| Tambo River | |
|---|---|
The Tambo River and Tambo Valley south of Ensay |
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| Origin | Bowen Mountains (Australian Alps) |
| Mouth | Lake King (Gippsland Lakes) |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Length | 170 km (110 mi) |
The Tambo River is a river in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia[1] with a total length in excess of 170 km.[2] It is the longest river in the Tambo and Nicholson Basin,[3] extending from the steep forested southern slopes of the Australian Alps through forest and farmland to the Gippsland Lakes.[4]
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The Tambo River begins in the Bowen Mountains in the southern reaches of the Australian Alps, part of the Great Dividing Range, about 20 km east of Benambra. It flows south into Lake King, one of the main lakes in the extensive Gippsland Lakes system.[5] Along its route it passes by the towns or localities of Bindi, Tongio, Swifts Creek, Ensay, Tambo Crossing, Bruthen, Tambo Upper, Swan Reach, and Johnsonville.[5]
The river leaves the mountains forming its headwaters near the locality of Bindi, north of Swifts Creek, and from Bindi flows through the Tambo Valley to Bruthen. The Great Alpine Road picks up the route of the river at Tongio and follows the river for much of the distance through the Tambo Valley south of this point.[1] The valley from Bindi to just south of Ensay is relatively open and flat and is settled as farmland, however it again closes in to become steep forested mountain beyond Ensay.[4] From just north of Bruthen the valley opens out into fertile river flats for the remainder of the river's journey to Lake King. The river flats support cropping, dairy and beef cattle grazing.[1][6]
Around Bindi the river channel is about 5 m in width. By the Swifts Creek and Ensay region the river is up to 12 m wide, with deep pools of up to 140 cm, and a substrate of rubble and gravel. In the steep forest sections between Ensay and Bruthen the channel width is up to 20 m, with a varying substrate of bedrock, boulders, rubble, sand and mud. Between Bruthen and Tambo Upper there is extensive sedimentation with channel width exceeding 25 m, but a summer depth typically less than 50 cm. Substrate in this section is all sand. The river narrows around Tambo Upper and the substrate becomes mainly mud beyond this point.[7]
The Tambo River is has a number of significant tributaries, with the two largest being the Little River which enters the Tambo from the north at Ensay, and the Timbarra River which enters the Tambo from the east, south-east of Tambo Crossing.[5][6] The Tambo River South Branch, which originates on the Nunniong Plains in the hills east of Bindi, flows north to join the main river near its origin.[1][5] The Tambo also has a number of more seasonal creeks entering along its length, including Swifts Creek which enters from the west at the town of the same name, Haunted Stream which enters from the west to the north of Tambo Crossing, with other minor tributaries including Junction Creek and Deep Creek.[5][8]
The central Tambo River area around Ensay and Swifts Creek have a mean annual rainfall of 500-700 mm, with the lower section of the basin around Bruthen getting 700-1,000 mm. Upper reaches of the significant tributary the Timbarra River typically get higher rainfalls. The Tambo and Timbarra have relatively reliable flows.[4] There are some significant wetlands in the basin of the Tambo/Nicholson River systems.[3]
The upper areas of the rivers include tall eucalyptus ash forests and alpine/subalpine vegetation, with the middle and lower reaches having a more low growing mixed species forest.[4] The riparian vegetation in the Swifts Creek/Ensay region is largely grass and willows, with little erosion of the banks or sedimentation present. The riparian vegetation in the steep forest sections between Ensay and Bruthen is more natural, with wattles, eucalypts and other native species, while introduced species only become more prevalent again nearer to Bruthen.[7]
The nationally vulnerable Australian grayling has significant populations in the Tambo River. It is also a noted fishery for black bream. Low river flows that have been typical for a number of years have impacted on these species.[6] The estuary perch is also common in the Tambo.[4] Other fish that may be found in the river include native species such as the Australian bass, short-finned eel, long-finned eel, gudgeons, and the river blackfish, and introduced species such as brown trout and carp.[4]
The health of river has been impacted to various extents in its different sections by sediment run-off, and introduced weeds such as willows, blackberry and blue periwinkle. Algal blooms related to sediment run-off have been seen in the lower Tambo system and the Gippsland Lakes. Recreational boating and fishing have resulted in river bank erosion in the lower reaches.[6]
The Lower Tambo Landcare Group was formed in 1998 and covers an area of 10,965 hectares on the lower parts of the river. The group aims to help re-establish Australian native vegetation on the river banks, wetlands and roadsides, to encourage landowners to fence off sensitive areas to help preserve them for native species, and to control and manage pest species.[9]
Due to its length, the Tambo stretched across the lands of at least two Aboriginal nations. The Jaitmathang people from the Upper Murray areas occupied the upper reaches of the river, while the Brabiralung of the Gunai/Kurnai nation occupied the lower southern reaches. According to Alfred Howitt the border between these two nations was around Tongio, about 10 km north of present day Swifts Creek.[10]
The name 'Tambo' is of uncertain origin, but is thought to be an Aboriginal name from the Jaitmathang language whose meaning has been lost, but possibly just means "fish". Reverend Friedrich Hagenauer recorded the Gunai name for the river to be Berrawan.[11]
The first Europeans to follow the course of the river is thought to be a party led by Walter Mitchell, who was guided by Aborigines along a route from the north through the Tongio Gap south of Omeo, down the valley to Bruthen and the Gippsland Lakes, and back, in early 1839. An agricultural station was set up around the same time at Tongio by the Buckleys. Late in 1839 Angus McMillan established a station further south near present day Ensay, and also utilised Aboriginal guides on his explorations further south along the valley and into other parts of Gippsland soon thereafter.[10] The early explorers noted that the routes along the river and valley were well used Aboriginal trails, although in places such as the section between Tambo Crossing and Bruthen, where the river is less accessible, the trails diverted through the mountains in a similar way to the current main road through this area.[5][10]
The lower reaches of the Tambo River around the estuary are popular for recreational boating,[6] however the higher reaches are of limited use for this activity due to the terrain[4] and the restricted river depth and width.[7]
Sections of the river, particularly around the estuary, are used for recreational fishing, however it considered to be of limited angling value for most of its length because of the scarcity of angling species.[4] While some of the river’s tributaries carry self-supporting populations of brown trout, the Tambo itself carries few trout south of Bindi, even despite extensive stocking up to 1974. With no physical barriers to the fish spreading, it is thought natural chemical discharges from some springs contaminating the river may affect some fish populations such as the trout. Another reason could be high water temperatures during summer, as small numbers of trout in the main river section have been found in cooler months.[7]
The Tambo River catchment area is managed by the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. The East Gippsland Region Water Authority manages urban water diversion from the river, while the Gippsland & Southern Rural Water Authority manages rural diversion and irrigation. A section of the Department of Primary Industries, the Fisheries Victoria, DPI manages the fish stocking and fisheries policy.[4]
Water is diverted from the river to be used as the main water supply for the town of Swifts Creek. It is also pumped from the river for town use in Bruthen, as well by private water users along the river.[8]
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