Staaten River

Last updated

Staaten
Australia Queensland relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location of the Staaten River mouth in Queensland
Location
Country Australia
State Queensland
Region Far North Queensland
Physical characteristics
Source Great Dividing Range
 • locationwest of Torwood
 • coordinates 17°15′32″S143°30′44″E / 17.25889°S 143.51222°E / -17.25889; 143.51222
 • elevation220 m (720 ft)
Mouth Gulf of Carpentaria
 • coordinates
 16°23′35″S141°17′39″E / 16.39306°S 141.29417°E / -16.39306; 141.29417 Coordinates: 16°23′35″S141°17′39″E / 16.39306°S 141.29417°E / -16.39306; 141.29417
Length383 km (238 mi)
Basin size25,732 km2 (9,935 sq mi)
Basin features
National park Staaten River National Park
[1]

The Staaten River is a river in northern Queensland, Australia, rising in the Great Dividing Range and flowing northwest into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Contents

Location and features

The river rises of the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) west of Cairns. The river flows generally northwest to the Staaten River National Park and then west, joined by eleven minor tributaries before reaching its mouth and emptying into the Gulf of Carpentaria. From source to mouth the river's waters overflow into intertwining lagoons that create an enormous wetland sanctuary for a vast array of unique wildlife and plants. When the rains of the wet season cease, the Staaten River retreats from the floodplains and wetlands and becomes little more than a thread trickling down wide sand banks and a string of important lagoon refuges. The river descends 220 metres (720 ft) over its 383-kilometre (238 mi) course. [1]

There is very little development in the catchment, with grazing being the most common activity, and there are no major water storage facilities on the river. [2] The river is navigable for 17 kilometres (11 mi) upstream until sand and rock bars are found. [3] Dinah Island, located about 15 kilometres (9 mi) inland, is a small cattle property and at times provides short term accommodation for fishing enthusiasts. [3] [4]

Conservation and cultural values

The Staaten River catchment is one of Australia's last great wilderness areas.[ citation needed ] With little agricultural development, scant road access, and thriving forests and wildlife, it is a truly wild river system. The river straddles both the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf Country regions. Characterised by the replenishing floods of the wet season and an extensive network of lagoon refuges during the dry season, the river system is known for its excellent saratoga and barramundi fishing and saltwater crocodiles, one of Australia's best known animals.

The wet season is characterized by a large congregation of waterbirds from all over Australia and as far away as China and Russia. This birds live in the abundant waters of places like the huge Inkerman-Gilbrath Wetland, near the mouth of the catchment. The coastal margin of the Staaten River forms part of the Southeast Karumba Plan wetland aggregation, which is the best developed coastal wetland system in Queensland and provides critical habitat and breeding grounds for birds, fish, and other native wildlife. The Staaten River National Park in this area, covering around 467,000 hectares (1,150,000 acres), is one of Australia's largest and most remote national parks.

The Staaten Wild River Area covers about 25,700 square kilometres (9,900 sq mi) at the western base of Cape York Peninsula. The area contains the catchments of the Staaten River, Vanrook Creek, and ten major tributaries. [5] The purpose of the wild river declaration is to "manage future development activity in the wild river area to ensure the wild river natural values are preserved". [5]

Threats

The Staaten River is remote and currently there is little demand for water extraction in this area. The major present threat in this area is cattle grazing. If not managed sustainably, cattle can cause major soil erosion, trample vegetation, and pollute river systems. There are also minor infestations of the invasive weeds such as rubber-vine in the Staaten River. Wild River protection, as well as the Indigenous Wild River Ranger program, will help address these impacts.[ citation needed ]

Indigenous heritage

The traditional owners of the upper catchment area are the Kunjen people. [6]

The Agwamin, Kutjar, Koknar, Kunjen and Kokoberrin people are the traditional owners of the Staaten River catchment area and maintain strong cultural and spiritual connections with the land and rivers. The traditional ecological knowledge and health of these communities is in turn critical to the ongoing health of this wild river system.

Etymology

The river was first named by Dutch sea explorer Jan Carstensz in 1623. [3] It is named after the States General, the parliament of the Netherlands.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burdekin River</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Burdekin River is a river located in North and Far North Queensland, Australia. The river rises on the northern slopes of Boulder Mountain at Valley of Lagoons, part of the western slope of the Seaview Range, and flows into the Coral Sea at Upstart Bay over 200 kilometres (124 mi) to the southeast of the source, with a catchment area of approximately 130,000 square kilometres (50,000 sq mi). The Burdekin River is Australia's largest river by (peak) discharge volume.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape York Peninsula</span> Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia

Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia. The land is mostly flat and about half of the area is used for grazing cattle. The relatively undisturbed eucalyptus-wooded savannahs, tropical rainforests and other types of habitat are now recognised and preserved for their global environmental significance. Although much of the peninsula remains pristine, with a diverse repertoire of endemic flora and fauna, some of its wildlife may be threatened by industry and overgrazing as well as introduced species and weeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitchell River (Queensland)</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Mitchell River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The river rises on the Atherton Tableland about 50 kilometres (31 mi) northwest of Cairns and flows about 750 kilometres (470 mi) northwest across Cape York Peninsula from Mareeba to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flinders River</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Flinders River is the longest river in Queensland, Australia, at approximately 1,004 kilometres (624 mi). It was named in honour of the explorer Matthew Flinders. The catchment is sparsely populated and mostly undeveloped. The Flinders rises on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range in North West Queensland and flows generally north-west through the Gulf Country, across a large, flat clay pan, before entering the Gulf of Carpentaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barkly Tableland</span> Region in the Northern Territory, Australia

The Barkly Tableland is a rolling plain of grassland in Australia. It runs from the eastern part of the Northern Territory into western Queensland. It is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory and covers 283,648 square kilometres (109,517 sq mi), 21% of the Northern Territory. The Barkly Tableland runs parallel to the southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, from about Mount Isa, Queensland to near Daly Waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kowanyama, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Kowanyama is a town and coastal locality in the Aboriginal Shire of Kowanyama, Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilbert River (Queensland)</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Gilbert River is located in Far North Queensland, Australia. When combined with the Einasleigh River, the river system is the largest river system in northern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Einasleigh River</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Einasleigh River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia. When combined with the Gilbert River, the river system is the largest river system in northern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Normanby River</span> River in northern Queensland, Australia

The Normanby River, comprising the East Normanby River, the West Normanby River, the East Normanby River North Branch, the East Normanby River South Branch and the Granite Normanby River, is a river system located in Far North Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Country</span> Region in Queensland, Australia

The Gulf Country is the region of woodland and savanna grassland surrounding the Gulf of Carpentaria in north western Queensland and eastern Northern Territory on the north coast of Australia. The region is also called the Gulf Savannah. It contains large reserves of zinc, lead and silver. The Gulf Country is crossed by the Savannah Way highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archer River</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Archer River is a river located on the Cape York Peninsula, Far North Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wenlock River</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Wenlock River is a river located on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia.

The Calvert River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ord River Floodplain</span>

The Ord River floodplain is the floodplain of the lower Ord River in the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley, in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia. It lies within the Victoria Bonaparte IBRA bioregion and contains river, seasonal creek, tidal mudflat and floodplain wetlands, with extensive stands of mangroves, that support saltwater crocodiles and many waterbirds. It is recognised as an internationally important wetland area, with 1,384 square kilometres (534 sq mi) of it designated on 7 June 1990 as Ramsar Site 477 under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leichhardt River</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Leichhardt River is a river in north west Queensland, Australia.

The Settlement Creek is a creek located in the Northern Territory and the state of Queensland, Australia.

The Lynd River is a river located on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia.

The Watson River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia.

The Coleman River is a river located on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia.

The Embley River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Map of Staaten River, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Water resources – Overview – Queensland – Basin & Surface Water Management Area: Staaten River". Australian Natural Resources Atlas. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts . Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 Eussen, Dick. "Angling on the Staaten". Marinews. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "ABC Rural Report: Far North Queensland". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 November 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  5. 1 2 Staaten Wild River Area The State of Queensland (Department of Environment and Resource Management).
  6. ↑ "Kutjal". AusAnthrop Australian Aboriginal tribal database. Ausanthrop. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.