The port is perfectly
capable to receive vessels of the class usually employed on the coasts of
this territory, and is in my opinion far better and safer than many
considerable bar harbours in Europe; and which are much frequented by
vessels adapted to their navigation.
Within the port the water deepens to five and six fathoms, which depth
continues for nearly ten miles, when the rapids of the river render it
impracticable for craft drawing more than six or eight feet; which depth
continues for six or eight miles farther, when the falls commence; it may
however, when the river is ordinarily full, be navigable for boats
some little distance farther.
My report to your excellency of the proceedings of the expedition of
discovery on its return in October, 1818, will have put your excellency
in possession of the nature and description of country watered by the
River Hastings from its source until it falls into the sea at Port
Macquarie.
To that report I respectfully beg to refer your excellency, as my
opportunities of examining the country, at that period, were of course so
much more extensive. To the productions of the country as then reported,
may now be added great quantities of rose wood, the flooded gum, and
coal. Flint was before noticed lying in large masses on the beach. The
coal, as appears to me, may be worked without difficulty, as I think that
a stratum of it pervades the whole of the south side of the harbour,
which stratum is again seen southerly as far as Camden Haven.
I herewith respectfully submit to your excellency a plan of the entrance
into the port, with a sketch of part of Hastings River, for which I am
principally indebted to the assistance rendered me on all occasions by
Lieutenant King, who, I am happy in reporting to your excellency, fully
coincides with me, as to the advantages that may he expected to result
from the knowledge that the port has a navigable and safe entrance;
thereby affording a communication with the fine country on both banks of
Hastings River.
I have the honour to remain, with great respect,
Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant,
J. OXLEY, Surveyor General.
To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc.
* * * * *
A BRIEF ABSTRACT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES, NOT
INCLUDING VAN DIEMEN'S LAND, FOR THE YEARS 1815, 1816, 1817, INCLUSIVE.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
| Souls at |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|
Year. | Sydney. Parramatta. Windsor. Liverpool. Newcastle.| Total.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1815 | 5668 2566 2749 1167 346 | 12,911
1816 | 6882 3581 3164 1550 413 | 15,175
1817 | 7409 4257 4257 1922 553 | 17,265
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A STATEMENT OF THE LAND IN CULTIVATION ETC., QUANTITIES OF STOCK, ETC.,
IN NEW SOUTH WALES, NOT INCLUDING VAN DIEMENS LAND, FOR THE FOLLOWING
FIVE YEARS, VIZ. 1813,1814,1815, 1816,1817, INCLUSIVE.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
| Acres in |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|
| Peas Garden |
Yr.| Bar- and Potat and Cleared Total Hor Horned|
18-|Wheat Maize ley Oats Bean -oes Orchard Ground held -ses Cattle|Sheep Hogs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
13 7386 13814 694 299 68 308 960 52976 151057 1891 12543 45621 14641
14 8571 5880 537 355 33 205 906 61679 181787 2197 23263 73230 10921
15 10712 6089 708 610 51 333 901 67521 208547 2328 25279 62476 10106
16 13238 7540 836 787 68 380 1102 88685 221657 2451 21116 55097 11372
17 14446 11714 656 148 108 335 863 92894 224003 2851 33637 66684 15634
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
End of Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales, by John Oxley
