Rivers of New South Wales

This page discusses the rivers and hydrography of the state of New South Wales, Australia.

The principal topographic feature of New South Wales is the series of low highlands and plateaus called the Great Dividing Range, which extend from north to south roughly parallel to the coast of the Coral and Tasman seas of the South Pacific Ocean.

The two main categories of rivers in New South Wales, are those that rise in the Great Dividing Range and flow eastwards to the sea, the Coastal NSW Rivers; and those that rise on the other side of the crest of the range and flow westward, the Inland NSW Rivers. Most of the inland rivers eventually combine into the Murray-Darling network of rivers, which drains to the sea in South Australia.

Major rivers

The following rivers are the longest river systems, by length.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+Longest rivers in New South Wales by length

!rowspan=2| Order

!rowspan=2| River name

!colspan=2| Length

!rowspan=2| Region(s)

!rowspan=2| Notes

! km

! mi

| || Murray || ||align=left|Riverina || align=left|Approx. of the river course is located within NSW. Also Australia's longest river.

| || Murrumbidgee || ||align=left|Riverina || align=left|Approx. of the river course is located within NSW. Also Australia's second longest river.

| || Darling || ||align=left|Far West || align=left| Entire course of the river is located in NSW. Also Australia's third longest river.

| || Lachlan || ||align=left|Central West and Riverina || align=left| Entire course of the river is located in NSW. Also Australia's fourth longest river.

| || Macquarie || ||align=left|Central West || align=left| Entire course of the river is located in NSW.

| || Barwon || ||align=left|North West Slopes || align=left| Entire course of the river is located in NSW.

Coastal rivers

Due to the relatively close proximity of the Great Dividing Range to the eastern coast of New South Wales, in general, the coastal rivers are short, navigable only in their lowest reaches, if at all, and subject to flooding in periods of high rainfall. The inland rivers have little water, are also subject to flooding, and their limited resources are extensively used for irrigation in the more arid inland agricultural districts of the State. On all of the significant inland rivers, large dams have been constructed to regulate the water flow, to facilitate irrigation, and in some cases, to generate hydro-power.

For administrative purposes, the rivers are generally grouped into four major catchments defined by their drainage basin, and then a series of sub-catchments. The following is a list of the coastal rivers in New South Wales, in order from north to south, grouped according to catchment and sub-catchments, from mouth to upper reaches, organised by tributary:

Northern Rivers catchment

Tweed River sub-catchment

Coral Sea
Tweed River
Oxley River
Rous River

Brunswick River sub-catchment

Coral Sea
Brunswick River

Richmond River sub-catchment

Coral Sea
Evans River
Richmond River
Bungawalbin Creek
Wilsons River
Coopers Creek (designated as a river)
Leycester Creek (designated as a river)
Back Creek (designated as a river)
Eden Creek (designated as a river)
Sandy Creek (designated as a river)
Shannon Brook (designated as a river)

Clarence River sub-catchment

Coral Sea
Clarence River
Mann River
Nymboida River
Boundary Creek (Nymboida) (designated as a river)
Blicks River
Glen Fernaigh River
Boundary Creek (Glen Fernaigh) (designated as a river)
Clouds Creek (designated as a river)
Boyd River
Sara River
Oban River
Nowlands Creek (designated as a river)
Guy Fawkes River
Aberfoyle River
Chandlers Creek (designated as a river)
Little Murray River
Bielsdown River
Little Nymboida River
Bobo River
Henry River
Yarrow River
Tooloom Creek (designated as a river)
Beaury Creek (designated as a river)
Cataract River
Coldstream River
Timbarra River
Orara River
Urumbilum River
Kangaroo River
Towallum River
Esk River
Corindi River
Maryland River
Boonoo Boonoo River
Sandon River
Wooli Wooli River
Barcoongere River

Bellinger River sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Bellinger River
Never Never River
Rosewood River
Kalang River

Nambucca-Macleay River sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Nambucca River
Taylors Arm (designated as a river)
Macleay River
Apsley River
Tia River
Yarrowitch River
Warnes River
Chandler River
Oaky River
Styx River
Wollomombi River
Dyke River
Gara River
Commissioners Waters (designated as a river)
Georges Creek (designated as a river)
Blue Mountain Creek (designated as a river)
Christmas Creek (designated as a river)
Kunderang Brook (designated as a river)

Hastings River sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Hastings River
Forbes River
Pappinbarra River
Tobins River
Thone River
Ellenborough River
Doyles River
Maria River
Wilson River
Camden Haven River

Hunter and Central Rivers catchment

Manning River sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Manning River
Pigna Barney River
Barnard River
Back River
Myall River
Curricabark River
Nowendoc River
Cooplacurripa River
Mummel River
Walcrow River
Rowleys River
Burns Creek (designated as a river)
Cells River
Connollys Creek (designated as a river)
Dingo Creek (designated as a river)
Bobin Creek (designated as a river)
Caparra Creek (designated as a river)
Cedar Party Creek (designated as a river)
Dawson River
Lansdowne River
Gloucester River
Barrington River
Cobark River
Dilgry River
Moppy River
Kerripit River
Bowman River
Avon River

Great Lakes sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Coolongolook River
Wallamba River
Wallingat River
Wang Wauk River
Karuah River
Mammy Johnsons River
Wards River
The Branch River
Telegherry River
Myall River
Crawford River

Hunter River sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Hunter River
Pages Creek (designated as a river)
Moonan Brook (designated as a river)
Stewarts Brook (designated as a river)
Paterson River
Allyn River
Williams River
Chichester River
Wangat River
Rouchel Brook (designated as a river)
Pages River
Isis River
Goulburn River
Munmurra River
Cooba Bulga Stream (designated as a river)
Cattle Creek (designated as a river)
Krui River
Bow River
Merriwa River
Worondi Rivulet
Bylong River
Growee River
Lee Creek (designated as a river)
Baerami Creek (designated as a river)
Widden Brook (designated as a river)
Blackwater Creek (designated as a river)
Wollombi Brook
Congewai Creek (designated as a river)
Cedar Creek (designated as a river)

Sydney basin catchment

Central Coast sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Lake Macquarie
Dora Creek (designated as a river)
Tuggerah Lake
Budgewoi Lake
Lake Munmorah
Wyong River
Cedar Brush Creek
Wamberal Lagoon
Terrigal Lagoon
Avoca Lake
Nunns Creek
Erina River

Hawkesbury-Nepean sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Hawkesbury River
Grose River
Nepean River
Glenbrook Creek
Erskine Creek
Bedford Creek
Glen Erskine Creek
Warragamba River
Coxs River
Kedumba River
Little River (Oberon)
Jenolan River
Kowmung River
Hollanders River
Tuglow River
Wollondilly River
Paddys River
Tonalli River
Nattai River
Little River (Wollondilly)
Tarlo River
Jooriland River
Mulwaree River
Wingecarribee River
Joadja Creek
Little River (Wingecarribee)
Burke River
Little Burke River
Cordeaux River
Avon River
Cataract River
Bargo River
Colo River
Wollemi Creek
Wollangambe River
Wolgan River
Capertee River
South Creek
Eastern Creek
Breakfast Creek
Bells Creek
Reedy Creek
Kemps Creek
Bonds Creek
Blaxland Creek
Ropes Creek
Badgerys Creek
Macdonald River
Mangrove Creek (designated as a river)
Mooney Mooney Creek (designated as a river)
Berowra Creek
Cowan Creek
Coal and Candle Creek
Smiths Creek
Pittwater

Sydney Metropolitan sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Bilgola Creek
Port Jackson
Middle Harbour
Middle Harbour Creek
Parramatta River
Iron Cove Creek
Hawthorne Canal
Lane Cove River
Gore Creek
Scout Creek
Devlins Creek
Terrys Creek
Tarban Creek
Powells Creek
Saleyards Creek
Haslams Creek
Duck River
A'Becketts Creek
Duck Creek
Little Duck Creek
Charity Creek
Smalls Creek
Archer Creek
Subiaco Creek
The Ponds Creek
Vineyard Creek
Darling Mills Creek
Toongabbie Creek
Blacktown Creek
Whites Creek
Johnstons Creek
Orphan School Creek
Botany Bay
Cooks River
Coxs Creek
Wolli Creek
Bardwell Creek
Cup and Saucer Creek
Alexandra Canal
Georges River
Cabramatta Creek
Prospect Creek
Orphan School Creek (Fairfield)
Clear Paddock Creek
Salt Pan Creek
Woronora River
Boggywell Creek
Port Hacking
Hacking River

Southern Rivers catchment

Illawarra sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Lake Illawarra
Minnamurra River
Port Kembla

Shoalhaven River sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Shoalhaven River
Kangaroo River
Mongarlowe River
Corang River
Endrick River
St Georges Basin

Eurobodalla catchment

Tasman Sea
Clyde River
Yadboro River
Bimberamala River
Buckenbowra River
Moruya River
Deua River
Araluen Creek (designated as a river)
Majors Creek (designated as a river)
Bettowynd Creek (designated as a river)
Tomaga River
Tuross River
Back River
Wadbilliga River
Queens Pound River
Yowrie River
Pambula River
Yowaka River

Far South Coast sub-catchment

Tasman Sea
Bega River
Brogo River
Bemboka River
Nunnock River
Bermagui River
Genoa River
White Rock River
Wallagaraugh River
Imlay Creek (designated as a river)
Merimbula Lake
Merrica River
Murrah River
Dry River
Nadgee River
Twofold Bay
Nullica River
Towamba River
Wog Wog River
Pambula River
Wonboyn River

Snowy River sub-catchment

Bass Strait
Snowy River (mouth located in Victoria)
Mowamba River
Maclaughlin River
Jacobs River
Delegate River
Bombala River
Undowah River
Coolumbooka River
Little Plains River
Bendoc River
Queensborough River
Pinch River
Eucumbene River
Gungarlin River
Burrungubugge River
Thredbo River
Little Thredbo River
Suggan Buggan River (river and mouth located in Victoria)
Ingeegoodbee River (mouth located in Victoria)

Inland-flowing rivers

The inland-flowing rivers in New South Wales can be considered in two groups. In the northern half of the state, a series of rivers rise on the western side of the Great Dividing Range. These rivers flow west and northwest and eventually combine into the Barwon, which becomes the Darling River further west near Bourke. The waters of the Darling River then flow south through the arid far west of NSW.

The second group of inland-flowing rivers in NSW rise in the southern part of the state, sourced predominantly from the western and southern slopes of the Snowy Mountains and the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, and combine directly with the Murray River, which forms the southern border of NSW with Victoria.

The two groups converge at Wentworth in the far south-west corner of the state, where the Murray River crosses the New South Wales/Victorian/South Australia border, east of Paringa in South Australia.

North-western New South Wales

Darling River in the northwestern sector of the state.
Barwon River
Bokhara River
Moonie River
MacIntyre River
Boomi River
Dumaresq River
Bluff River
Severn River (Queensland)
Mole River
Severn River, New South Wales
Beardy Waters
Gwydir River also Copeton Dam
Horton River
Moredun Creek
Rocky River
Mehi River
Namoi River also Keepit Dam
Peel River
Cockburn River
Manilla River
Mooki River
Macdonald River
Castlereagh River
Macquarie River also Burrendong Dam
Talbragar River
Coolaburragundy River
Cudgegong River
Little River
Bell River
Turon River
Crudine River
Fish River
Duckmaloi River
Campbells River
Bogan River

South-western New South Wales

In the southwestern sector of the state:

Murray River also Lake Hume
Murrumbidgee River also Burrinjuck Dam
Lachlan River also Wyangala Dam
Abercrombie River
Bolong River
Isabella River
Boorowa River
Belubula River
Crookwell River
Tumut River also Blowering Dam
Goobarragandra River
Doubtful Creek (designated as a river)
Goodradigbee River
Yass River
Molonglo River also Cotter River and other rivers of the ACT
Queanbeyan River
Jerrabomberra Creek (designated as a river)
Bredbo River
Strike-a-Light River
Edward River
Wakool River
Swampy Plain River
Geehi River see Snowy Mountains Scheme
Tooma River
Tumbarumba Creek (designated as a river)

References

External links

Guide to Sydney Rivers site