Avon River (Wollongong)

Not to be confused with Avon River (Gloucester).
Avon River
Perennial river[1]
Country Australia
State New South Wales
Regions Sydney Basin (IBRA), Southern Highlands, Macarthur
Local government areas Wollongong, Wollondilly
Part of Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment
Source Illawarra escarpment
 - location west of Calderwood
 - elevation 348 m (1,142 ft)
Mouth confluence with the Cordeaux River
 - location near Wilton
 - elevation 193 m (633 ft)
Length 32 km (20 mi)
Reservoir Lake Avon
[2]

The Avon River, a perennial river of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, is located in the Southern Highlands and Macarthur districts of New South Wales, Australia.

Course

The Avon River rises on the western slopes of the Illawarra escarpment, near Calderwood within the Wollongong local government area and flows generally north, reaching its confluence with the Cordeaux River, south of Wilton. The river descends 155 metres (509 ft) over its 32-kilometre (20 mi) course.[2]

The river is impounded by Lake Avon, the largest of the four reservoirs within the Upper Nepean Scheme that supplies potable water for greater metropolitan Sydney. Located near Bargo, approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) south-west of Sydney,[3] construction of the dam wall on the Avon River commenced in 1921 and was completed in 1927. In 1963, the water supply was diverted to meet the increasing needs of the Illawarra region and now supplies all the Wollongong area.[4]

See also

References

  1. "Avon River". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Map of Avon River, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  3. "Upper Nepean dams – Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon, Nepean". Visiting dams. Sydney Catchment Authority. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  4. "Avon Dam: Bargo". Sydney.com. Destination New South Wales. Retrieved 6 October 2008.

External links

Coordinates: 34°25′54″S 150°40′04″E / 34.43167°S 150.66778°E