Harding River

{{Short description|River in Western Australia}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Use Australian English|date=March 2015}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Harding River

| image = Harding River.jpg

| image_caption = The Harding River in May 2021

| source1_location = Chichester Range

| mouth_location = Indian Ocean

| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Australia

| length_km = 150

| source1_elevation = {{convert|311|m|ft|0}}{{cite web|url=http://maps.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&cmd=sp&p=210946&st=&s=Harding%20River|title= Bonzle Digital Atlas – Map of Harding River|year= 2009|access-date= 10 July 2016}}

| mouth_elevation = sea level

| discharge1_avg =

| basin_size =

}}

The Harding River, known as the Ngurin in Ngarluma language, is a river in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

It was named on 31 July 1861 by the surveyor and explorer Francis Gregory while on expedition in the area, after one of the volunteer members of his expedition, John Harding.{{cite book | last1 = Gregory | first1 = Augustus Charles | author-link1 = Augustus Charles Gregory | last2 = Gregory | first2 = Francis Thomas | author-link2 = Francis Thomas Gregory | title = Journals of Australian Explorations | publisher = James C. Beal, Government Printer | year = 1884 | location = Brisbane | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10461/10461-h/10461-h.htm | access-date = 26 August 2013}} The river continues to be known as the Ngurin by traditional owners and local Aboriginal people.

The headwaters of the river rise in the Chichester Range in the Millstream-Chichester National Park near Merrinyaginya Spring and flow is a northerly direction. The river flows through Lake Poongkaliyarra and out through Lockyer Gap.

The river continues northward and crosses the North West Coastal Highway near Roebourne then discharges into the Indian Ocean via Butcher Inlet.

The river flows through a number of permanent and semi-permanent pools such as Murringa Pool, Karrawingina Pool and Bamba Pool.

The river has six tributaries: Harding River East, East Harding River, Murray Camp Creek and Miller Creek.