The O'Shannassy River 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
Port Phillip
Port Phillip ( Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip, and is com ...
catchment, located in the north-eastern
Greater Metropolitan Melbourne region of the
Australian state of
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
.
Location and features
The O'Shannassy River rises within the
Yarra Ranges National Park
Yarra Ranges National Park is located in the Central Highlands of Australia's southeastern state Victoria, 107 km northeast of Melbourne. Established in 1995 and managed by the statutory authority Parks Victoria, the park features a carbon-ri ...
on the slopes of the
Yarra Ranges
The Shire of Yarra Ranges, also known as Yarra Ranges Council, is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the outer eastern and northeastern suburbs of Melbourne extending into the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. It has a ...
, within the
Great Dividing Range, below Mount Observation, approximately east of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. The river flows generally south by southwest, joined by two 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 being impounded to create the
O'Shannassy Reservoir
The O'Shannassy Reservoir is an Australian man-made water supply dammed reservoir. The water store across the O'Shannassy River is located near the locality of , approximately east of Melbourne, Victoria. The dam that creates the impoundment i ...
, part of Melbourne's water supply system. Below the reservoir the natural flow of the river is diverted via the O’Shannassy Aqueduct and then reaches its
confluence with the
Yarra River
The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River, ( Kulin languages: ''Berrern'', ''Birr-arrung'', ''Bay-ray-rung'', ''Birarang'', ''Birrarung'', and ''Wongete'') is a perennial river in south-central Victoria, Australia.
The lower s ...
west of the locality of .
The river descends approximately over its course, before being diverted via the
aqueduct.
[
The O’Shannassy River catchment is identified as an Essentially Natural Catchment by the Land Conservation Council.]
Etymology
The river is named after John O'Shanassy
Sir John O'Shanassy, KCMG (18 February 1818 – 5 May 1883), was an Irish-Australian politician who served as the 2nd Premier of Victoria. O'Shanassy was born near Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son of a surveyor, and came to the Po ...
, the second Premier of Victoria
The premier of Victoria is the head of government in the Australian state of Victoria. The premier is appointed by the governor of Victoria, and is the leader of the political party able to secure a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assemb ...
.
See also
*
References
Melbourne Water catchment
Rivers of Greater Melbourne (region)
Tributaries of the Yarra River
Yarra Ranges Shire
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