Australia’s second name is the Commonwealth of Australia. It is consisting of many islands of Tasmania, the mainland of the Australian continent, and many smaller islands. Australia’s rivers play an important role in the survival of humans and animals. It also continues to play an important role in cultural, ecological, social, and monetary role. Australia is not very well known for its rivers, but some of the largest rivers exist here.
The Largest Rivers in Australia to include in your list;
- Darling River
It is the third-Largest river in Australia with a length of approximately 1,472Km from its source. This river faces a lot of water pollution problems due to pesticide runoff and prolonged droughts. Its water quality is so low due to high salt content in it. This river further joins the Murray River in New South Wales which is another largest river in Australia. Most of the settlement that lies along the river includes Brewarrina, Bourke, Louth, Tilpa, Wilcannia, Menindee, Pooncarie, and Wentworth. From all the mentioned ports Wentworth was the busiest inland port from where this river flows.
2. Murray River
This river is the other largest river in Australia which covers an area of 2,508km in length. Its tributaries consist of another five rivers which also come under the largest river in Australia namely (Darling, Lachlan, Warrego, Murrumbidgee, and Paroo rivers). Murray river consists of a variety of fishes some of them are Trout cod, Golden perch, Murray cod, Australian smelt, and many more. The health of this river is also declining due to European settlement and river regulation. Endpoint of the river is known as the Murray Mouth where this river empties into the sea.
3. Murrumbidgee River
This is the second-largest river in Australia and is the main tributary of the largest river in Australia known as the Murray River. In Wiradjuri, the word ‘Murrumbidgee’ refers to “big water”. The river flows from the various traditional Aboriginal Australian lands that are the home to many aboriginal peoples. Earlier this river is known to Europeans and after 1820 this came into the record. It is spread across an area of about 1,485km. It has about 90 tributaries which are so far the big number and numerous creeks and gullies.
4. Lachlan River
This is the part of the largest river in Australia that is Murrumbidgee River and comes under the list of the largest river in Australia. Lachlan river consists of a wetland along its length which is approximately 1,440km. It also includes many lakes namely Lake Cowal-Wilbertroy, Lake Cargwlligo, and Lake Brewster, and nine wetlands. This river runs dry during a severe drought. It supports wheat farming.
5. Cooper Creek River
This river is also known as the Barcoo River and is one of Queensland’s three top river system. It merges into Lake Eyre which contains most of the water through monsoonal rain. River explores an area of about 1,300km and is the second largest river in Australia after the other largest river in Australia Murray-Darling River. Most of the area of this river is used for sheep and cattle grazing.
6. Warrego River
This largest river in Australia is a part of another largest river’sof Australia namely Darling Catchment which lies within the Murray-Darling Basin. It is also a tributary of the Darling River. This river spreads across an area of about 1,380km. Banks of this river are Augathlla, Charleville, Wyandra, and Cunnamulla. A major portion of the basin of this river is too dry for farming and is less fertile.
7. Paroo River
It is a series of waterholes, is connected with the largest river in Australia Darling River. This is a free-flowing river in the northern part of the Murray-Darling Basin. Paroo river consists of gidgee and eucalypt plants with predominant species namely poplar box, coolabah, and red gum. It ends in New South Wales top northwest corner.
8. Diamantina River
This is a major river in the part of Central West Queensland and far north of South Australia. The river is named by the first Governor of Queensland. It is a major tributary to the Western River, Mayne River, and Farrars Creek. The basin climate is hot and arid,and soil is grey and brown with high phosphate contents and an adequate level of nutrients. It covers an area of about 914km.
9. Flinders River
At 1004km it’s the other largest river in Australia with mostly undeveloped populated catchment. It is named after an explorer Matthew Flinders. This is the eighth largest river in Australia. A total of about 36 tributaries flow into this river. The major tributary is Porcupine Creek. Vegetation along the river includes riparian woodlands. Species found include wattle.
10. Gascoyne River
This is another largest river in Australia that lies in the Western part of it, and its source comes from the Robinsons Ranges. It covers an area of about 865km. This river is firstly seen by a European explorer Lieutenant George Grey. Gascoyne river experiences the worst disaster in 2010 when the Gascoyne River flood was in the worst condition and was triggered by severe rainfall caused major damage to many areas.
11. Victoria River
This river is in Victoria Bonaparte a bioregion in Australia. It is another largest river in Australia with an area of about 510km. Victoria river is the largest river in Australia along with the tag of a permanent river in the Northern Territory. This river contains two separations. The river includes 56 tributaries. Several cattle stations are also found along with the length of the river including River where the river originates from. It is later named as Barcoo River.
12. South Esk River
It is the largest river in Australia located in the northern region of Tasmania. This river has two major tributaries namely Macquarie and Meander River which has many lesser tributaries namely the Nile River, River Tyne, Story Creek, and the Break O’Day River. The river is renamed by Colonel William Paterson. The grounds alongside the river is exploited by aboriginal clans for hunting records and took freshwater mussel for food. It covers an area of about 252km in length.
13. Goulburn River
This is the perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment and also the largest rivers in Australia. It is a part of the largest river in Australia known as the Murray- Darling basin and is located in the alpine. This is the largest river in Australia at about 652km located in Victoria. The river is impounded by the Elidon Dam to create a lake name Lake Eildon. Goulburn river flows generally in the north, then west, then north, then west passing through various regional cities. The cities are Alexandra, Seymor, Nagambie, Murchison, Arcadia Downs before submerging in the largest river in Australia that is Murray River. The area surrounded by the river is highly productive and is the best-irrigated land so far.
14. Daintree River
This river rises in Daintree Rainforest near Cape Tribulation. The river is about 100km long. Daintree River is famous for tourist attraction in Australia. It is also one of the largest rivers in Australia. People are attracted to this area due to vegetation, scenic beauty, and native wildlife and plant species. The access to this river is limited due to no bridge across the river. Some other features include Black Mountain, Daintree Range, and Cape Tribulation Rainforest. This river is the home to dazzling tropical life. There is a pine-like tree namely the Gymnostoma group of the plant in Australia. The river is isolated due to the saltwater large crocodiles, which once threatened in the region due to hunting. There come numerous reports of death near this river due to a crocodile attack.
15. Barwon River
This river is also a part of the Murray- Darling Basin and is a perennial river located in the northwest slopes of Australia. It also comes under the list of the largest river in Australia which covers an area of about 700km in length. The name of the river is derived from the Australian Aboriginal word ‘bawon’ means great and wide. Barwon river generally flows south and west joined by 36tributaries including Boomi, Moonie, Mehi, Bokhara, and Bogan rivers. During flood days the water from the two rivers and lakes namely Narran Lake and Narran River flows into the river Barwon. The aboriginal people from six languages occupied the area of this river. These were Ngemba, BAaranbinja, Murrawarri, Weilwan, and many more. They generally used the land for hunting, fishing, and the cultural association.
As this is the list of the largest river in Australia, do keep in mind that is a vast country with many more rivers that are not on this list. The list must go on if we explore many more rivers that flow in this vast country. A river is a natural flowing water that is very important for each country. We should preserve our rivers from being polluted, because rivers are main source of our lives.
Save rivers save planet!!