Sullivans Creek

Sullivans Creek
Canberry Creek, Canburry Creek
Partly perennial stream
Part of Sullivans Creek in the grounds of the Australian National University
Name origin: In honour of William Sulivan, an early settler
Country	Australia
State	Australian Capital Territory
IBRA	South Eastern Highlands
District	Capital Country
Part of	Murrumbidgee River, Murray–Darling basin
City	Canberra
Source	Runoff from Mount Majura, Mount Ainslie, O'Connor Ridge and Black Mountain
- location	near Kenny and Watson
Mouth	confluence with Molonglo River, into Lake Burley Griffin
- location	near Acton
Length	13 km (8 mi)
Basin	52 km2 (20 sq mi)
Reservoir	Lake Burley Griffin

Sullivans Creek, a partly perennial stream of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray-Darling basin, is located in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.

Sullivans Creek rises close to the border between the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and New South Wales, north-east of Kenny, and north-west of Watson. The creek is formed by runoff from Mount Majura, Mount Ainslie, O'Connor Ridge and Black Mountain. Sullivans Creek flows generally south-west, through a small channel within a much larger older gully system in its upper reaches; and through a series of urban sealed stormwater channels in its middle reaches; before reaching the grounds of the Australian National University, towards its confluence with the Molonglo River near Acton. Molonglo River is now dammed as Lake Burley Griffin. The creek has a catchment area of 52 square kilometres (20 sq mi) and is approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long.

The creek was originally called Canberry (or Canburry) Creek, since early European settlement in the area, from 1823. During the 1850s, William Sullivan and his family acquired grazing land surrounding the creek, and at some stage thereafter, the creek name was changed to Sullivans Creek. Within the grounds of the Australian National University, the creek's original course has been altered to accommodate growth of the campus and enhance the natural landscape. Within the Acton campus, two bridges cross Sullivans Creek; MacPherson's Bridge, that was named after the original landowner, John MacPherson, and Canberry Bridge.