Pittwater
Pittwater is a semi-mature tide dominated drowned valley estuary, located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia; being one of the bodies of water that separate greater Metropolitan Sydney from the Central Coast.
| Pittwater | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of a part of Sydney's Northern Beaches, with Pittwater and Scotland Island on the left. | |
| Etymology | William Pitt the Younger |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | Greater Metropolitan Sydney |
| Municipality | Northern Beaches Council |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | McCarrs Creek |
| • location | north of Church Point |
| • coordinates | 33°38′38.3994″S 151°16′55.2″E |
| 2nd source | Cahill Creek |
| • location | Mona Vale |
| • coordinates | 33°39′59.3994″S 151°18′41.3994″E |
| Mouth | Broken Bay |
• location | West Head and Barrenjoey Head |
• coordinates | 33°34′47.9994″S 151°18′57.6″E |
| Length | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| Basin size | 50.8 km2 (19.6 sq mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Hawkesbury–Nepean |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Bilgola Creek |
| • right | McMahon's Creek, Careel Creek |
| Island | Scotland Island |
Pittwater has its origin from the confluence of McCarrs Creek, to the west of Church Point and a number of smaller estuaries, the largest of which is Cahill Creek, that joins the Pittwater north of Mona Vale. The Pittwater is an open body of water, often considered a bay or harbour, that flows north towards its mouth into Broken Bay, between West Head and Barrenjoey Head, less than 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the Tasman Sea.
The total area of the Pittwater is 18.4 square kilometres (7.1 sq mi) and around ninety percent of the area is generally administered by the Hawkesbury–Nepean Catchment Management Authority, in conjunction with Northern Beaches Council.
The land adjacent to the Pittwater was occupied for many thousands of years by the Kuringgai peoples, an Aboriginal Australian grouping of uncertain origin. They used the river as an important source of food and a place for trade.
Pittwater was named Pitt Water in 1788 in honour of William Pitt the Younger, the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.