Title

View of Windsor, upon the River Hawkesbury, New South Wales. [by Joseph Lycett].

Author

Author not identified

Source

[Not applicable]

Publication date

1825

Type

About the work

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Full text

View of Windsor, upon the River Hawkesbury, New South Wales.

The Town of WINDSOR, in point of size, may be classed as the third Settlement in the Colony; and is of considerable importance, on account of the great quantity of Wheat and Indian Corn which is produced in its vicinity. It is delightfully situated upon almost a point of Laud; one side of the Town being close upon the River HAWKSBURY, and the Creek called SOUTH CREEK running on the other side towards SYDNEY. It stands on a Hill, whose elevation above the level of the River, at low water, is about one hundred feet. It is twenty miles distant from PARAMATTA, and thirty-six miles from SYDNEY; to which latter place there is an excellent Turnpike-road.

The fore-ground of the present View represents part of the Road which leads to WINDSOR from PARAMATTA, and near which it was taken. The wooden Bridge, seen in the bottom, crosses a swampy Creek, which runs down to a Settlement, called Bardo Narang, or Small water; narang signifying, in the language of the Natives, small, and bardo, water. The large open neck of Land, through which the Road passes, is generally in crops of Wheat or Maize, of which it now produces abundant quantities, though formerly it was a thick Bush.

WINDSOR, beheld from this point of view, appears to great advantage, although at a distance, and notwithstanding a considerable part of the Town is concealed; as many of the houses are built on the declivity of the Hill, towards the River. The public Buildings, which were erected under the superintendance of the late Governor, Major-General MACQUAR1E, consist of a Church, Military Barracks, General Hospital, Prison, Court-house, and Store-house.

The River HAWKSBURY is here of considerable width, and navigable for Vessels of two hundred tons burthen. it empties itself into the Sea at BROKEN BAY, about eighteen or twenty miles from the entrance into SYDNEY RIVER, at SOUTH HEAD. The adjoining Country, particularly on the far side of the River, is cultivated to a very large extent, and produces the finest crops in the whole Colony; but, unhappily, it is occasionally exposed to the dreadful effects of Inundation, from the overflowing of the banks of the HAWKSBURY. "These Inundations," Mr. WENTWORTH, in his 'Statistical Account of the British Settlements in Australia,' informs us, "often rise seventy or eighty feet above low-water mark; and, in the instance of what is still emphatically termed 'the great Flood,' attained an elevation of ninety-three feet. The chaos of confusion and distress," continues Mr. WENTWORTH, "that presents itself on these occasions, cannot be easily conceived by any one who has not been a witness of its horrors. An immense expanse of water, of which the eye cannot, in many directions, discern the limits, every-where interspersed with growing Timber, and crowded with Poultry, Pigs, Horses, Cattle, Stacks, and Houses, having frequently Men, Women, and Children, clinging to them for protection, and shrieking out in an agony of despair for assistance: such are the principal objects by which these scenes of death and devastation are characterised. These inundations are not periodical, but they most generally happen in the month of March. Since the establishment of the Colony, they have happened, upon an average, about once in four years. The principal cause of them is the contiguity of this River to the BLUE MOUNTAINS."

In the present View, a part of the BLUE MOUNTAINS is seen in the distance; the base of these Mountains being about twenty miles from Windsor.

The pleasant Settlement called RICHMOND is about six miles up the River from WINDSOR: it is flourishing, and increasing in size. The Country, in general, round WINDSOR is not only extremely fertile, but remarkably picturesque, affording excellent and delightful situations for the erection of superior Buildings. The River itself forms a fine and striking object, and the Scenery on its banks is as beautiful as can be imagined, both sides being richly covered with all sorts of Grain. The same species of wild Fowl, which we have so repeatedly described as frequenting other parts of the Colony, are found here in great abundance; and in the Bush there are the same sorts of Birds. Kangaroos are only found in the Woods, at some distance from the Town.

Accompanying text, 1825.