Colo River

Not to be confused with the Colorado River.

Colo
King Rapids in Wollemi National Park, 2010
The river's mouth
Location
Country	Australia
State	New South Wales
Physical characteristics
Source	confluence of Capertee and Wolgan Rivers
• location	northeast of Newnes in Central West region
• coordinates	33.20542°S 150.46524°E / -33.20542; 150.46524
• elevation	218 m (715 ft)
Mouth	Hawkesbury River
• location	near Lower Portland in Greater Sydney region
• coordinates	33.43722°S 150.88713°E / -33.43722; 150.88713
• elevation	4 m (13 ft)
Length	86 km (53 mi)
Basin features
Progression	Hawkesbury→ Broken Bay
River system	Hawkesbury–Nepean catchment
Tributaries
• left	Wollemi Creek, Dooli Creek, Angorawa Creek
• right	Tambo Creek, Main Creek, Wollangambe River, Blacksmiths Creek, Gospers Creek
Bridges	unnamed (Putty Road )
National parks	Blue Mountains NP, Wollemi NP

The Colo River, a perennial stream that is part of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, is located in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia.

Course

The Colo River rises on the Great Dividing Range, northeast of Newnes, formed by the confluence of the Wolgan River and the Capertee River, which respectively drain the Wolgan and Capertee Valleys north of Lithgow. Colo River flows eastwards and then south through a deep gorge in the northern section of the Blue Mountains. The majority of the river lies in Wollemi National Park. The middle Colo is inaccessible, rugged and remote. The wilderness was saved from development, logging and damming in the late 1970s by the Colo Committee and other environmentalists. Emerging from the wilderness region, the lower part of the Colo River flows through a scenic, narrow agricultural valley and reaches the Hawkesbury River at Lower Portland north of Windsor. Tributaries of the Colo include the Capertee River, Wolgan River, Wollangambe River and Wollemi Creek. The river descends 214 metres (702 ft) over its 86-kilometre (53 mi) course.

At Colo, the river is crossed by the Putty Road (B84).

Parts of the area surrounding the river, including both the Blue Mountains National Park and the Wollemi National Park have received World Heritage listing, due in part to the discovery of the Wollemi Pine, often described as a 'living fossil' from the age of the dinosaurs. The Colo River gorge contains many boulder-rapids that alternate with deep pools. Even though this area is relatively close to the Sydney metropolitan area, the Colo River flows through the largest wilderness area in New South Wales. Local volunteer bush regeneration groups such as the "Friends of the Colo" have been helping eradicate invasive exotic weeds in the area surrounding the river.

The Colo River under low-water conditions at Upper Colo.

History

The traditional custodians of the land surrounding the Colo River are the Australian Aboriginal peoples of the Dharug and Darkinjung nations.

The area of the lower Colo River was first explored by Europeans in June 1789 by Governor Phillip. Settlement commenced there from the early 1800s via land grants. However, the first recorded European exploration of the forty kilometres of rugged gorge further upstream did not occur until 1831-33, when surveyor Frederick D'Arcy was tasked with mapping the area. In the 1880s it was proposed to build a railway line up the river, and its tributary the Capertee River, as an alternative to the established line over the Blue Mountains. A survey track was built all the way up the river, but the plan was abandoned.

Recreation

Bushwalking, canoeing, packrafting, fishing, and accommodation retreats are all popular recreation activities along various parts of the Colo River.

See also

• List of rivers of Australia
• List of rivers of New South Wales (A–K)
• Rivers of New South Wales

External links

• "Camping at Upper Colo Reserve". Parks & Recreation. Hawkesbury City Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
• Colo River Subcatchment at the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Authority website
• Colo River Subcatchment
• https://sites.google.com/view/friendsofthecolo/home Friends of the Colo

Further reading

• Corlis, Brian (2005). Colo River passes and routes. Glenmore Park, NSW: B. Corlis. p. 31. ISBN 0-6464-4721-1.