Culgoa River
| Culgoa River | |
| Watercourse[1] | |
| Name origin: Aboriginal: meaning "running through, returning"[2] | |
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| States | Queensland, New South Wales |
| Region | IBRA: Darling Riverine Plains |
| Districts | South West Queensland, Orana |
| Municipalities | Balonne, Brewarrina, Bourke |
| Part of | Darling River, Murray–Darling basin |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Balonne River, Birrie River |
| Source | Balonne River |
| - location | near Dirranbandi |
| - elevation | 187 m (614 ft) |
| Mouth | confluence with the Darling River |
| - location | north–west of Bourke |
| - elevation | 109 m (358 ft) |
| Length | 489 km (304 mi) |
| [3] | |
Culgoa River, a watercourse that is part of the Darling catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the south west district of Queensland and the Orana district of New South Wales, Australia.
The river is a continuation of the western branch of the Balonne River in southern Queensland, near Dirranbandi, and flows generally south-west across parts of the Darling Riverine Plains, joined by ten tributaries, including the Balonne and Birrie rivers, before forming its confluence with the Darling River near Bourke; descending 78 metres (256 ft) over the course of its 489 kilometres (304 mi) length.
Culgoa is an Aboriginal word meaning "running through" or "returning".[2]
Water flows
Cubbie Station, located on the Culgoa River,[4] is situated adjacent to a large diversion channel which permits the farm, under licence to store 460,000 megalitres (16,000×106 cu ft) of river water.[5] According to downstream farmers in 2008, large cotton farms, such as Cubbie Station, have reduced the traditional flow of the Culgoa River by one third.[6] By 2009, downstream farmers where claiming that due to upstream water entitlements on the Culgoa River, since 2000, the Lower Balonne floodplain had not received enough water to flood the plains. Prior to the granting of these rights, the Lower Balonne River flooded every two or three years; impacting the sustainability of flora, fauna, birdlife, and economic returns from grazing livestock and cropping.[7]
Geological features
Little Culgoa Creek, an anabranch of the Culgoa River, leaves the river near Goodooga and returns to the river near Brenda Gate.[8]
The river runs through the Culgoa National Park, a 42,800 hectares (106,000 acres) national park located on the Queensland/New South Wales border, west of Goodooga.
See also
- Culgoa Floodplain National Park
- HMAS Culgoa (K408)
- List of rivers of Australia
- Rivers of New South Wales
References
- ↑ "Culgoa River". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Indigenous place names" (PDF). Ipswich City Council. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Map of Culgoa River". Bonzle.com. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Ker, Peter (18 August 2009). "Water resource hope on sale of Cubbie Station". The Age. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ↑ Long, Stephen (18 September 2012). "Cubbie Station: a dozen rival expressions of interest ignored" (transcript). PM (Australia: ABC News). Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Roberts, Greg (24 January 2008). "Farmers in fight over floodwaters". The Australian. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ↑ Elks, Sarah (19 August 2009). "Water grab preventing floods and taking toll on trees". The Australian. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ↑ "Little Culgoa Creek". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
External links
- "Barwon, Darling and Far Western catchments" (map). Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales.
- "Lower Balonne River Floodplain System". Guide to the proposed Basin Plan: Technical background: Part II: Appendix B: Hydrologic indicator sites (PDF). Murray–Darling Basin Authority. pp. 499–520.
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