Coliban River

Coliban (Teeranyap, Pe-er, Dindelong yaluk[1][2])
River[3]
Trentham Falls, in the upper reaches of the Coliban River
Country	Australia
State	Victoria
Regions	Riverina bioregion (IBRA), Central Highlands
Local government areas	Moorabool, Hepburn, Mount Alexander, City of Greater Bendigo
Part of	Victorian north–central catchment, Murray-Darling basin
Tributaries
- left	Kangaroo Creek, Myrtle Creek
- right	Little Coliban River
Towns	Trentham, Malmsbury, Metcalfe, Redesdale, Mitiamo
Landmark	Lake Eppalock
Source	Great Dividing Range
- location	below Little Hampton
- elevation	701 m (2,300 ft)
- coordinates	37°25′13″S 144°28′38″E / 37.42028°S 144.47722°E / -37.42028; 144.47722
Mouth	confluence with the Campaspe River
- location	Lake Eppalock
- elevation	183 m (600 ft)
- coordinates	36°55′39.5″S 144°32′49.8″E / 36.927639°S 144.547167°E / -36.927639; 144.547167Coordinates: 36°55′39.5″S 144°32′49.8″E / 36.927639°S 144.547167°E / -36.927639; 144.547167
Length	89 km (55 mi)
Reservoirs	Upper Coliban Reservoir, Lauriston Reservoir, Malmsbury Reservoir, Lake Eppalock
Waterfall	Trentham Falls
Location of the Coliban River mouth in Victoria
Wikimedia Commons: Coliban River
[4]

The Coliban River, an inland perennial river of the north–central catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the lower Riverina bioregion and Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Victoria. The headwaters of the Coliban River rise on the northern slopes of the Great Dividing Range and descend to flow north into the Campaspe River with the impounded Lake Eppalock.

The river is a major water supply source for towns and cities in the lower Central Highlands region.

Location and features

The river rises below Little Hampton near Lyonville in the Great Dividing Range and flows generally north, descending 33 metres (108 ft) over the Trentham Falls, and continuing to flow northward to the Upper Coliban, Lauriston and Malmsbury reservoirs. Subsequently it flows through Malmsbury, Metcalfe, Redesdale and Mitiamo and finally reaches its confluence with the Campaspe River within Lake Eppalock.^[5] The river descends 518 metres (1,699 ft) over its 89-kilometre (55 mi) course.^[4]

Gold was found in the river in 1858, and water from the river was used to supply the goldfields cities of Bendigo and Castlemaine. As the population of those cities grew a water supply system consisting of 70 kilometres (43 mi) of tunnels and aqueducts were constructed. Over time, the water supply was extended to Kyneton, as well as many other smaller towns in the region. Today the system supplies drinking water to a population exceeding 200,000.^[5] Coliban Water manages the three major water supply reservoirs, which are part of the Eppalock Proclaimed Water Supply Catchment.^[6]

Fauna and flora

The river is home to the platypus as well as eight native fish species including the Macquarie perch. Four of the fish species are endangered and the trout cod is regarded as critically endangered in the river, and may no longer be present. Indigenous vegetation in the area includes the black gum (Eucalyptus aggregata) which, though once plentiful in the area, is now rare due to vegetation clearance over many years.^[5]

Etymology

In the indigenous Djadjawurrung language, the name for the river is Teeranyap, with no clearly defined meaning. In the Daungwurrung and Djadjawurrung langugages, the names for the river is Pe-er, with no clearly defined meaning; and indelong yaluk, with yaluk meaning "river".^[1][2]

See also

• List of rivers of Victoria

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coliban River.

• Public Record Office Victoria Photograph of Victorian Railways passenger train crossing the viaduct over the Coliban River at Malmsbury, November 1945.
• "Loddon–Campaspe". Murray-Darling Basin Authority. Australian Government. 2014. 
• "Campaspe River longitudinal profile". Murray-Darling Basin Authority (PDF). Australian Government. 
• "Campaspe". Our rivers. Environment Victoria.