Report of Captain Molloy on neighbourhood of the Blackwood River

Augusta

12 Nov$br$ 1830

On the 6th of September I accompanied a party up the Blackwood River on a shooting excursion returning I remarked a small Inlet which the lateness of the day did not permit me to examine. I therefore deferred it until a more favourable opportunity which did not occur until the 13$th$ following.

13 September 1830. On that day accompanied by Mess$rs$ Turner and Kellum I proceeded to the Inlet in question (which is situated at about one mile distant from the 1$st$ beach leading to the Eastward out of the Blackwood) at its entrance it is scarcely twenty yards broad but expands as you advance in the general course of E b S until arriving at a large basin of water it alters to a North Westerly direction for a distance of four miles where its navigable course is interrupted by rocks and rapids. Our further progress in the boat being impracticable we landed and left it in charge of one of our party whilst the remainder prosecuted their journey along the winding course of the River for about five or six miles further.

On both its banks we passed several streams, two of which at a point where the River was of considerable width carried their waters across to the bank on which we were standing. Then follow a succession of rapids after the first fall which are denoted in the accompanying sketch (R) and at the point where we concluded our days advance its passage became obstructed by fallen trees.

Returning we struck a short distance into the Country and passed some extensive plains abundantly supplied with coarse grass and heather promising good food for cattle, and in those parts interrupted by the small streams which abounded every where, along the line of our march their immediate banks were clothed with luxuriant herbage the water was every where excellent.

Arriving at our boat we embarked and in the course of our descent we landed at several points, and on reaching the basin mentioned in the early part of thie communication we found an outlet different to that we had entered at, which eventually...

... at the point indicated as the first branch out of the Blackwood leading to the Eastward. This last passage is the one explored by Lieutenant Preston of HMS Sulphur during your Excellencys visit here in May last; with the exception of one or two spots the whole course of the River is wooded to the edge of the water. The timber in many places of the largest description, but the belt not appearing to run very deep and I am enabled to say there are many open plains along the whole line of the River from what I have since observed as well as what I have been enabled to learn from others. In the low lands and near the streams the soil is a deep black loam with large tracks of red, and much of a sandy nature on the higher lands.

On the island formed by the Blackwood and the lateral branches of the River flowing into it the soil is generally sandy with large portions of good land and the timber of it of a large description.

Mr Kellum estimates it to contain between 3 & 400 acres.

(Signed) J. Molloy

Government Resident