Wickham River
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Wickham
| name_native =
| name_native_lang =
| name_other =
| name_etymology = John Clements Wickham
| image =
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| map =
| map_size = 250
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Australia Northern Territory
| pushpin_map_size = 250
| pushpin_map_caption= Location of the Wickham River mouth in the Northern Territory
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Australia
| subdivision_type2 = Territory
| subdivision_name2 = Northern Territory
| subdivision_type3 = Region
| subdivision_name3 = Victoria Bonaparte (IBRA)
| subdivision_type4 =
| subdivision_name4 =
| subdivision_type5 =
| subdivision_name5 =
| length = {{convert|198|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location=
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|11.9|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max =
| source1 = Mount Kimon
| source1_location =
| source1_coordinates=
| source1_elevation = {{convert|330|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth = Victoria River
| mouth_location =
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|17|01|31|S|129|57|52|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|74|m|abbr=on}}
| progression =
| river_system =
| basin_size = {{convert|5018|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left = Midnight Creek, Broadarrow Creek, Cusack Creek, Humbert River
| tributaries_right = Soda Springs Creek, Depot Creek (Northern Territory), Gibbie Creek
| custom_label = National park
| custom_data = Judbarra / Gregory NP
| extra = {{cite web|url=http://www.bonzle.com.au/c/a?a=p&p=210413&cmd=sp|title=Map of Wickham River, NT|accessdate=30 April 2015|work=Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lrm.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/20802/overviewvrc.pdf|title=Overview of the Victoria River Catchment|accessdate=30 April 2015|work=Top End Waterways Project|publisher=Government of the Northern Territory}}
}}
The Wickham River is an ephemeral river, located in the Victoria Bonaparte bioregion of the Northern Territory in Australia.
Course and features
The headwaters of the Wickham River are situated on an area of rugged stony hills and a sandstone plateau as the river rises on the southeastern slopes of Mt Kimon. It flows generally northeast, joined by seven tributaries including the Humbert River, Soda Springs Creek, Depot Creek and Broadarrow Creek and through one permanent waterhole, Johnston Billabong, before reaching its confluence with the Victoria River, south of the Fitzgerald Range near Pompey Knob. The Wickham River descends {{convert|256|m}} over its {{convert|198|km|adj=on}} course.
The Judbarra / Gregory National Park was established in 1981 encompassing much of the catchment. Mount Sanford was exhumed to enlarge the park boundaries in 1996.
The Wickham flows for only six months of the year, during the wet season. During the dry season, a string of waterholes form along the course of the river some of which are spring-fed and almost permanent.
When Lawrence Wells started his trigonometric survey of the Northern Territory in 1905 he formed his depot on the Wickham River not too far from Victoria River Downs Station homestead.{{cite web|url=http://guides.naa.gov.au/records-about-northern-territory/part2/chapter9/9.1.aspx|title=Lands and Survey Branches|accessdate=30 April 2015|publisher=National Archives of Australia}}
The area surrounding the Wickham River are the traditional lands of the Aboriginal community of Yarralin, also known as Walangeri.{{cite web|url=http://kwhb.com.au/clinics/yaralin-chc|title=Yarralin|accessdate=30 April 2015|publisher=Katherine West Health Board Aboriginal Corporation}}
Etymology
The river is named in honour of Captain John Clements Wickham who sailed up the {{convert|200|km|mi|0}} Victoria River in 1839 aboard HMS Beagle.{{cite web|url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/vrd.htm|title=Victoria River Downs (VRD) - The Big Run|accessdate=30 April 2015|publisher=Flinders Ranges Research}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Water|Environment}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Rivers of the Northern Territory |state=collapsed}}