Environment

South Creek

This creek flows into the Hawkesbury River near Windsor.

South Creek joins the Hawkesbury near Windsor

South Creek stretches over 64 kilometres and is located in the Western Cumberland Plain. The areas along South Creek are both rural and urban. The creek tributaries pass through the suburbs of Kingswood, St. Mary's, Mt Druitt, Rooty Hill, Doonside, Quakers Hill and Blacktown. South Creek forms the boundary between Penrith City Council and Blacktown City Council. There are areas along South Creek of Aboriginal importance.

Some of the first European farms were set up along the edges of South Creek in sections that had few trees. Evidence of the degradation of South Creek was recorded as early as 18th December 1803 with a letter written to the Sydney Gazette from a concerned resident. The letter outlined the problem that South Creek had become unsafe to sail boats down because so much wood and rubbish had been dumped in the water. The creek was used in earlier years by large ships in the river trade with no problem.

South Creek on Richmond Road, Windsor Downs (upstream)

In the 1880's, the lack of a clean water supply led to concern about pollution in the Hawkesbury River and South Creek. Wool-washing companies, meat works, tanneries and piggeries were all established along the banks of South Creek during early European settlement and dumped their wastes into the waterway. For example, in 1890 an abattoir discharged the waste from the slaughter of 500 000 sheep and 2500 cattle each year into South Creek.

South Creek on richmond Road, Windsor Downs (downstream)


Today there are several sources of pollution in South Creek. For example, the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at St. Mary's discharges tertiary treated sewage into South Creek. Tertiary treatment is the final stage of sewage treatment that helps to achieve higher water quality with disinfection. The quality of the water in South Creek is usually poor due to urban and farmland runoff (containing nutrients, sediment and heavy metals) and treated sewage released from the three STP's in the area (St. Mary's, Riverstone and Quakers Hill).