Introduction
National park in Sydney, Australia
Heathcote National ParkIUCN category II (national park)A view of Heathcote Creek, looking North.Heathcote National ParkLocationNew South WalesNearest citySydneyCoordinates34°07′49″S 150°58′17″E / 34.13028°S 150.97139°E / -34.13028; 150.97139Area26.79 km2 (10.34 sq mi)EstablishedJanuary 1943 (1943-01)Governing bodyNSW National Parks & Wildlife ServiceWebsiteOfficial website
Heathcote National Park is a protected national park that is located in the southern area of Sydney, New South Wales in eastern Australia. The 2,679-hectare (6,620-acre) national park is situated approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of the Sydney central business district, west of the Illawarra railway line, the Princes Highway and Motorway, and the suburbs of Heathcote and Waterfall.
Geography
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The park consists of 2,679 hectares of woodland, predominantly dry schlerophyll forest on the ridges and low heath in the wetter areas. The Hawkesbury sandstone has been carved up by various watercourses like Heathcote Creek, Kingfisher Creek and Myuna Creek, creating deep valleys. The Hawkesbury sandstone has created a sandy, infertile soil that is typical of the Sydney region.
The main walking track is the Bullawarring Track, which stretches from Waterfall to Heathcote. It largely follows the valley of Heathcote Creek, the main watercourse in the park, as well as utilizing a maintenance road that leads from Woronora Dam to Heathcote Road.
It is bounded by Holsworthy and Pleasure Point to the north, Heathcote and Lucas Heights to the east, the Greater Western Sydney region to the west (which include the suburbs of Glenfield, Macquarie Fields and Campbelltown), and Helensburgh to the south in the Illawarra.
History
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Aboriginal charcoal drawing along Myuna Creek
Heathcote Creek
Before European settlement, the Dharawal people, an Aboriginal Australian people, lived in the area. They left their mark at a number of known sites, which include shield trees along the Bullawarring Track and charcoal drawings along Myuna Creek. In addition, a number of Europeans lived in rough huts in the park during the Great Depression, leaving behind meagre ruins at places like Myuna Creek.
In the early 1930s, The Sydney Bushwalkers and the Mountain Trails Club of New South Wales had a lease on 75 hectares (190 acres) of land in the area, and were probably responsible for the creation of some of the early tracks and camp sites. This was the beginning of Heathcote National Park, which eventually grew to over two thousand hectares.
