Leigh | |
---|---|
Etymology | Aboriginal Wathaurong: Waywatcurtan; [1] [2] |
Location | |
Country | Australia |
State | Victoria |
Region | Central Highlands |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Mount Mercer |
• location | Cambrian Hill |
• coordinates | 37°37′48″S143°49′54″E / 37.63000°S 143.83167°E |
• elevation | 325 m (1,066 ft) |
Source confluence | Yarrowee River |
Mouth | Barwon River |
• location | near Inverleigh |
• coordinates | 38°06′31″S144°03′48″E / 38.10861°S 144.06333°E Coordinates: 38°06′31″S144°03′48″E / 38.10861°S 144.06333°E |
• elevation | 60 m (200 ft) |
Length | 61 km (38 mi) |
Basin features | |
River system | Corangamite catchment |
Tributaries | |
• left | Wilson Creek (Victoria), Williamson Creek, Cargerie Creek |
[3] [4] |
The Leigh River (or Waywatcurtan in the Wathaurong Aboriginal language) is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Leigh River is a major tributary and catchment of the Barwon River. Fed by the Yarrowee River that rises near Ballarat, the Yarrowee reaches its confluence to form the Leigh in the vicinity of Cambrian Hill and Golden Plains Shire. [5] The Leigh River rises below Mount Mercer and flows generally south, joined by three minor tributaries before reaching its confluence with the Barwon River, southeast of the central business district of Inverleigh. The river descends 265 metres (869 ft) over its 61-kilometre (38 mi) course. [4] [6]
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There are several crossings over the Leigh River, including road, rail and pedestrian. Some additional roads allow passage through shallow sections of the river when the water levels are low.
Location | Bridge name | Comments/use | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Dereel | Leigh Gorge Bridge (formerly Leigh Grand Junction Mine bridge) [7] | Dereel/Elaine Road | |
Shelford | Town Bridge | Bannockburn/Skipton Road | |
Inverleigh | Two Bridges | Inverleigh/Teesdale Road | |
Federation Bridge | Pedestrian suspension | ||
Hamilton Highway | |||
Standard gauge Melbourne/Adelaide railway | |||
The Wathaurong Aboriginal people named the river Waywatcurtan. [1] [2]
It is believed that the name Leigh River was given by the surveyor J.H. Wedge who arrived in 1835, probably naming the river after his Tasmanian farm Leighlands. [8]
The Barwon River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in The Otways and the Bellarine Peninsula regions of the Australian state of Victoria.
Lake Corangamite, a hypersaline endorheic lake, is located near Colac in the Lakes and Craters region of the Victorian Volcanic Plains of south-west Victoria, Australia. The lake's salinity levels have increased dramatically as the lake level has dropped in recent decades. It is Australia's largest permanent saline lake, covering approximately 230 square kilometres (89 sq mi) with a circumference of 150 kilometres (93 mi). It forms part of the Ramsar-listed Western District Lakes wetland site. The indigenous name of the lake is recorded as Kronimite.
The Latrobe River is a perennial river of the West Gippsland catchment, located in the West Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. The Latrobe River and its associated sub-catchment is an important source for the Gippsland Lakes, draining the south eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range.
The County of Grenville is one of the 37 counties of Victoria which are part of the cadastral divisions of Australia, used for land titles. It is located to the north-east of Lake Corangamite and includes Cressy. Ballarat is on its north-eastern edge. The boundary to the east is the Yarrowee River, and to the south part of the Barwon River. Colac is on its southern edge. The county was proclaimed in 1849.
Lake Connewarre, a shallow estuarine 880-hectare (2,200-acre) lake on the Barwon River, is located on the Bellarine Peninsula southeast of Geelong in the Australian state of Victoria.
The Woady Yaloak River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Western District Lakes region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Delegate River is a perennial river of the Snowy River catchment, located in the Alpine regions of the states of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia.
The Parker River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Otways region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Ford River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Otways region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Calder River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Otways region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Barham River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Otways region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Anglesea River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Otways region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Perry River is a perennial river of the West Gippsland catchment, located in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Yarrowee River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Bonang River is a perennial river of the Snowy River catchment, located in the Alpine region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Goolengook River is a perennial river of the Bemm River catchment, located in the East Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Little River is a perennial river of the Mitchell River catchment, located in the East Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Crooked River is a perennial river of the Mitchell River catchment, located in the Alpine region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Aberfeldy River is a perennial river of the West Gippsland catchment, located in the Alpine region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Carlisle River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Otways region of the Australian state of Victoria.