Mortlock River
The Mortlock River is a perennial river located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.
| Mortlock | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Etymology | Henry Mortlock Ommanney, a surveyor |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Western Australia |
| Region | Wheatbelt |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | near Belmunging |
| • coordinates | 31°51′48″S 117°9′2″E |
| • elevation | 249 m (817 ft) |
| Mouth | Avon River |
• location | west of Northam |
• coordinates | 31°38′41″S 116°40′20″E |
• elevation | 146 m (479 ft) |
| Length | 81 km (50 mi) |
| Basin size | 16,800 km2 (6,500 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | mouth |
| • average | 17,800,000 m3/s (630,000,000 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Avon River |
| [1][2] | |
Course and features
The headwaters of the river rise near Belmunging then flow in a northerly direction, crossed by the Goldfields Road and continuing in a north-westerly direction to finally flow parallel to the Northam York Road and crossed by the Great Eastern Highway. The river is joined by three minor tributaries; Mortlock River North, Mortlock River East and Meenaar South Creek. The river discharges into the Avon River, just west of Northam. The Mortlock descends 103 metres (338 ft) over its 81-kilometre (50 mi) course.[1]
The river is saline and delivers the most salt (approximately 91 tonnes (90 long tons) per year) into the Avon River.
Name
The river was named after the surveyor Henry Mortlock Ommanney in the 1830s. Ommanney was the first European to visit the river during an expedition through the area in 1835.[3]
References
- "Map of Mortlock River, WA". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- "Avon River Basin Natural Resource Management Plan". 2004. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
- Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of river names – M". Retrieved 1 September 2011.
Rivers of Western Australia | |
|---|---|
| Rivers of the Gascoyne region | |
| Rivers of the Goldfields-Esperance region | |
| Rivers of the Great Southern region | |
| Rivers of the Kimberley region |
|
| Rivers of the Mid West region | |
| Rivers of the Peel and Perth regions | |
| Rivers of the Pilbara region | |
| Rivers of the South West region | |
| Rivers of the Wheatbelt region | |
| |
