 The canal was originally lined with a fascine dyke as were sections of the Cooks River.The original canal started to the south-west of the existing Sydenham to Botany railway bridge and extended to the Canal Road Bridge.In 1894 the canal was to be extended to Buckland Street, Redfern, however only part of this section was ever constructed, the limit of the canal was to the south of Huntley Street, Alexandria.