Macdonald River

[covanova]

Last weekend I went for a drive up to Wiseman's Ferry and St Albans. Absolutely beautiful drive, particularly the descent into Wiseman's.

For those who don't know, you cross the Hawkesbury at Wisemsan's and follow the Macdonald river from its juncture with the Hawkesbury for quite a distance to St Albans. You watch the river become a creek, then a trickle.

What is a shame is that you can really see the effects of siltation on the river (in my opinion). Looking at the tidal reaches, my rod arm was quivering (it still is) but the further you get inland, and beyond the tidal limit, it's just cloudy pools on a really long sandpit. I can't imagine there being anywhere near enough depth for any freshwater fish to survive.

It's a real shame, because it has a nice size catchment area, and most of it is national park. Obviously too much clearing and poor land management practices have silted up ther river.

[Guest Jocool]

It is a shame, but the lack of rain hasn't helped much either. If there were some decent falls at consistent times, it would help get the siltation moving to a degree I reckon!

[Guest bluecod]

It is a shame, but the lack of rain hasn't helped much either. If there were some decent falls at consistent times, it would help get the siltation moving to a degree I reckon!

63835[/snapback]

I very much doubt that Joe. I've picked up the following info from a historical site that shows the MacDonald river heading for trouble right from the first colonisation of the area

Early maps show that original "Branch" farm grants as being in the Townships of Benton, Macdonald and Howick. With the establishment of a central township called "The Village of Macdonald" [now St. Albans] at the site of a drovers camp called "Bullock Warf" from whence cattle were shipped to the Colony by boat. [The river being navigable at that time]. The "Village of Macdonald" was fully surveyed in 1837 and four years later gazetted under the name of St. Albans on the 26th of January 1841.

Most of the course of the river is very rugged, and away from the narrow floodplain the soil becomes barren and sandy. The clearing that was carried out in the early 1800’s was all that is usable. Thirty kilometers north of St. Albans the valley becomes so narrow that there is no room for cultivable land and as families were large, farmers were forced to cultivate the flood plains down to the riverbank and even up the slopes.

Can't blame the first settlers that much when the following extract explains living conditions at the time

……"I new a man hung there and then for stealing a few biscuits, and another for stealing a duck frock. A man was condemned, no time, take him to a tree, and hang him. The overseers were allowed to flog in the fields. Often have seen men been taken from the gang, had fifty, and sent back to work. Any man would have committed murder for a months provisions. I would have committed three murders for a weeks provisions. I was chained seven weeks on my back for being out getting wild greens, wild herbs. The Reverend Marsden [known as the flogging Parson] used to come it tightly to force some confession. Men were obliged to tell lies to prevent their bowels from being cut out by the lash. The Laws were bad then. If an Officer wanted a mans wife, he would send the husband to Norfolk Island

If you think that was tough, the Aborigines had it a lot worse!

Edited August 25, 2005 by bluecod

[Guest Jocool]

I stand corrected in that case George.

[covanova]

For those who haven't been there. Sorry, I didn't take photos of the silted up areas, it was too depressing. These are the nice ones from downstream

[Guest bluecod]

Joe,

Even though in the past I have been heavily involved in this sort of field, I can't comprehend that now, with all the knowledge, equipment and willpower available, we find it impossible [for various reasons] to reverse the damage that we have done to rivers and streams.

Sure, to an extent we have been able to mitigate any further damage through costly land management practises [where these have been put into place] that are not always supported by the local communities, but rarely is it done correctly.

I saw a documentary, shot in South Australia, involving land rehabilitation and water quality improvement though the use of artificial wetlands, of which the end result was absolutely amazing. I suppose that where there is a political will there is a way.

If you have a look at the Hawkesbury/Nepean about a kilometre upstream of the Windsor Bridge, it is suffering from the same sort of devastating siltation that the MacDonald has, the areas immediately around the Windsor Bridge and for about a kilometre downstream have been spared the same fate as there is a dredge that removes the sand plume as it advances downstream. Take this dredge out and the river in that area will silt up very, very quickly.

[Guest bluecod]

For those who haven't been there. Sorry, I didn't take photos of the silted up areas, it was too depressing. These are the nice ones from downstream

63841[/snapback]

Covanova, Sorry to screw up your post mate, it is indeed a beautiful area and it could be absolutely magnificent if the river was returned, even in part to its pre-settlement condition.

BTW did you get up as far as the St.Albans Common. The Common itself is very picturesque. The drive from St.Albans to Buckety is also worthwhile and provides a stark contrast to the river flats.

[covanova]

It will be tough to rehabilitate such an area - the pure volume of silt there is amazing. I'd say there is a fair bit of water flowing through the silt (as it does) but from a fishing perspective, there'd have to be a lot of channel rehabilitation to get it back to scratch.

I loved the downstream areas though - can't wait till its warmer and to put my canoe in for some fishing. It is a really pretty area, I like it a lot! I didn't get any further than St Albans, but I understand you can follow the road a long way up. Worth a weekend.

[Guest Jocool]

I saw a documentary, shot in South Australia, involving land rehabilitation and water quality improvement though the use of artificial wetlands, of which the end result was absolutely amazing. I suppose that where there is a political will there is a way.

63843[/snapback]

George....Will rehabilitation work on most areas? And would there be a benefit from doing just one section of a creek, or would you have to bite the bullet and do the entire length of that waterway?

Reason I'm asking is that I can see a few creeks in the Seven/Baulkham Hills area, that may benefit from this sort of attention. I may even go as far as to say that I have a friend that may be able to make things happen in that neck of the woods!

[Guest bluecod]

George....Will rehabilitation work on most areas? And would there be a benefit from doing just one section of a creek, or would you have to bite the bullet and do the entire length of that waterway?

63927[/snapback]

Joe,

Ideally for rehab to be 100% you would start at the top of the catchment and stabilise from the top down on a catchment management basis, but any programme must involve maintenance work that needs to be done on a continual basis until all the work has stabilised.

One of the major problems in an urban environment is silt laden run-off, so if you have upstream subdivision, all the good work can be quickly undone, unless you've designed and maintained effective silt traps which must be capable of low cost maintenance. The problem in an urban area is available space and access to the silt trap areas.

Well planned rehab work will benefit any waterway or part thereof, and there are plenty of examples in Sydney in both fresh and estuarine settings.

[zook2001]

Leonard Wright details quite a bit about stream rehabilitation in his book “Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect”,its certainly possible to reintroduce meandering into a river so it heals itself but I don’t believe its ever been done in Australia. We have Landcare I wonder if we’ll ever get Rivercare?

Regards Charlie

[Guest bluecod]

The Healthy Rivers Commission did a study into the health of the Hawkesbury a number of years back and one of their major criticisms was of landowners and state and local authorities desire to keep the river in its present location in the flood plain areas rather than let it meander naturally.

Some of our rivers have had "riverkeepers" appointed to help look after them, so there has been a start in this area.

Edited August 26, 2005 by bluecod

[Narralakes]

Ive fished the Mac River a couple of time and caught some nice bass up there, its a beautiful river. Not long ago the kids and I had a drive up there and did some 4 wheel driving, b4 I sold the car, and went right up to some pristine waters, looked like some good fishing could be had. As for the silt, that sucks, but its just humans stuffing up the world again, how long till someone does something and how long can she hold on for?