous science advisory committees. The Hawkesbury stole his heart as a boy; he spent his childhood and adolescence on the river and conducted field studies for his BSc(Hons) project on mangroves at Brooklyn. Table of contents* Foreword* Acknowledgements * Conversions* Prologue - the best hidden river in the world *1: Geography - Physical and human *2: Geology - A skeleton of sandstone *3: How the Hawkesbury came to be an estuary *4: Hydrology - Floods, droughts and river regulation *5: The vexed matter of water quality *6: Biota - Plants, animals and mythical creatures *7: Jewels in the crown - The protected areas *8: An Aboriginal river *9: European discovery and early exploration *10: European occupation and exploitation *11: Barrier I - Road and ferry crossings *12: Barrier II - Railway crossings *13: Conduit - Boats and shipping *14: A strategic river - Defending the northern gateway to Sydney *15: The river as muse - Artists, musicians and writers inspired by the Hawkesbury *16: Epilogue - Whither the Hawkesbury? * References * Index |