Murchison River (Western Australia)
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The Murchison River is the second longest river in Western Australia. It flows for about 780 km (490 miles) from the southern edge of the Robinson Ranges to the Indian Ocean at Kalbarri. It has a mean annual flow of about 200 million cubic metres.
The Murchison River basin covers an area of about 82,000 km2 in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It extends about 550 km (340 miles) inland from the Indian Ocean, onto the Yilgarn Plateau. Rain generally only falls in the upper basin during summer cyclones, so for much of the year the Murchison River does not flow, having dry sandy river beds with occasional permanent pools.
The eastern reaches of the basin contain large chains of salt lakes, which flow only following rainfall. The drainage lines from these lakes merge to form the Murchison River about 90 km (60 miles) north north east of Meekatharra, near Peak Hill. From here the river flows west, then south west, then west to the Indian Ocean. It has two major tributaries, the Sanford River and the Roderick River.
Nearer to the coast, the Murchison River flows through a deep gorge, whose sandstone is rich in Silurian fossils. The gorge is within the Kalbarri National Park, and is in near pristine condition. The river discharges into the Indian Ocean near the resort town of Kalbarri, the only settlement along the length of the river. For most of the year, the river mouth is closed off by a sand-bar.
The Murchison River was named by the explorer George Grey, who reached the river in 1839; the name honours the Scottist geologist Sir Roderick Murchison.
[edit] Further Reading
Curry, P.J. et al An inventory and condition survey of the Murchison River catchment and surrounds, Western Australia. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia: Technical Bulletin Number 84. !994. ISBN 0-7309-5998-8
