Middle Harbour (or ''Warrin ga''), a semi-mature

tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tables ...

dominated drowned valley

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...

, is the northern arm of

Port Jackson Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour, is a natural harbour on the east coast of Australia, around which Sydney was built. It consists of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta ...

, an inlet of the

Tasman Sea The Tasman Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, who in 1642 wa ...

located north of

Sydney central business district The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or ...

on the coast of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. Middle Harbour has its source in the upper reaches of Garigal National Park where it forms Middle Harbour Creek and flows southeast to become Middle Harbour at Bungaroo and travels for approximately before reaching its

mouth A mouth also referred to as the oral is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and animal communication#Auditory, vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or in Latin), is also t ...

between Grotto Point near Clontarf and Middle Head. The catchment area of Middle Harbour is approximately .

Geography

The shore of Middle Harbour is nearly everywhere rugged, barren and forested and for this reason Middle Harbour was almost entirely neglected during the first two centuries of European settlement in Sydney. There are only a few small patches of flat land on its shores. There are many small creeks draining the surrounding hills, but no significant rivers flow into Middle Harbour. Within Middle Harbour are, from upstream to downstream, Shell Cove, Pearl Bay, Long Bay, Sugarloaf Bay,

Bantry Bay Bantry Bay () is a bay located in County Cork, Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km (1.8-to-2.5 miles) wide at the head and wide at the entrance. Geograp ...

, Fisher Bay, Sandy Bay, Sailors Bay, Powder Hulk Bay, Willoughby Bay and Quakers Hat Bay. Middle Harbour is a significant physical barrier between Sydney's North Shore and the suburbs known as the

Northern Beaches The Northern Beaches is a region within Northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, near the Pacific coast. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), west to Middle Harbour and north to the ...

area which lie north and east of Middle Harbour. There are only two bridges – the Spit Bridge and the Roseville Bridge – and because of this obstacle, historically the main transport between Manly and

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

was by

ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...

. Since the 1920s, most of the land on the ridge-tops around Middle Harbour has been developed for suburban housing. Much of the rugged shore of the Middle Harbour remains covered with bushland, most of it now protected by parks and reserves. Middle Harbour is a popular area for recreational boating and fishing.

History

Middle Harbour is also extremely significant culturally, spiritually and recreationally to those who live near the water. The harbour is popular amongst fisherman and recreational boaters. An example of the cultural significance of Middle Harbour is highlighted through an odd custom amongst boaters who use the Tunks Park boat ramp in Cammeray. Becoming popular in the late 1980s and 1990s, boaters exiting the 4 knot zone outside of the Cammeray Marina would play " The Old Man Down The Road", a swamp rock song written by Creedence Clearwater Revival lead singer and guitarist, John Fogerty, on their cassettes. Although the origin of this custom is argued upon by locals, many believe it began with fisherman who sought a way to "burn away the sandman (drowsiness)". Others believe the term "The Old Man" may refer to an old folk name for the harbour.

References

External links

*
NSW State of the Beaches 2011–2012: Sydney Estuarine Beaches region
p. 242

{{Waterways of Sydney Geography of Sydney Mosman Council Northern Beaches

Geography

History

See also

References

External links