This Latter Stream He Named Campbell River, And When
Joined With The Fish River, The United Streams Received The Name Of The
Macquarie River, In Honour Of His Excellency The Present Governor Of
New South Wales.
Mr. Evans continued to trace the Macquarie River until December the
18th, passing over rich tracts clear of timber, well-watered, and
offering every advantage which a country in its natural state can be
supposed to afford.
During this excursion, Mr. Evans fell in with
abundance of kangaroos and emus, and the river abounded with fine
fish: he saw only six natives during the whole time of his absence,
viz. two women and four children, although on his return he observed many
fires in the neighbourhood of the mountains. On the 8th of January, 1814,
he returned to Emu Plains, having gone in the whole near one hundred
miles
in a direct line due west from the Nepean River.
From the report of Mr. Evans, Governor Macquarie was induced to believe
that a road might be opened for the whole distance already surveyed, and
was most anxious that the colony should reap as soon as possible the
advantages, which the discovery of such extensive and fertile tracts
seemed to open.
The ample means afforded for this purpose enabled Mr. Cox, to whose
superintendence this work was entrusted, to complete a road passable for
loaded carriages early in 1815. This road extended in length upwards of
one hundred miles, the first fifty of which passed along a narrow ridge
of the Blue Mountains, bounded on each side by deep ravines, and
precipitous rocks.
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