| Moore River | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Walebing |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Length | 193 kilometres (120 mi) |
| Source elevation | 162 metres (531 ft)[1] |
| Mouth elevation | sea level |
| Avg. discharge | 60860 ML/annum[2] |
| Basin area | 13,540 square kilometres (5,228 sq mi)[3] |
Moore River is a river in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia.
The headwaters of the river near Walebing and flow westerly before joining with the Moore river East near Mogumber then flow in a Westerly direction. The river flows over the Edengerie Cascade through the northern edge of Moore River Nature Reserve then through the escarpment and discharge into the Indian Ocean near Guilderton.
The river includes a catchment that extends from just south of Three Springs to Guilderton. The catchment has a total area of 13,540 square kilometres (5,228 sq mi) and is mostly cleared. The catchment area is used for broadacre farming but with increasing diversification in horticulture and tree plantations. The river mouth at Guilderton typically closes during the summer months due to insufficient water, creating a sandbar.
The river was named in 1836 by Private Patrick Heffron who named it after George Fletcher Moore who was the leader of the expedition that Heffron was a part of.[4]
The river has nine subcatchment areas and has a number of tributaries and lakes along the length of the river. The salinity levels in the river catchment vary from brackish to saline with the exception of Gingin Brook which remains fresh throughout the year.[5]