Gascoyne River
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At 760km, the Gascoyne River is the longest river in Western Australia. Its source is in the Robinson Ranges west of the Gibson Desert and it flows into Shark Bay and the Indian Ocean at Carnarvon. It is joined by the 360km long Lyons River about 160km above its mouth which together provide a catchment area of 68,326 square km. This area lies entirely to the east of the Kennedy Ranges and extends some 480 km inland.
It is said to be an upside-down river, as it flows for about 120 days of the year and below the dry river bed for the remainder of the year. It is in effect a huge water storage system with the river's aquifers lying below the desert sands.
It flows through sparsely vegetated countryside which is used mainly for gold-mining and sheep stations.
The river was named by Lieutenant George Grey in 1839 "after my friend, Captain J. Gascoyne" (RN).
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