| Paroo River | |
|---|---|
Paroo River at Wanaaring, New South Wales, Australia |
|
| Mouth | confluence with the Darling River |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Length | 600 km |
| Basin area | 1,383 km² |
The Paroo River is a river in Eastern Australia and is often considered to be major tributary of the Darling River in eastern Australia, although its flow generally dissipates before it reaches the Darling. It is the last remaining free-flowing river in the northern part of the Murray-Darling Basin.[1]
The river has begins in the gorge country of western Queensland, meanders south and spreads into the vast floodplains of New South Wales, eventually reaching the Paroo overflow lakes. Its overall length is about 600 km.
The Paroo River wetlands in north-western New South Wales are important for threatened species such as the Freckled Duck and the Australian Painted Snipe. They lie within the Paroo Floodplain and Currawinya Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance, when conditions are suitable, for large numbers of waterbirds.[2]
On 20 September 2007, the Australian Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, announced that the Australian government was adding the Paroo River Wetlands to those listed under the Ramsar Convention as wetlands of international importance, making them Australia's 65th Ramsar site.[3]