Streeton Lookout Audio Walk
Streeton Lookout Audio Walk
Listen to stories of Dyarubbin / Hawkesbury River at Freemans Reach, and to the original music they have inspired, as you look out over the river at Streeton Lookout.
Our guide for this walk is Dharug educator, Rhiannon Wright. We contemplate the formation of Dyarubbin, tributaries that cut through Gulumada / Blue Mountains, and a time when the river was six kilometres higher. We consider how the Dreaming story of the Great Eel, Gurangady, reflects the river’s geology and hear how Dharug people have cared for the region’s natural resources.
Streeton Lookout is named after renowned Australian landscape painter, Arthur Streeton. We hear how this location inspired his painting, ‘The purple noon’s transparent night’, and ponder what the work tells us about the river and the impact of colonisation.
We hear about the effects of damming, the sustainability of Sydney’s water supply, and the management of the catchment. We learn about the 30-50 year flood cycle theory, the proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall, and contamination from PFAS chemicals. Finally, we consider how we might care for this beautiful and important river.
To listen now, play the video at the bottom of the page.
Photo by Sarah Rhodes
Photo by Oonagh Sherrard
Courtesy Hawkesbury Library Service
Directions
Walk location: Streeton Lookout, Terrace Road, Freemans Reach NSW
- Starting beside the carpark off Cliff Road, walk towards the river, following the path to the cliff edge. Sit for a while, looking out across the floodplain.
- Walk east along the grass to the end of the reserve (towards Windsor).
- Walk back along the path to the other end of the reserve (towards North Richmond). Pause along the way to look at the green sign depicting Streeton’s painting.
- Return to the carpark.
Distance: Approximately 200 metres. Duration: 60 minutes.
Click on the map to enlarge it, or download a printable version here.
Credits
Narrated by:
- Rhiannon Wright, Dharug educator
Stories told (in order of appearance) by:
- Tom Hubble, Associate Professor of Geology, University of Sydney
- Grace Karskens, Emeritus Professor of History , UNSW and author of 'People of the River'
- Leanne Mulgo Watson, Dharug artist
- Erin Wilkins, Dharug educator
- Jasmine Seymour, Dharug artist, writer and educator
- Jan Barkley-Jack, historian and author of 'Hawkesbury Settlement Revealed'
- Greg Hansell, local artist involved in the establishment of the Hawkesbury Artists Trail
- Professor Basant Maheshwari, School of Science, Western Sydney University
- Dr Ian Wright, Senior Lecturer in Water Science, Western Sydney University
- Sue Rosen, historian and author of 'Losing Ground: An environmental history of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment'
- Arthur Parkes, Richmond Lowlands farmer (from an archival interview recorded in 1992 by Sue Rosen, historian and author of 'Losing Ground: An environmental history of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment')
- Dr Jason Reynolds, Senior Lecturer in Life Sciences, Western Sydney University
- Sue Martin, environmental educator, Chair of Cattai Hills Environment Network, and member of Hawkesbury Waterkeepers Alliance
- Dr Michelle Maloney, Co-Founder and National Convenor, Australian Earth Laws Alliance
Readings by Ian Moxon, from:
- Excerpt from a letter by Arthur Streeton regarding the painting of 'Purple Noon's Transparent Might', provided by Greg Hansell
- The Flood at Windsor. (187, June 24). The Sydney Morning Herald, p.5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13149767
Music:
- Composed by Oonagh Sherrard, with Dharug songs by Jasmine Seymour and Stacy Jane Etal
- Musicians: Dimitri Vouros, clarinet; Gary Daley, piano accordion; Jess Ciampa, percussion; Jasmine Seymour and Stacy Jane Etal, vocal; Oonagh Sherrard, guitar, cello, piano, programming
Page ID: 241204