Maroochy River

The watershed of the Maroochy River encompasses {{convert|630|km2}} of undulating hills, which have been cleared for agriculture and urban uses.{{cite web |url=http://www.healthywaterways.org/EcosystemHealthMonitoringProgram/2008ReportCardResults/CatchmentResults/MaroochyRoverCatchmentandEstuary.aspx |title=Maroochy River Catchment and Estuary |access-date=26 May 2009 |year=2008 |work=Healthy Waterways |publisher=Moreton Bay Waterways and Catchment Partnership |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091023121627/http://www.healthywaterways.org/EcosystemHealthMonitoringProgram/2008ReportCardResults/CatchmentResults/MaroochyRoverCatchmentandEstuary.aspx |archive-date=23 October 2009 }} There are three dams in the catchment area, including Wappa Dam, Cooloolabin Dam and Poona Dam, which total {{convert|13452|ML}} of capacity.{{cite web |url=http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/water/overview/qld/basin-maroochy-river.html |title=Water resources - Overview - Queensland - Basin & Surface Water Management Area: Maroochy River |access-date=25 May 2009 |work=Australian Natural Resources Atlas |publisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622154821/http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/water/overview/qld/basin-maroochy-river.html |archive-date=22 June 2009 }}

There are two main arms: North and South Maroochy Rivers.{{cite web |url=http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/science/state_of_rivers/maroochy.html |title=Maroochy River |access-date=25 May 2009 |work=State of the Rivers report |publisher=Department of Environment and Resource Management |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520102904/http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/science/state_of_rivers/maroochy.html |archive-date=20 May 2009 }} Tributaries of the river include Petrie Creek and its major tributary, Paynter Creek, Eudlo Creek, Coolum Creek, Doonan Creek and Yandina Creek.

There is one Canal system open to the river Maroochy Waters and a second Canal system with restricted access to the river, namely Twin Waters. There are also numerous lake systems, such as Sunshine Cove, which drain into the river and its creeks.

There are a number of named islands in the river, including Pincushion Island, Goat Island, Channel Island, Chambers Island and Bungee's Island.

Maroochy is derived from the Indigenous Turrbal people's name for a black swan, marutchi.Tom Petrie's Reminiscences of Early Queensland Andrew Petrie named the river Maroochy after the black swans he saw during an exploration of the area in 1842. On this trip, two Turrbal men were accompanying Petrie, who presumably advised him of the name of the swan.{{cite web |title=Sunshine Coast Council, Heritage - Place names |url=https://heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Places/Place-Name-Origins |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001233610/https://heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Places/Place-Name-Origins |archive-date=1 October 2020 |access-date=22 September 2020}} The Maroochy River is culturally significant as Aboriginal cultural heritage records depict stories of the formation of the river together with other locally significant lands, including Mudjimba Island, Mount Coolum and Mount Ninderry.{{cite web|url=http://eisdocs.dsdip.qld.gov.au/Sunshine%20Coast%20Airport%20Expansion/EIS/Volume%20B%20chapters/Chapter%20B11%20-%20Indigenous%20cultural%20heritage%20and%20native%20title%2018Sep14.pdf|title=B11 Airport and Surrounds Indigenous Cultural Heritage, Sunshine Coast Council|access-date=22 September 2020|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308023750/http://eisdocs.dsdip.qld.gov.au/Sunshine%20Coast%20Airport%20Expansion/EIS/Volume%20B%20chapters/Chapter%20B11%20-%20Indigenous%20cultural%20heritage%20and%20native%20title%2018Sep14.pdf|url-status=live}}

The Maroochy River is part of a blue carbon initiative, Australia's first partnership, that undertakes to provide land use options for recreation, farming and the like via environmentally effective approaches that maintain and improve the natural environment.{{cite web|url=https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/87966|title=The Queensland Cabinet and Ministry, Blue carbon partnership an Australian first, 24 July 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200924095113/https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/87966|archive-date=24 September 2020|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} The area is described as the "Blue Heart", and spans more than 5000 hectares aimed to preserve the benefits of the natural ecosystem of the wetland areas whilst improving human and environmental health and working toward a zero net emissions target.{{cite web|url=https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Council/Planning-and-Projects/Major-Regional-Projects/The-Blue-Heart|title=Sunshine Coast Council, Blue Heart Sunshine Coast, 27 July 2020|access-date=24 September 2020|archive-date=22 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922104738/https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Council/Planning-and-Projects/Major-Regional-Projects/The-Blue-Heart|url-status=live}}

The Maroochy River and wetland areas bordered by Bli Bli, Marcoola, Mudjimba, Diddillibah, Twin Waters and Maroochydore suburbs consist of several Australian Commonwealth, "nationally important wetlands" and "protected area" locations.{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/webgis-framework/apps/pmst/pmst.jsf|title=Protected Matters Search Tool, Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment website, published: 28 May 2015|access-date=22 September 2020|archive-date=8 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508020652/http://www.environment.gov.au/webgis-framework/apps/pmst/pmst.jsf|url-status=live}}

Significant floods on the Maroochy River occurred in 1893, 1951, 1974 and 1992.{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/brochures/maroochy/maroochy.shtml |title=Flood Warning System For The Maroochy River |access-date=25 May 2009 |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology (Australia) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906162105/http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/brochures/maroochy/maroochy.shtml |archive-date=6 September 2008 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} In 1994, the Maroochy River flood warning system was set up to provide river height predictions for the Maroochy Shire Council.

In the early days of settlement, the only way to travel from Yandina to Maroochydore was by boat along the Maroochy River.{{Cite web|url=https://heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Stories/Backward-Glance/Maroochy-River|title=Sunshine Coast Council - Heritage|website=Sunshine Coast Council|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190316014737/https://heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Stories/Backward-Glance/Maroochy-River|archive-date=16 March 2019|url-status=live|access-date=15 May 2019|df=dmy-all}}

By 1930, the growth of urban settlements improved due to changes in transport access in the Maroochy River region.

The mouth of the river was affected by the 2009 southeast Queensland oil spill, reaching about {{convert|2|km}} upstream of the Maroochy Bridge.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/03/13/2515382.htm |title=Oil spill spreads upstream |author1=Janel Shorthouse |author2=Sara Hicks |author3=Bruce Atkinson |access-date=26 May 2009 |date=13 March 2009 |work=ABC Sunshine & Cooloola Coasts Queensland |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316092652/http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/03/13/2515382.htm |archive-date=16 March 2009 }}

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• List of rivers of Australia

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{{Rivers of Queensland}}

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Category:Rivers of Queensland

Category:Geography of Sunshine Coast, Queensland