Hastings River

Hastings River
Mooraback Creek^[1]
Hastings River; Mooraback Creek
	North Coast railway bridge over the Hastings River at Wauchope
Etymology	In honour of 1st Marquess of Hastings
Native name	Doongang
Location
Country	Australia
State	New South Wales
IBRA	New England Tablelands, NSW North Coast
District	Northern Tablelands, Mid North Coast
local government area	Port Macquarie-Hastings
Physical characteristics
Source	Great Dividing Range
• location	southwest of Kemps Pinnacle, within Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
• coordinates	31°25′54″S 152°22′4″E / 31.43167°S 152.36778°E
• elevation	1,040 m (3,410 ft)
Mouth	Tasman Sea, South Pacific Ocean
• location	Port Macquarie
• coordinates	31°25′48″S 152°55′12″E / 31.43000°S 152.92000°ECoordinates: 31°25′48″S 152°55′12″E / 31.43000°S 152.92000°E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	180 km (110 mi)
Basin size	3,658 km2 (1,412 sq mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Forbes River, Pappinbarra River, Mortons Creek, Maria River
• right	Fenwicks Creek, Tobins River, Ralfes Creek, Ellenborough River Thone River
National Parks	Oxley Wild Rivers, Werrikimbe, Cottan-Bimbang

Hastings River (Birpai: Doongang^[1]), an open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary,^[3] is located in the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia.

Course and features[]

Hastings River rises in the Great Dividing Range, southwest of Kemps Pinnacle, in the area surrounding Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and Werrikimbe National Park and flows generally south, southeast and east, joined by seven tributaries including the Tobins, Forbes, Ellenborough, Pappinbarra and Thone rivers, before reaching its mouth, flowing into the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean, at Port Macquarie. The river descends 1,040 metres (3,410 ft) over its 180 kilometres (110 mi) course.^[2]

The course of the river flows adjacent to the settlements Ellenborough, Long Flat, , Wauchope and Port Macquarie. The Oxley Highway is generally aligned with the middle and lower reaches of the river. West of Port Macquarie, the Pacific Highway crosses the Hastings River.

History[]

The Hastings River has been inhabited by Birpai Aboriginal people for thousands of years, who knew it as Doongang.

The river was first charted by European explorers in 1818, after being sighted by John Oxley. He named the river the Hastings River for the then Governor-General of India, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings.^[1]

On 19 November 2002, two anglers found the dismembered body of murdered Sydney drug dealer, Terry Falconer. Investigations revealed that Falconer had died three days beforehand, after his corpse had been cut up and dumped in the Hastings River by Anthony Perish and his criminal gang associates.^[4]^[5]

The River flooded in March 2021 during a severe weather event affecting much of New South Wales.^[6]

Recreation, flora and fauna[]

The Hastings River gives its name to the Hastings River wine region 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 river mouth.

Gallery[]

Hastings River, flooded, west of Ellenborough, 2009.
Dennis Bridge from the new Pacific Highway bridge to the west
New Hastings River Bridge carrying the Pacific Highway

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Hastings River". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Map of Hastings River, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
^ Roy, P. S.; Williams, R. J.; Jones, A. R.; Yassini, I.; et al. (2001). "Structure and Function of South-east Australian Estuaries". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 53: 351–384. doi:10.1006/ecss.2001.0796.
^ Duffy, Michael (2012). Bad: the true story of the Perish brothers and Australia's biggest ever murder investigation (paperback). Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. p. 290. ISBN 9781743312964.
^ Robbo (13 August 2012). "Anthony Perish aka Badness". Aussie Criminals Blog. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
^ Carmody, James; Stuart, Riley; Johnson, Keely (20 March 2021). "Devastated couple's home floats away on their wedding day in NSW floods". www.abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 March 2021.

External links[]

"Camden Haven and Hastings River catchments". Office of Environment and Heritage (map). Government of New South Wales.

[gnb-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Hastings River". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 March 2013.

[bonzle-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Map of Hastings River, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2013.

[roy-3] Roy, P. S.; Williams, R. J.; Jones, A. R.; Yassini, I.; et al. (2001). "Structure and Function of South-east Australian Estuaries". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 53: 351–384. doi:10.1006/ecss.2001.0796.

[4] Duffy, Michael (2012). Bad: the true story of the Perish brothers and Australia's biggest ever murder investigation (paperback). Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. p. 290. ISBN 9781743312964.

[5] Robbo (13 August 2012). "Anthony Perish aka Badness". Aussie Criminals Blog. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.

[abc-mar-2021-severe-weather-flood-6] Carmody, James; Stuart, Riley; Johnson, Keely (20 March 2021). "Devastated couple's home floats away on their wedding day in NSW floods". www.abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 March 2021.

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show v t River systems and rivers of the Northern Rivers catchments, New South Wales, Australia
Tweed Shire and Tweed River	Byrrill Oxley Rous Tweed
Byron Shire and Brunswick River	Brunswick
Richmond Valley and Richmond River	Back Coopers Eden Evans Leycester Richmond Sandy Shannon Wilsons
Clarence Valley and Clarence River	Aberfoyle Barcoongere Beaury Bielsdown Blicks Bobo Boonoo Boonoo Boundary (Glen Fernaigh) Boundary (Nymboida) Boyd Cataract Chandlers Clarence Clouds Coldstream Corindi Esk Glen Fernaigh Guy Fawkes Henry Kangaroo Little Murray Little Nymboida Mann Maryland Nowlands Nymboida Oban Orara Sandon Sara Timbarra Tooloom Towallum Urumbilum Wooli Wooli Yarrow
Coffs Harbour, Bellingen Shire, and Bellinger River	Bellinger Kalang Never Never Rosewood
Nambucca Shire, Kempsey Shire, and Nambucca-Macleay rivers	Apsley Blue Mountain Chandler Christmas Commissioners Waters Dyke Gara Georges Kunderang Macleay Nambucca Oaky Styx Taylors Arm Tia Warnes Wollomombi Yarrowitch
Port Macquarie-Hastings and Hastings River	Camden Haven Doyles Ellenborough Forbes Hastings Maria Pappinbarra Pipers Ralfes Stewarts Thone Tobins Wilson
Category

show v t Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia
Federal divisions	Cowper Lyne
State electorates	Coffs Harbour Myall Lakes Oxley Port Macquarie
Local government areas	Bellingen Coffs Harbour Kempsey Nambucca Valley Port Macquarie-Hastings Greater Taree
Cities	Coffs Harbour
Towns / suburbs	Arakoon Batar Bellingen Birdwood Boambee Bonny Hills Bonville Bostobrick Bowraville Camden Haven Collombatti Comboyne Coopernook Coramba Corindi Beach Crescent Head Cundletown Dorrigo Ellenborough Forster Frederickton Hannam Vale Harrington Hat Head Herons Creek Jerseyville Karangi Kempsey Kendall Kew Kinchela Kindee Kolodong Krambach Kundabung Lake Cathie Lansdowne Laurieton Long Flat Lowanna Macksville Manning Point Mylestom Nambucca Heads Nana Glen Newee Creek New Entrance North Haven Oceanside Old Bar Park Beach Port Macquarie Raleigh Repton Sawtell Scotts Head Smithtown South West Rocks Taree Taylors Arm Telegraph Point Thora Toms Creek Tinonee Toormina Tuncurry Ulong Urunga Valla Warrell Creek Wingham Woolgoolga Wauchope
Rivers	Apsley Barnard Barrington Bellinger Bowman Camden Haven Cells Christmas Coolongolook Cooplacurripa Crawford Dawson Doyles Ellenborough Forbes Georges Hastings Kalang Kunderang Lansdowne Macleay Manning Maria Mummel Myall Lakes Myall Nambucca Never Never Nowendoc Pappinbarra Pipers Ralfes Rosewood Rowleys Smiths Lake Stewarts Taylors Throne Tobins Walcrow Wallamba Wallingat Wallis Lake Wang Wauk Williams Wilson
Ranges and mountains	Banda Banda Three Brothers
National parks / Nature reserves / Important Bird Areas	Coocumbac Island Nature Reserve Dooragan NP Ellenborough Falls Hastings-Macleay IBA Hat Head NP Kattang Nature Reserve Limeburners Creek NP Maria NP Middle Brother NP Sea Acres NP
Major tourist attractions	Big Banana Billabong Zoo North Coast Regional Botanic Garden Willi Willi Caves

show v t New England region of New South Wales, Australia
Federal divisions	New England Parkes
State electorates	Barwon Northern Tablelands Tamworth
Local government areas	Armidale Glen Innes Severn Gunnedah Gwydir Inverell Liverpool Plains Moree Plains Tamworth Tenterfield Uralla Walcha
Cities	Armidale Tamworth
Towns and villages	Ardglen Ashford Attunga Barraba Bendemeer Ben Lomond Bingara Black Mountain Bolivia Bonshaw Brackendale Breeza Bukkulla Bundarra Carroll Coolatai Croppa Creek Curlewis Dangarsleigh Deepwater Delungra Dorrigo Drake Dundee Duri Ebor Elsmore Emerald Hill Emmaville Gilgai Glencoe Glen Innes Graman Gravesend Gunnedah Guyra Hanging Rock Hillgrove Inverell Invergowrie Jennings Kellys Plains Kelvin Kentucky Kootingal Kingstown Limbri Liston Llangothlin Manilla Mingoola Moonbi Mount Russell Mullaley Myall Creek Niangala North Star Nowendoc Nundle Red Range Rocky River Sandy Flat Somerton Stannifer Stannum Stonehenge Tambar Springs Tenterfield Tia Tingha Torrington Upper Horton Uralla Urbenville Walcha Walcha Road Wallabadah Wandsworth Warialda Warialda Rail Weabonga Wellingrove Werris Creek Willow Tree Wollomombi Wollun Woolbrook Wytaliba Yarrowitch Yarrowyck Yetman
National parks and other conservation areas	Bald Rock Basket Swamp Boonoo Boonoo Bundarra-Barraba Important Bird Area Carrai Cathedral Rock Chaelundi Cottan-Bimbang Cunnawarra Ebor Falls Gibraltar Range Guy Fawkes River Kings Plains Kwiambal Little Llangothlin Nature Reserve Mummel Gulf New England Nowendoc Nymboida Oxley Wild Rivers Warrabah Washpool Werrikimbe
Rivers	Aberfoyle Apsley Back Barnard Beardy Blicks Blue Mountain Bobo Boonoo Boonoo Boyd Cells Chandler Chandlers Clouds Commissioners Cooplacurripa Curricabark Dyke Gara Georges Guy Fawkes Gwydir Hastings Kunderang Little Murray Little Nymboida Macleay Manning Maryland Moredun Mummel Nowendoc Nowlands Oaky Oban Rocky Rowleys Sara Severn Styx Tia Timbarra Tobins Towallum Urumbilum Walcrow Warnes Wollomombi Yarrow Yarrowitch
Mountain ranges and mountains	Barren Ben Lomond Dorrigo Plateau Duval Grundy Hyland Moonbi Range Point Lookout Round Thunderbolts Range Tia Range Yarrowyck
Tourist attractions	Apsley Falls Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre Dangar Falls Ebor Falls Newell Falls Sherrard Falls Tamworth Country Music Festival Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre Wollomombi Falls