- Mitchell River (Queensland)
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Mitchell River 
View inland, up Mitchell River, at small waterfalls in between Oriners and Kulata Stations, North QueenslandOrigin Great Dividing Range Mouth Gulf of Carpentaria Basin countries Australia Avg. discharge 11.3 million megalitres (ML) a year[1] Basin area 71,757 km2 (27,706 sq mi)[2] The Mitchell River is a river in the Far North Queensland region of Australia. The river begins 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.
The river's watershed covers an area of 71,757 km2 (27,706 sq mi).[2] The Mitchell River has the state's largest discharge,[citation needed] but is intermittent and may be dry for part of the year. Southedge Dam is the main water storage facility on the river.[3]
It was named by Ludwig Leichhardt on the 16 June 1845 after Sir Thomas Mitchell while he was on his overland expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington.[4] May have been previously named Vereenighde River in 1623 by a Dutch merchant and navigator, Jan Carstenz.[4]
Contents
Biophysical aspects
The Mitchell River and its tributaries have for a long time carved their way eastwards through the rugged, weathered highlands of the Great Dividing Range, carrying away sediments to be deposited in the broad floodplains and wetlands of the Gulf Savannah country.[5]
The rivers' waters 'pulse' annually with monsoonal rains, seasonally collecting water from across the local tropical rainforests in the highlands to the east; the wet sclerophyll forests in the central uplands; a variety of woodlands plus savannah in the western plains; annually flooding with freshwater, the tidal plains, wetlands, estuaries, and mangroves of the lower Mitchell and coastal plains.[5]
Fauna and Flora
'Rich variety of aquatic habitats' - Magnificent Lagoon immediately next to Kowanyama township
Being a large river system, the Mitchell River may contain within its catchment one of Australia's most ecologically diverse aquatic systems consisting of a rich variety of both wet and dry tropical monsoonal habitats.[5]
The catchment ecology as a whole has been generally described as follows[5]:
The vegetation in the Mitchell River Catchment area ranges from the World Heritage Wet Tropic rainforest on the eastern highlands to the open savannah on the western and lower Mitchell plains. The extensive mangroves and lagoon systems at the delta of the Mitchell River are recognised worldwide. The permanent waters in the upper catchment are associated with springs and water holes..
More specifically, while this ecologically diverse river system is relatively poorly studied, it is know to contain at least 18 rare, endangered or vulnerable animal species including the Golden Shouldered Parrot, the Gouldian Finch and the Northern Bettong.[5] The mouth of the river lies in the Gulf Plains Important Bird Area.[6]
Towns
The major towns in the river's catchment are Kowanyama, Chillagoe, Dimbulah, Mount Carbine, Mount Molloy.[7] Other smaller towns in the Mitchell River catchment include Mutchilba and Almaden.[7]
Tributaries
Tributaries to the Mitchell River (from east to west) include the Tate River, Lynd River, Walsh River, Palmer River and Alice River.[8]
Protected Areas
Protected Areas within the Mitchell River catchment include:[5]
- Hann Tableland National Park
- Mitchell-Alice Rivers National Park
- Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park
- Part of Bulleringa National Park to the South
- Most of the 40 Mile Scrub National Park
See also
References
- ^ Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water (2008) Mitchell Water Resource Plan Consultation Report. Queensland State Government. Brisbane. Accessed 27 January 2009
- ^ a b "Mitchell Basin: Wetland Summary Information". The State of Queensland (Environmental Protection Agency). http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/MappingFandD/WetlandMapsAndData/SummaryInfo/B-919.jsp. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
- ^ "Water resources - Overview - Queensland - Basin & Surface Water Management Area: Mitchell River (QLD)". Australian Natural Resources Atlas. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/water/overview/qld/basin-mitchell-river-qld.html. Retrieved 2009-12-06.
- ^ a b Queensland Register of Place Names. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Mitchell Waterhed Management Groups webpage 'About the Mitchell River Catchment' Accessed 26 January 2009
- ^ BirdLife International (2011) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Gulf Plains. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 01/07/2011
- ^ a b Mitchell River Watershed Management Group Map of Stations, Towns, Communities, Waterways & Roads Accessed 26 January 2009
- ^ Mitchell River Watershed Management Group map of the Mitchell River catchment Accessed 26 January 2009
External links
Maps
- Mitchell River Watershed Management Group's Map of the Mitchell River's catchment area
- Mitchell River Watershed Management Group's Map of Towns, Communities, Stations and Riverways in the Catchment
- Mitchell River Watershed Management Group's Map of the Biophysical Regions through which the Mitchell River passes
- Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water Map of Mitchell River Catchment waterways (including Water Resource Plan boundaries)
Organisations
Videos
Categories:- Rivers of Queensland
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