Fitzmaurice River
| Fitzmaurice River | |
|---|---|
| Mouth | Joseph Bonaparte Gulf |
| Basin countries | Australia |
The Fitzmaurice River is a river in Australia's Northern Territory. It was first charted in 1839 by European explorers aboard the HMS Beagle under the command of John Lort Stokes. It was named after Lewis Roper Fitzmaurice, a mate and assistant surveyor on the Beagle.
The river drains into the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf in the Timor Sea from a source perhaps 500 kilometres inland. The area is quite remote and largely unsettled, and the river itself forms the southern boundary of the Daly River Port Keats Aboriginal Reserve.
A large number of crocodiles — both saltwater and fresh — inhabit the river. Wild cattle and bush pigs can be found in the surrounding countryside.
In 1977, Australian bushman Rodney Ansell was stuck for months on the river, after his boat capsized in the estuary and he ventured upstream for a source of fresh water.
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