- elevation 1,040 m (3,412 ft) - elevation 0 m (0 ft) Area 30 km² Source Great Dividing Range Country Australia | - location Port Macquarie Length 128 km Basin area 3,658 km² Mouth Tasman Sea | |
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- left Forbes River, Pappinbarra River, Mortons Creek, Thone River - right Fenwicks Creek, Tobins River, Ralfes Creek, Ellenborough River - location southwest of Kemps Pinnacle, within Oxley Wild Rivers National Park Similar Billabong Zoo, Werrikimbe National Park, Sea Acres National Park, Tacking Point Lighthouse, Great Dividing Range | ||
Hastings River (Aboriginal: Doongang), an open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary, is located in the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia.
Contents
- Map of Hastings River New South Wales Australia
- Course and features
- History
- Recreation flora and fauna
- References
Map of Hastings River, 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.
The course of the river flows adjacent to the settlements Ellenborough, Long Flat, Beechwood, 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 river was first charted by European explorers in 1818, after its discovery by John Oxley who named the river for the then Governor-General of India, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings.
On 19 November 2002, two anglers found the dismembered body of murdered Sydney drug dealer, Tony 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.
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.