Canals in Australia

Canals in Australia are particularly rare although there are a few navigable waterways or other types of canals in the country. The following list provides a summary of known navigable waterways and other types of constructed or artificial waterways in Australia.

Alexandra Canal is a tributary of the Cooks River, in southern Sydney, which was constructed along a 4-kilometre (2.5 mi) route from the inner Sydney suburb of Alexandria, through the St Peters and Mascot, past Sydney's Sydney Airport to the Cooks River at Tempe, eventually discharging into Botany Bay. The canal is 60 metres (200 ft) wide, increasing to 80 metres (260 ft) at its mouth and is one of only two navigable canals constructed in New South Wales.

Hawthorne Canal is an artificial waterway on a southern tributary of the Parramatta River, west of Sydney Harbour. It was constructed from January 1890 to improve drainage and provide ferry access operated by the Drummoyne – Leichhardt Ferry Company.

Berry's Canal was Australia's first transport canal. In June 1822, Alexander Berry sailed his 15-tonne cutter Blanche from Sydney 150 km down the south coast to the Shoalhaven loaded with tools and provisions. Hamilton Hume, who later became a well-known explorer, was also on board. On 21 June 1822, the entrance to Shoalhaven Heads appeared dangerous and four men volunteered to test it in the cutter's boat. The boat capsized drowning two of the men. Berry then sailed up the Crookhaven River but was stopped by a sand spit. Undaunted, the crew hauled the Blanche across the spit. Four days later Hamilton Hume was left with three men at the isthmus to cut a passage using only hand tools. The canal, which was 191 m long, was completed in 12 days. This was the first transport canal to be cut in Australia. The river has since cut the passage wider and deeper to its present dimensions, making it now the real entrance to the Shoalhaven River.

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