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58340
Barrett, Jim
- Kowmung River Discovery, History and Development
Neville Bush Holdings, Glenbrook, NSW, Australia, 2009. Octavo; paperback; 86pp., with many maps and monochrome illustrations. New. The Kowmung river has its start south of the Jenolan Caves area where it traverses wild and rugged country, passing through plateaus of over 4,000 feet in height before joining Cox's River at its headwaters. The first white man to see the Kowmung was Francis Barralier in 1802, followed by George Caley in 1806; but it wasn't until 1833 that W.R. Govett finally succeeded in surveying the entire area, including the Kowmung, especially the lower 24 mile stretch. Aboriginal assistants to these exploring parties have contributed to some confusion regarding the naming of the river, but then again, none of the early mappers were accompanied by the local Gundunggurra tribespeople for whom the river is known as the Barnalay. In 1833, H.C. White named the river Kowmung after questioning his Dharug and Tharawal guides, and this name may have been either their own term for what the Gunduggura called Barnalay, or their own tribal word for the Cox: the real reason is lost in time. In the years since then, the river has been the site of cattle speculation and various attempts to forge stock routes; the logging range of cedar cutters; and the location of limestone mines. Nowadays it is best known for its spectacular bushwalking possibilities, most of which are attempted only by the very experienced. Click here to order
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