What is Port Jackson?
Port Jackson is the official name of Sydney Harbour, one of the largest natural harbours in the world. It includes Sydney Harbour proper, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers.
James Cook named Port Jackson in 1770 after Sir George Jackson, a secretary of the Admiralty, though he sailed past without entering it. Arthur Phillip explored it in January 1788 and described it as one of the finest harbours in the world.
The harbour is a drowned river valley, formed when sea levels rose after the last ice age and flooded the valleys around Sydney. Its many bays, coves and islands create about 300 kilometres of shoreline.
Islands and landmarks
Islands in the harbour include Fort Denison, Cockatoo Island, Goat Island and Shark Island. Fort Denison was built as a defence in the 1850s.
The harbour entrance, known as the Heads, lies between North Head and South Head, sandstone cliffs that rise steeply from the Pacific Ocean. Large ships, including cruise liners and naval vessels, pass through it.
Ferries crisscross the water daily, linking Circular Quay with Manly, Mosman, Parramatta and other suburbs. The harbour is also home to the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet Base East at Garden Island, and its foreshores include many parks and harbourside walks within Sydney Harbour National Park.
Did You Know?
Cockatoo Island was a convict prison and later a major shipyard, and it is now World Heritage listed.