The Moonie River (Mooni River) is a river in

Shire of Balonne The Shire of Balonne is a local government area in South West Queensland, Australia, over from the state capital, Brisbane. It covers an area of , and has existed as a local government entity since 1879. It is headquartered in its main town, S ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

and

Walgett Shire Walgett Shire is a local government area in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. The northern boundary of the Shire is located adjacent to the border between New South Wales and Queensland. The town of Walgett is located on the Namoi ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, both in Australia. It is a

perennial river A perennial stream is a stream that has continuous flow of surface water throughout the year in at least parts of its catchment during seasons of normal rainfall, Water Supply Paper 494. as opposed to one whose flow is intermittent. In the abse ...

of the Barwon 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 ...

Name

The river was named ''Mooni'' by explorer and surveyor Thomas Mitchell on 9 November 1846 but the origins of the name are unknown. In New South Wales, the river is officially known as Mooni River, but common usage uses the same spelling as in Queensland where most of the river is located. The sign erected by

Walgett Shire Council Walgett Shire is a local government area in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. The northern boundary of the Shire is located adjacent to the border between New South Wales and Queensland. The town of Walgett is located on the Namoi ...

at Gundablouie Bridge on Gundabloui Road also uses the common spelling ''Moonie River''. Gundablouie Bridge over Moonie River in Collarenebri NSW

History

Yuwaalaraay (also known as ''Yuwalyai, Euahlayi, Yuwaaliyaay, Gamilaraay, Kamilaroi, Yuwaaliyaayi'') is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Yuwaalaraay country. The Yuwaalaraay language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the

, including the town of

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 ...

as well as the border town of Hebel extending to

Walgett Walgett is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of Walgett Shire. It is near the junctions of the Barwon and Namoi Rivers and the Kamilaroi and Castlereagh Highways. In 2016, Walgett had a population of 2,145. In the 2 ...

and

Collarenebri Collarenebri is a town in north western New South Wales, Australia. The town is in the Walgett Shire Local Government Area and is situated on the Barwon River approximately northeast of Walgett and south west of Mungindi on the Gwydir Highway. ...

.''''

Course and features

The rivers rises south west of Dalby, near Braemar State Forest, south-east of Tara in Queensland, and flows generally to the south-west, joined by thirteen minor

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 drainag ...

, before reaching its confluence with the Barwon River, before Mogil Mogil farm, north of the village of

, New South Wales; descending over its course. The catchment area has no major towns and is extremely flat. The Moonie River is impounded by Thallon Weir, with a capacity of . The river flows through the towns of the Nindigully, Flinton and just to the west of Thallon. Both the

Moonie Highway The Moonie Highway is a state highway of Queensland, Australia. Part of State Route 49, it leaves the Warrego Highway at Dalby and runs for over 290 km until it reaches St George. From there, State Route 49 continues west as the Balonne H ...

and Carnarvon Highway cross the river. In New South Wales, only one public road crosses the river : Gundabloui Road crosses the river near Goondoobluie farm in Collarenbri, about 50 km north of the village.

References

{{Rivers of the Darling River catchment , state=autocollapse Rivers of Queensland Tributaries of the Darling River Darling Downs

Name

History

Course and features

See also

References