Margaret River (South West, Western Australia)

Margaret River
Cane brake pool at the head of the river
Location
Country	Australia
Physical characteristics
Mouth
• location	Indian Ocean
Length	60 kilometres (37 mi)
Basin size	40 square kilometres (15 sq mi)

Location of Margaret River

The estuary

The Margaret River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia. It is the namesake of the town of Margaret River and the surrounding wine region.

The Margaret River has been described as the only "true river system" between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. ^[1] The river arises from a catchment of just 40 square kilometres in the Whicher Range. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} The flow of the river has been restricted for agricultural and viticultural purposes, and modified by several weirs; it passes to the north of the Margaret River townsite. The mouth of the river is located to the north of the townsite of Prevelly, with a small estuary extending approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long and 200 metres (660 ft) at its widest. It is connected to the Indian Ocean via a short narrow channel, usually obstructed by a sandbar which opens only during the periods of highest flow. ^[1]

Margaret River is presumed to be named after Margaret Wyche, cousin of John Garrett Bussell (founder of Busselton) in 1832.

See also

• Margaret River (wine region)

Notes

1. Brearley 2005, p. 309.
2. Western Australia. Dept. of Environment; Western Australia. Whicher Water Resource Management Committee (2004), The way forward for water resource management in the Whicher region, The Dept, retrieved 17 December 2013
3. Western Australia. Margaret River Catchment Management Plan Working Group; Water Authority of Western Australia (1993), Margaret River and Ten Mile Brook catchment management plan 1993-1998, Water Authority of Western Australia, ISBN   978-0-7309-5263-3
4. Hanran-Smith, Genevieve; Milton, Kristin; Western Australia. Water and Rivers Commission; Natural Heritage Trust (Australia); Geographe Catchment Council; Cape to Cape Catchments Group; Cape to Cape Catchments Group (W.A.) (2003), Margaret River action plan : 2003, Water and Rivers Commission, ISBN   978-1-920687-40-3
5. Western Australia. Dept. of Environment; Western Australia. Dept. of Environment. Water Resources Division; Western Australia. Dept. of Environment. Water Resources Division (2005), Margaret River Catchment Area (including Ten Mile Brook Catchment) drinking water source protection plan : Margaret River, Prevelly, Gnarabup and Cowaramup town water supply, Dept. of Environment, ISBN   978-0-7309-7544-1

References

• Brearley, Anne (2005). Ernest Hodgkin's Swanland: Estuaries and coastal lagoons of Southwestern Australia. University of Western Australia Press. ISBN   1-920694-38-2.

33°56′43.28″S115°4′26.79″E / 33.9453556°S 115.0741083°E / -33.9453556; 115.0741083