Adelaide River

The Adelaide River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia.

For other uses, see Adelaide River (disambiguation).

Adelaide
The Adelaide River
Location of the Adelaide River mouth
in the Northern Territory
EtymologyQueen Adelaide
Location
CountryAustralia
TerritoryNorthern Territory
LGACoomalie, Litchfield
TownshipsAdelaide River
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • elevation149 m (489 ft)
MouthAdam Bay
 • location
Clarence Strait
 • coordinates
12°13′S 131°14′E
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length238 km (148 mi)
Basin size7,640 km2 (2,950 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average1,980 m3/s (70,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
National parkLitchfield National Park
[1][2]

Course and features

The river rises in the Litchfield National Park and flows generally northwards to Clarence Strait, joined by eight tributaries including the west branch of the Adelaide River, Coomalie Creek, Margaret River and Marrakai Creek, before discharging into its mouth in Adam Bay in the Clarence Strait. The river descends 151 metres (495 ft) over its 238-kilometre (148 mi) course.[1] The catchment area of the river is 7,640 square kilometres (2,950 sq mi).[2]

The Adelaide River is crossed by both the Stuart Highway adjacent to the township of Adelaide River and the Arnhem Highway near Humpty Doo.

The Adelaide River is well known for its high concentration of saltwater crocodiles, along with other wildlife including white-bellied sea eagles, whistling kites, freshwater crocodiles, bull sharks and black flying-fox. Its lower reaches form part of the Adelaide and Mary River Floodplains Important Bird Area. Waters of this river are also home to endangered speartooth shark and critically endangered largetooth sawfish.

History

Indigenous Australians including the Warray and Kungarakan owned the lands among the river for millennia.

Lieutenant Fitzmaurice, under the command of John Lort Stokes, sighted the river on a boating expedition. The expedition was part of the Admiralty surveying ship HMS Beagle's voyage in 1839, and the river was named in honour of Queen Adelaide.[3]

  • Jumping crocodile at Adelaide River
  • Croc whips tail to leap high but misses bait

See also

References
  1. "Map of Adelaide River, NT". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  2. Bach, Christine; Hosking, Jane (1 September 2002). "Wetland monitoring for the Mary River Catchment, Northern Territory" (PDF). Natural Heritage Trust. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  3. "Place Names Register Extract - Adelaide River". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 27 April 2015.


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