Paroo River
{{Short description|River in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Paroo
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| name_other = Paroo Channel, Paroo River Channels{{NSW GNR|id=ujYbWyxOJP |title=Paroo River|date=6 May 1977|access-date=10 February 2013}}
| name_etymology =
| image = Paroo River Wanaaring-2001-07-01.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Paroo River at Wanaaring, New South Wales
| map =
| map_size = 250
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Australia New South Wales
| pushpin_map_size = 250
| pushpin_map_caption= Location of the Paroo River mouth in New South Wales
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Australia
| subdivision_type2 = States
| subdivision_name2 = Queensland, New South Wales
| subdivision_type3 = Region
| subdivision_name3 = South West Queensland, Far West, New South Wales
| subdivision_type4 =
| subdivision_name4 =
| subdivision_type5 =
| subdivision_name5 =
| length = {{convert|1210|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location=
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|15|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max =
| source1 = Mariala National Park
| source1_location = west of Augathella, Queensland
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|26|07|56|S|145|10|39|E|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|336|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth = confluence with the Darling River in wetter seasons
| mouth_location = north of White Cliffs, New South Wales
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|31|33|30|S|143|27|08|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|94|m|abbr=on}}
| progression =
| river_system = Darling River catchment,
Murray–Darling basin
| basin_size = {{convert|60095|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left =
| tributaries_right =
| custom_label = Reservoirs
| custom_data = Buckenby Waterhole, Humeburn Waterhole, Corni Paroo Waterhole, Caiwarro Waterhole, Thoulcanna Dam, Talyealye Billabong and Budtha Waterhole
}}
The Paroo River, a series of waterholes, connected in wet weather as a running stream of the Darling catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West region of Queensland and Far West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Paarkantji people.
Paroo is the local Aboriginal word for the bony bream fish, which are common in the river.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129819078 |title=The Story of John Conrick, Pioneer |newspaper=The News |volume=I |issue=12 |location=South Australia |date=6 August 1923 |accessdate=15 July 2023 |page=10 (Home Edition) |via=National Library of Australia}}
Course and features
The river rises in the gorge country of western Queensland south of the Mariala National Park, and flows generally south and spreads into the vast floodplains of New South Wales, eventually reaching the Paroo overflow lakes. Most commonly, the Paroo River terminates on the floodplain south of Wanaaring; and only reaches the Darling River in the wettest of years,{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/ewater/northern/paroo/index.html |title=Paroo catchment |work=Commonwealth Environmental Water Office |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |date=13 December 2012 |access-date=10 February 2013}} otherwise spilling into the Paroo River Wetlands. The river is joined by forty-three minor tributaries; as it descends {{convert|242|m}} over its {{convert|1210|km|adj=on}} course.
The Paroo River is the last remaining free-flowing river in the northern part of the Murray-Darling basin, and is impounded by the natural formation of the Buckenby Waterhole, Humeburn Waterhole, Corni Paroo Waterhole, Caiwarro Waterhole, Thoulcanna Dam, Talyealye Billabong and Budtha Waterhole.
=Wetlands=
The Paroo River wetlands in north-western New South Wales are important for threatened species such as the freckled duck and the Australian painted snipe. The wetlands lie within the Paroo Floodplain and Currawinya Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance, when conditions are suitable, for large numbers of waterbirds.{{cite web |url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Paroo Floodplain & Currawinya |access-date=13 September 2011 |work=Birdata |publisher=Birds Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}
On 20 September 2007, Malcolm Turnbull, the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, announced that the Paroo River Wetlands in north-west New South Wales would be listed under the Ramsar Convention as wetlands of international importance, making them Australia's 65th Ramsar site.{{cite press release |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/archive/env/2007/pubs/mr20sep07.pdf |author=Turnbull, Malcolm |author-link=Malcolm Turnbull |title=Outback NSW westland internationally recognised |date=20 September 2007 |work=Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |access-date=10 February 2013}}
Cultural references
Henry Lawson described the ephemeral nature of the Paroo River in a poem, "The Paroo 'River'" (1894):
But soon he saw a strip of groundThat crossed the track we followed—
No barer than the surface round
Gallery
See also
{{Portal|Queensland|New South Wales|Water|Environment}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Water/Wetlands/paroo-river-wetlands-ramsar-site-ecological-character-description-100213.pdf Ecological character description for Paroo River Wetlands Ramsar site – NSW Govt]
{{Rivers of New South Wales |state=autocollapse}}
{{Rivers of Queensland}}
{{Rivers of the Darling River catchment |state=autocollapse}}
{{Rivers of the Murray–Darling basin|state=collapsed}}
{{Ramsar sites in Australia}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Ramsar sites in Australia
Category:Tributaries of the Darling River