The Culgoa River is a
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
that is part of the
Darling catchment within the
Murray–Darling basin
The Murray–Darling basin is a large geographical area in the interior of southeastern Australia, encompassing the drainage basin of the tributaries of the Murray River, Australia's longest river, and the Darling River, a right tributary of ...
and is located in
South West Queensland
South West Queensland is a remote region in the Australian state of Queensland which covers . The region lies to the south of Central West Queensland and west of the Darling Downs and includes the Maranoa district and parts of the Channel Countr ...
.
Course and features
The river is a continuation of the western branch of the
Balonne River
The Balonne River, part of the Murray-Darling Basin system, is a short yet significant part of the inland river group of South West Queensland, Australia.
Course and features
The river is a continuation of the Condamine River. After flowing th ...
in southern Queensland, near
Dirranbandi
Dirranbandi is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Balonne, Queensland, Australia. The locality is on the border of Queensland with New South Wales. In the , Dirranbandi had a population of 640 people.
Geography
Dirranbandi is on the ...
, and flows generally south-west across parts of the Darling Riverine Plains, joined by ten
tributaries
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage b ...
, including the Balonne and
Birrie rivers, before forming its
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
with the
Darling River
The Darling River ( Paakantyi: ''Baaka'' or ''Barka'') is the third-longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its conflu
ence with the Murray River at Wentworth, New South Wales. Including its longes ...
near
Bourke; descending over its
course.
Cubbie Station
Cubbie Station, the largest irrigation property in the southern hemisphere , is located near Dirranbandi, in south west Queensland, Australia. The station comprises and is operated by CS Agriculture, a joint venture between Macquarie Infrastruc ...
, located on the Culgoa River,
is situated adjacent to a large diversion channel which permits the farm, under
licence to store of river water.
According to downstream farmers in 2008, large cotton farms, such as Cubbie Station, have reduced the traditional flow of the Culgoa River by one third.
By 2009, downstream farmers where claiming that due to upstream water entitlements on the Culgoa River, since 2000, the Lower Balonne floodplain had not received enough water to flood the plains. Prior to the granting of these rights, the Lower Balonne River flooded every two or three years; impacting the sustainability of flora, fauna, birdlife, and economic returns from grazing livestock and cropping.
Little Culgoa Creek, an
anabranch
An anabranch is a section of a river or stream that diverts from the main channel or stem of the watercourse and rejoins the main stem downstream. Local anabranches can be the result of small islands in the watercourse. In larger anabranches, th ...
of the Culgoa River, leaves the river near
Goodooga
Goodooga is a town in the Australian state of New South Wales in Brewarrina Shire on the eastern bank of the Bokhara River. It is near Brewarrina and Lightning Ridge, its closest neighbour. The town lies south of the Queensland border, and th ...
and returns to the river near Brenda Gate.
The river flows through the
Culgoa Floodplain National Park
The Culgoa Floodplain National Park is a protected national park that is located in the South West region of Queensland in eastern Australia. The national park is situated at the western extent of in the Shire of Balonne and in the east of ...
and the
Culgoa National Park, located respectively north and south of the border between Queensland and New South Wales, west of Goodooga.
Etymology
Culgoa is an
Aboriginal word meaning "running through" or "returning".
[
]
See also
*
* List of rivers of Queensland
This is a list of rivers of Australia. Rivers are ordered alphabetically, by state. The same river may be found in more than one state as many rivers cross state borders.
Longest rivers nationally
Longest river by state or territory
Althoug ...
* Rivers of New South Wales
This page discusses the rivers and hydrography of the state of New South Wales, Australia.
The principal topographic feature of New South Wales is the series of low highlands and plateaus called the Great Dividing Range, which extend from nor ...
References
External links
*
*
{{Rivers of the Murray–Darling basin, state=collapsed
Rivers of Queensland
Tributaries of the Darling River
South West Queensland
Shire of Balonne
Brewarrina Shire
Bourke Shire