Purari River

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The Purari is a river in that originates in the south central highlands of Papua New Guinea, flowing 470 km (290 miles) though the Gulf Province to the Coral Sea. The Purari has a 33,670 km² (13,000 square miles) drainage basin and is the third largest river in Papua New Guinea.It is fed mainly by the kaugel,Erave,Tua and Pio rivers,starting just south of Mount Karimui at the junction of the Tua and Pio rivers where it flows through a quite spectacular gorge before flowing out into the lowlands and delta country closer to the coast.Along the river in various places there are small human populations,mostly subsistance villages.Dugout canoes are seen along the river from Wabo downstream,however population is sparse untill you get closer to the coast where there are a few more villages

   The general area is heavy tropical jungle with high rainfall and abundant birdlife.The Purari is a heavy muddy brown from silts washed down from the mountains,and rises and falls contantly depending on local rainfall.It is laso tidal a substantial distance from the coast.

The headwaters of the river were charted in 1930 by Michael Leahy and Michael Dwyer.