TOPOGRAPHY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



141 



grassed, and on the prosperous farms and the fine stations of this district are to be 

 found the children and the grandchildren of some of the earliest settlers the colony knew. 



The Paterson is a beautiful little river which joins the Hunter at Hinton 'township, 

 seven miles below West Maitland, and runs through rich red soil, largely occupied bv 

 farmers and vignerons. The ground is fertile, and the grapes grow rich and abundant. 

 The fig-tree and the pomegranate flourish luxuriantly, and melons lie as thick as \\. 



THE UPPER Mil 'KAN. 



about their roots. 

 Steam-ships ply be- 

 tween the townships 

 on the river and the 

 port of Newcastle, 



and above the head of navigation the river winds through many leagues of beaut)-. 

 Scattered round its upper waters are rich cattle-stations and noted stud-farms, which 

 are brought at once to the memory of those familiar with Australian sport by the 

 mention of such names as Tocal and Segenhoe. 



North of the Hunter lie three rivers, the Hastings, the Manning and the Macleay, 

 which have much the same general character. They roll down from the slopes of the 

 Xe\v England table-land, coming out of timbered mountains down to rich valleys 

 originally well stocked with cedars and pines, and across plains well adapted to 

 prosperous agriculture, but whose development has been somewhat retarded by the 

 badness of the harbours of the bar-mouthed rivers', the transit of produce being 

 thus made difficult and expensive. Farther to the north is the Clarence, a noble and 

 navigable river. Notwithstanding a broad, difficult and shifting bar which the engineers 

 are busy reducing large steamers enter the heads and ascend to the wharves of Grafton, 

 forty-five miles from the sea. For a considerable stretch up the river there are low 

 banks and sand-shoals, and then come wooded isles and fertile shores with frequent 

 jetties ; the smoke of many sugar-mills indicating that the rich lands are turned to a 

 good account. It is hoped that the river may be rendered navigable for small craft as 



