imported>Coorongooba: Added external link

2025-06-13T05:44:31Z

Added external link

New page

{{Short description|River in New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2013}}
{{Confuse|text=the [[Colorado River]]}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Colo
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| name_other =
| name_etymology =

| image = King Rapids, Colo River, NSW, Australia.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = King Rapids on the Colo River in [[Wollemi National Park]], 2010.
| map =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_map_size =
| pushpin_map_caption=

| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[Australia]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[States and territories of Australia|State]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[New South Wales]]
| subdivision_type3 = Region
| subdivision_name3 = [[Sydney Basin]] ([[Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia|IBRA]]), [[Central Tablelands]], [[Blue Mountains (New South Wales)|Blue Mountains]]
| subdivision_type4 =
| subdivision_name4 =
| subdivision_type5 = Municipalities
| subdivision_name5 = [[City of Lithgow|Lithgow]], [[Hawkesbury Shire|Hawkesbury]]

| length_km = 86
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location=
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg =
| discharge1_max =

| source1 = [[Capertee River]]
| source1_location =
| source1_coordinates=
| source1_elevation =
| source2 = [[Wolgan River]]
| source2_location =
| source2_coordinates=
| source2_elevation =
| source_confluence =
| source_confluence_location = northeast of [[Newnes, New South Wales|Newnes]]
| source_confluence_coordinates= {{coord|-33.205392|150.465187|format=dms}}
| source_confluence_elevation = {{convert|218|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth = [[confluence]] with the [[Hawkesbury River]]
| mouth_location = near [[Lower Portland, New South Wales|Lower Portland]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|-33.437452|150.886294|format=dms}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|4|m|abbr=on}}
| progression =
| river_system = [[Hawkesbury River|Hawkesbury]]-[[Nepean River|Nepean]] catchment
| basin_size =
| tributaries_left = [[Wollemi Creek]], Dooli Creek, Angorawa Creek
| tributaries_right = Tambo Creek, Main Creek (New South Wales), [[Wollangambe River]], Blacksmiths Creek (New South Wales), Gospers Creek
| bridges = ''unnamed'' ([[Putty Road]] {{AUshield|NSW|B84}})
| custom_label = [[National park]]s
| custom_data = [[Blue Mountains National Park|Blue Mountains NP]], [[Wollemi National Park|Wollemi NP]]
| extra = <ref name=bonzle>{{cite web |url=http://www.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&cmd=sp&p=206977&st=&s=colo%20river |title=Colo River, NSW |work=Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia |access-date=27 February 2013 }}</ref>
}}

The '''Colo River''', a [[perennial stream]]<ref name=gnb>{{NSW GNR |id=JPIOwpWAKW |title=Colo River (13347) |date=30 October 1970 |access-date=27 February 2013 }}</ref><ref name=gnb1>{{NSW GNR |id=JPIOwpUlMa |title=Colo River (13372) |date=30 October 1970 |access-date=27 February 2013 }}</ref> that is part of the [[Hawkesbury River|Hawkesbury]]-[[Nepean River|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, New South Wales|Newnes]], formed by the [[confluence]] of the [[Wolgan River]] and the [[Capertee River]], which respectively drain the [[Wolgan Valley|Wolgan]] and [[Capertee Valley|Capertee]] Valleys north of [[Lithgow, New South Wales|Lithgow]]. Colo River flows eastwards and then south through a deep gorge in the northern section of the [[Blue Mountains (Australia)|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, New South Wales|Windsor]]. Tributaries of the Colo include the [[Capertee River]], [[Wolgan River]], [[Wollangambe River]] and [[Wollemi Creek]]. The river descends {{convert|214|m}} over its {{convert|86|km|adj=on}} [[watercourse|course]].<ref name=bonzle/>

At {{NSWcity|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 [[List of World Heritage Sites in Oceania|World Heritage listing]], due in part to the discovery of the [[Wollemia|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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twenty years of adventure conservation 2000-2020 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2864794622 |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=Trove |language=en}}</ref>

[[Image:Colo river upper colo.JPG|thumb|750px|center|The Colo River under low-water conditions at [[Upper Colo, New South Wales|Upper Colo]].]]

==History==
The traditional custodians of the land surrounding the Colo River are the [[Indigenous Australians|Australian Aboriginal]] peoples of the [[Dharug]] and [[Darkinjung]] nations.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macqueen |first=Andy |title=Somewhat perilous: the journeys of Singleton, Parr, Howe, Myles and Blaxland in the Northern Blue Mountains |publisher=Andy Macqueen |year=2004 |isbn=0 646 43827 1 |location=Wentworth Falls |pages=17-22}}</ref>

The area of the lower Colo River was first explored by Europeans in June 1789 by [[Arthur Phillip|Governor Phillip]]. Settlement commenced there from the early 1800s via [[land grant]]s.<ref name="crhistory">{{cite web |title=History Colo River |url=http://coloriver.com.au/history.htm |access-date=27 February 2013 |work=Colo River NSW}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macqueen |first=Andy |title=Wayfaring in Wollemi: stories of people in wilderness |publisher=Andy Macqueen |year=2017 |isbn=9780646974132 |location=Wentworth Falls |pages=67-80}}</ref> 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 Line|Blue Mountains]]. A survey track was built all the way up the river, but the plan was abandoned.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macqueen |first=Andy |title=Wayfaring in Wollemi: stories of people in wilderness |date=2017 |publisher=Andy Macqueen |isbn=9780646974132 |location=Wentworth Falls |pages=187-202}}</ref>

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

==See also==
{{Portal|New South Wales|Environment|Water}}
* [[List of rivers of Australia]]
* [[List of rivers of New South Wales (A–K)]]
* [[Rivers of New South Wales]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web |url=http://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/community/parks-and-recreation/upper-colo-camping |title=Camping at Upper Colo Reserve |work=Parks & Recreation |publisher=Hawkesbury City Council |year=2012 |access-date=27 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304030445/http://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/community/parks-and-recreation/upper-colo-camping |archive-date=4 March 2013 |url-status=dead }}
* [http://www.hn.cma.nsw.gov.au/topics/2058.html Colo River Subcatchment] at the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Authority website
* [http://www.hn.cma.nsw.gov.au/multiversions/3392/FileName/Vol2_Colo%2023-24.pdf Colo River Subcatchment]
* https://sites.google.com/view/friendsofthecolo/home Friends of the Colo

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title=Colo River passes and routes |author1=Corlis, Brian |year=2005 |publisher=B. Corlis |location=Glenmore Park, NSW |isbn=0-6464-4721-1 |pages=31 }}

{{Rivers of the Sydney Basin |state=autocollapse}}
{{Rivers of New South Wales |state=autocollapse}}
{{The Hawkesbury River |state=autocollapse}}
{{Blue Mountains topics |state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|33|26|S|150|53|E|display=title|region:AU-NSW_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}

[[Category:Hawkesbury River]]
[[Category:Rivers of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Central Tablelands]]
[[Category:Rivers of the Blue Mountains (New South Wales)]]

Colo River - Revision history

imported>Coorongooba: Added external link