| Bell River Nandillion Ponds[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Etymology | in honour ofBrevetMajor Bell[2] |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| IBRA | South Eastern Highlands,NSW South Western Slopes |
| District | Central West |
| Municipalities | Cabonne,Wellington |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Ploughman's Creek |
| • location | March, nearOrange |
| • elevation | 726 m (2,382 ft) |
| 2nd source | Broken Shaft Creek |
| Mouth | Macquarie River |
• location | Wellington |
• elevation | 285 m (935 ft) |
| Length | 146 km (91 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Murray–Darling Basin |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Molong Creek, Curra Creek, Blathery Creek |
| • right | Nubrigan Creek, Weandre Creek |
| [3] | |
Bell River, awatercourse that is part of theMacquarie catchment within theMurray–Darling basin, is located in thecentral west region ofNew South Wales,Australia.
The river rises in the hills north-west ofOrange and flows generally north past the town ofMolong, joining theMacquarie River atWellington.[1] Thecourse of the river is generally aligned with theMitchell Highway, with the river dropping 441 metres (1,447 ft) over its 146 kilometres (91 mi)course.[3]
Platypus have often been sighted in the lower reaches of the Bell River.[4]
The original inhabitants of the land surrounding the Bell River wereAustralian Aborigines of theWiradjuri clan.[2]
The area surrounding the Bell River was first explored byJohn Oxley who named the river in honour ofBrevetMajor Bell.[2]
Alluvial gold was discovered in and along the river in 1851, inspiring a minorgold rush, most notably near theconfluence of the Nubrigyn Creek with the Bell River.[5]
Minor flooding of the Bell River occurs sporadically, before its junction with the Macquarie River, including in 1920,[6] 1926,[7] and 1990 at Newrea, where the river reached 6.77 metres (22.2 ft).[8]
