Alice River | |
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Alice River, near the Landsborough Highway | |
![]() Map of the Lake Eyre Basin showing Barcoo River | |
Location | |
Country | Australia |
State | Queensland |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Great Dividing Range |
⁃ location | east of Aramac, Central Queensland |
Mouth | confluence with the Barcoo River |
⁃ location | north-east of Isisford |
⁃ elevation | 225 m (738 ft) |
Length | 303 km (188 mi) |
Basin features | |
River system | Barcoo River, Lake Eyre basin |
The Alice River in central Queensland, Australia rises on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range. The river bisects the Shire of Barcaldine, flowing in a south-westerly direction towards Isisford and its confluence with the Barcoo River to form Cooper Creek. Barcaldine is located on Lagoon Creek, which flows into the Alice River approximately five kilometre s to the south. The Alice River is often dry, except after the annual summer rains.
The Barcoo River forms the boundary of outback Australia with little in the way of civilization west of the Barcoo. Waters from the Barcoo and Alice Rivers flow towards Lake Eyre in Central Australia, while rivers further east join the Murray-Darling basin and reach the sea in South Australia.
The traditional owners of the area are the Iningai peoples. Iningai (also known as Yiningay, Muttaburra, Tateburra, Yinangay, Yinangi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Iningai people. The Iningai language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Longreach Region and Barcaldine Region, particularly the towns of Longreach, Barcaldine, Muttaburra and Aramac as well as the properties of Bowen Downs and catchments of Cornish Creek and Alice River. [1]
In 1846, Thomas Mitchell became the first European to see the Barcoo and Alice Rivers. The Alice River was named by Mitchell and Mitchell's name was adopted for the pastoral district and for its grass, Mitchell grass. [2] In October 1863, Donald Cameron, his son John, together with James and William Crombie walked sheep from the New England district of New South Wales and grazed them along a 40-mile frontage of the Alice River. They named their property Barcaldine after a family farm in Scotland. [3]
In 1891 the Alice River had a record flood that stopped traffic for a week. On 20 March 1910 the Alice River flooded all the low-lying country and the railway line was blocked. [4]
Longreach is a town and a locality in the Longreach Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Longreach had a population of 2,970 people. It is the administrative centre of the Longreach Regional Council, which was established in 2008 as a merger of the former Longreach, Ilfracombe, and Isisford shires.
The Barcoo River in western Queensland, Australia rises on the northern slopes of the Warrego Range, flows in a south-westerly direction and unites with the Thomson River to form Cooper Creek. The first European to see the river was Thomas Mitchell in 1846, who named it Victoria River, believing it to be the same river as that named Victoria River by J. C. Wickham in 1839. It was renamed by Edmund Kennedy after a name supplied by local Aborigines.
Barcaldine is a rural town and locality in the Barcaldine Region in Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Barcaldine had a population of 1,422 people. This is the administrative centre of the Barcaldine Region. Barcaldine played a major role in the Australian labour movement.
Aramac is a rural town and locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Aramac had a population of 299 people.
The Thomson River is a perennial river that forms part of the Lake Eyre Basin, situated in the central west and western regions of Queensland, Australia. Much of the course of the river comprises a series of narrow channels synonymous with the Channel Country and the Gailee subregion.
Muttaburra is a town and locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Muttaburra had a population of 88 people. The undeveloped town of Scarrbury is within the locality.
The Barcaldine Region is a local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by three previous local government areas which had existed for over a century.
The Longreach Region is a local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it superseded three previous local government areas that had existed for more than a century.
Central West Queensland is a remote region in the Australian state of Queensland which covers 396 650.2 km². The region lies to the north of South West Queensland and south of the Gulf Country.
Bowen Downs Station is a pastoral lease that has operated both as a cattle station and a sheep station.
Bexley Station is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station in Queensland.
Cornish Creek is a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Cornish Creek had a population of 16 people.
The Iningai (Yiningayi) were an indigenous Australian people of the present-day Longreach Region in the state of Queensland.
Tablederry is a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Tablederry had a population of 32 people.
Bangall is a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Bangall had a population of 4 people.
Pelican Creek is a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Pelican Creek had a population of 20 people.
Sardine is a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Sardine had a population of 5 people.
Barcaldine Downs is a rural locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Barcaldine Downs had a population of 14 people.
Moombria is a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Moombria had a population of 0 people.
Tara Station is a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Tara Station had a population of 10 people.