Parramatta River

Parramatta River
Intermediate tide dominated, drowned valley estuary
Aerial view across the mouth of the Parramatta River as it reaches in Port Jackson, looking east
Name origin: Burramattagal, meaning 'the head of the river' or 'the place where the eels sit down'
Country	Australia
State	New South Wales
LGAs	Parramatta, Ryde, Canada Bay, Hunter's Hill, Inner West
Tributaries
- left	Vineyard Creek, Ponds Subiaco Creek, Archer Creek, Smalls Creek, Charity Creek, Tarban Creek, Lane Cove River
- right	Duck River, Haslams Creek, Powells Creek, Iron Cove Creek, Hawthorne Canal
Primary source	Toongabbie Creek
- location	Old Toongabbie
Secondary source	Darling Mills Creek
- location	North Parramatta
Mouth	Port Jackson
- location	Greenwich and Birchgrove
- coordinates	33°51′S 151°10′E / 33.850°S 151.167°E / -33.850; 151.167Coordinates: 33°51′S 151°10′E / 33.850°S 151.167°E / -33.850; 151.167
Length	13.7 km (9 mi)
Volume	69,700 m3 (2,461,432 cu ft)
Basin	252.4 km2 (97 sq mi)
NASA satellite view of Greater Metropolitan Sydney, with the location of the mouth of the Parramatta River, as it flows into Port Jackson, as marked
Website: Parramatta River at the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

The Parramatta River is an intermediate tide dominated, drowned valley estuary located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson. Secondary tributaries include the smaller Lane Cove and Duck rivers.

Formed by the confluence of Toongabbie Creek and Darling Mills Creek at North Parramatta, the river flows in an easterly direction to a line between Yurulbin, Birchgrove and Manns Point, Greenwich. Here it flows into Port Jackson, about 21 kilometres (13 mi) from the Tasman Sea.

The total catchment area of the river is approximately 252.4 square kilometres (97.5 sq mi) and is tidal to Charles Street Weir in Parramatta, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the Sydney Heads.

The land adjacent to the Parramatta River was occupied for many thousands of years by the Burramattagal, Toongagal, Wallumattagal, Wangal, and Wategora Aboriginal peoples. They used the river as an important source of food and a place for trade.

The headwaters of the Parramatta River are formed by the confluence of Darling Mills Creek and Toongabbie Creek. The point of the confluence lies on the northern border of the grounds of Cumberland Hospital. It also lies on the boundary of the suburbs of Westmead, Northmead, and North Parramatta.