Richardson River (Victoria)

Last updated

Richardson
Donald Richardson River 001.jpg
Richardson River at Donald, December 2018
Australia Victoria relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location of the Richardson River mouth in Victoria
Native name
      • Larning
      • Witjibar
      • Wallamyer
      • Barnunung
      • Kurakibiyal
       (Djadjawurrung)
      • Larning
      • Witjibar
      • Wallamyer
      • Barnunung
      • Willaring
       (Wemba Wemba)
    • Barnunung (Wergaia)
    • Wirchilleba [1] [2] [3]
Location
Country Australia
State Victoria
Region Murray Darling Depression (IBRA), Wimmera
Local government area Northern Grampians
Towns Donald
Physical characteristics
Source Great Dividing Range
 • locationMori Mori Nature Conservation Reserve
 • coordinates 36°50′9.8″S142°59′40″E / 36.836056°S 142.99444°E / -36.836056; 142.99444
 • elevation295 m (968 ft)
Mouth Lake Buloke
 • location
north of Donald
 • coordinates
 36°18′25.8″S142°56′54.4″E / 36.307167°S 142.948444°E / -36.307167; 142.948444
 • elevation
107 m (351 ft)
Length119 km (74 mi)
Basin features
River system Wimmera catchment
Tributaries 
 • rightWallaloo Creek, Avon River (Grampians)
[1] [4]

The Richardson River, an inland intermittent river of the Wimmera catchment, located in the Grampians and Wimmera regions of the Australian state of Victoria. Rising on the northern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, the Richardson River flows generally north and drains into Lake Buloke, one of a series of ephemeral lakes that, whilst they do not directly empty into a defined watercourse, form part of the Murray River catchment of the Murray-Darling basin.

Contents

Location and features

The Richardson River rises on the northern slopes of the Great Dividing Range in the Mori Mori Nature Conservation Reserve. The river flows in a highly meandering course generally west by north and then east by north, joined by two tributaries including the Avon River, before reaching its mouth in Lake Buloke; north of Donald. The Richardson River descends 187 metres (614 ft) over its 119-kilometre (74 mi) course. [4]

Etymology

In the Aboriginal Djadjawurrung and Jardwadjali languages, the river is named Larning, meaning "your camp"; Witjibar, meaning "basket grass river"; and Wallamyer with no defined meaning. In the Djadjawurrung, Jardwadjali, and Wergaia languages, the river is named Barnunung, meaning "smouldering away". In the Djadjawurrung language, the river is named Kurakibiyal with kurak meaning "sand"" and biyal meaning "red gum". In the Jardwadjali language, the river is named Willaring, with wille meaning a "common silver grey possum". And in an undefined Aboriginal language, the river is called Wirchilleba meaning "a dry watercourse". [1] [2] [3] Named after John Matthew Richardson who fell from his horse during Thomas Mitchell's 1836 expedition.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Richardson River (entry 619947)". VICNAMES. Government of Victoria . Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 Smyth, Robert Brough (1878). The Aborigines of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. p. 176.
  3. 1 2 Clark, Ian; Heydon, Toby (2011). "Richardson River: Traditional Names". Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages. Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Map of Richardson River, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 21 October 2014.

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