reserves allow for access to natural sections of the river at Simmo's Beach, Ingleburn Reserve, Keith Longhurst Reserve, and Frere's Crossing. Botany Bay Community River Health Monitoring Program is a community-based initiative to monitor ecosystem health catchment. History Aboriginal history Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Georges River was formerly known as Tucoerah River by the traditional custodians of the area. European history The Georges River was given its English name in honour of King George III, by Governor Arthur Phillip. It was one of the many sites of the Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars, a series of wars between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the resisting Indigenous clans in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The river was explored by Bass and Flinders in 1795 on their first voyage on the Tom Thumb after their arrival in New South Wales. The exploration led to the establishment of Bankstown . A dam was constructed by David Lennox using convict labour at Liverpool in 1836, as a water supply to Liverpool. In February 2007, Liverpool and Campbelltown City Council were awarded a $2 million grant from the NSW Environmental Trust under their Urban Sustainability Initiative. The grant was to allow the councils, in conjunction with Wollondilly Shire Council and the Georges River Combined Councils Committee, to develop a Comprehensive Strategic Plan focused on the rehabilitation of the catchment area. Crossings Bridges over the Georges River include from east to west: Captain Cook Bridge (connecting Sans Souci to Taren Point), for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. Tom Uglys Bridge (connecting Blakehurst to Sylvania), for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. Old Como railway bridge, now for pedestrians and cyclists. Como railway bridge on the Illawarra line, connecting Oatley to Como, for trains. Alfords Point Bridge (connecting Padstow Heights to Alfords Point), for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. East Hills rail bridge at East Hills, for the Airport & South Line Voyager Point footbridge, for pedestrians and cyclists. M5 South Western Motorway Georges River East Bridge Milperra Bridge (Newbridge Rd connecting Moorebank to Milperra), for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. Governor Macquarie Drive bridge (connecting Warwick Farm to Chipping Norton), for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. Liverpool Weir - built 1836 Liverpool footbridge (now demolished which utilised the footing of the decommissioned railway bridge to Holsworthy). Newbridge Rd (connecting Liverpool to Chipping Norton), for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. M5 South Western Motorway Georges River West Bridge Airport & South