Popran Valley

Popran Valley is in the Central Coast region to the north of the Hawkesbury River itself fifty kilometres to the north of the city of Sydney, Australia. Popran Creek flows through the valley which includes parts of Glenworth Valley and Mount White. Popran National Park was created in 1994 and is for the most part made up of sandstone cliffs and gullies. The creation of the park is indicative of the value the area has because of its unique fauna, flora and geology. The Park takes its name from Popran Creek which rises in the locality of Central Mangrove and then flows for approximately 24 km in a mostly southern direction till it reaches Mangrove Creek.After initial exploration by Europeans primary industrial activities included timber getting, small farming, dairying and fishing. Some of these settlers remained in the Mangrove and Popran Valley locality for at least five generations.HistoryThe history of the Popran Valley includes pre and post-European settlement. Indigenous people from the 'Daruk' and 'Darukijung' people populated the lower Hawkesbury region- migrating between valleys hunting and fishing. The Dharug and Guringai Aboriginal peoples in particular are known to have been present in this areaEuropean settlementEarly European settlers included emancipated convicts as well as free settlers and records indicate land was taken up from the mid 1820s. The sale of land in NSW during Colonial times changed in 1825 when the sale of land by private tender began and then six years later by public auction (1831). There are numerous instances of land sales recorded in the Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842) in the Popran. One of the first to be recorded occurred in December 1835 with the sale of 50 acres at 5 shillings an acre.