Walker River (Northern Territory)

Last updated

Walker
Australia Northern Territory relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Location of the Walker River mouth in the Northern Territory
EtymologyThomas Walker
Location
Country Australia
Territory Northern Territory
Physical characteristics
Source Mitchell Ranges
 • location Arnhem Land, Australia
 • elevation315 m (1,033 ft)
Mouth Blue Mud Bay
 • location
 Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
 • coordinates
 13°35′21″S135°49′58″E / 13.58917°S 135.83278°E / -13.58917; 135.83278 Coordinates: 13°35′21″S135°49′58″E / 13.58917°S 135.83278°E / -13.58917; 135.83278
Length119 km (74 mi)
Basin size9,731 km2 (3,757 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average106 m3/s (3,700 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftStrawbridge Creek, Laurie Creek, Marura River
 • rightConway Creek
[1]

The Walker River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

Contents

Course

The headwaters of the river are in the Mitchell Ranges and the river flows in a southerly direction between Mount Ramsay and Mount Fleming and through Fairy Glen then down onto a plain then cuts through Bath Range under Mount Rankine and veering eastward. The river then passes the Aboriginal communities of Marrkalawa and Andanangki the past the Coast Range and discharges into Blue Mud Bay and the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea.

The river catchment occupies an area of 9,731 square kilometres (3,757 sq mi) and is wedged between the Koolatong River catchment to the north, the Goyder River catchment to the west, and the Roper River catchment to the south. [2] It has a mean annual outflow of 3,350 gigalitres (4.382×109 cu yd). [3]

The estuary formed at the river mouth is in near pristine condition with a tidal delta. [4] The estuary at the river mouth occupies an area of 29.5 hectares (73 acres) of open water. It is river dominated in nature with a tide dominated delta with a single channel and is surrounded by an area of 30.9 hectares (76 acres) covered with mangroves. [5]

History

The traditional owners of the area are the Nunggubuyu people, [6] who have inhabited the area for thousands of years.

The river was named by the explorer, David Lindsay, during his expedition through Arnhem Land in 1883. Lindsay named it after Thomas Walker, the leader of the Blue Mud Bay prospecting party, who was murdered by Aboriginal people in the area in 1875. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Hacking</span> Estuary in southern Sydney, Australia

Port Hacking Estuary, an open youthful tide dominated, drowned valley estuary, is located in southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Sydney central business district. Port Hacking has its source in the upper reaches of the Hacking River south of Helensburgh, and several smaller creeks, including South West Arm, Bundeena Creek and The Basin and flows generally to the east before reaching its mouth, the Tasman Sea, south of Cronulla and north–east of Bundeena. Its tidal effect is terminated at the weir at Audley, in the Royal National Park. The lower estuary features a substantial marine delta, which over time has prograded upstream. There is also a substantial fluvial of the Hacking River at Grays Point. The two deltas are separated by a deep basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortescue River</span> River in the Pilbara, Western Australia

The Fortescue River is an ephemeral river in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is the third longest river in the state.

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

Blackmore River flows into Darwin Harbour close to Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth River (Northern Territory)</span> River in Northern Territory, Australia

Elizabeth River flows into Darwin Harbour close to Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia.

The Wildman River is a river in the Darwin Coastal bioregion of the Northern Territory, Australia.

Buckingham River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Liverpool River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the largest of the tidal river systems of northern Arnhem Land, which includes two major tributaries, the Tomkinson and Mann Rivers.

The Goromuru River is a river, located in the Northern Territory in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep River</span> River in the Northern Territory and Western Australia

The Keep River is a river located in the Victoria Bonaparte bioregion of Western Australia and the Northern Territory in Australia.

The Blyth River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

The Koolatong River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

The Moyle River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

The Goomadeer River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goyder River</span> River in the Northern Territory of Australia

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Towns River</span> River in Northern Territory, Australia

The Towns River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

The Limmen Bight River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

The Rosie River also known as Rosie Creek is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

The Robinson River is a river in Australia's Northern Territory.

The Juru people also known as the ‘Yuru’ people are the proud Aboriginal people of the state of Queensland

References

  1. ↑ "Map of Walker River, NT". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Drainage Divisions" (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. 2005. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Walker River" (PDF). TRaCK. 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Australian Catchment, River and Estuary Assessment" (PDF). Natural Heritage Trust. 2002. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Walker River, NT". Australian online Coastal Information. Commonwealth of Australia . Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Nunggubuju". AusAnthrop Australian Aboriginal tribal database. Ausanthrop. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "Place Names Register Extract – Walker River". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government . Retrieved 11 May 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.