| Paroo Paroo Channel, Paroo River Channels[1] | |
|---|---|
 Paroo River atWanaaring, New South Wales | |
  Location of the Paroo Rivermouth inNew South Wales | |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| States | Queensland,New South Wales |
| Region | South West Queensland,Far West, New South Wales |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Mariala National Park |
| • location | west ofAugathella,Queensland |
| • coordinates | 26°07′56″S145°10′39″E / 26.13222°S 145.17750°E /-26.13222; 145.17750 |
| • elevation | 336 m (1,102 ft) |
| Mouth | confluence with theDarling River in wetter seasons |
• location | north ofWhite Cliffs,New South Wales |
• coordinates | 31°33′30″S143°27′08″E / 31.55833°S 143.45222°E /-31.55833; 143.45222 |
• elevation | 94 m (308 ft) |
| Length | 1,210 km (750 mi) |
| Basin size | 60,095 km2 (23,203 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 15 m3/s (530 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Darling River catchment, Murray–Darling basin |
| Reservoirs | Buckenby Waterhole, Humeburn Waterhole, Corni Paroo Waterhole, Caiwarro Waterhole, Thoulcanna Dam, Talyealye Billabong and Budtha Waterhole |
| [2] | |
TheParoo River, a series ofwaterholes, connected in wet weather as a running stream of theDarling catchment within theMurray–Darling basin, is located in theSouth West region ofQueensland andFar West region ofNew South Wales, Australia. It is the home of thePaarkantji people.
Paroo is the local Aboriginal word for thebony bream fish, which are common in the river.[3]
The river rises in the gorge country of western Queensland south of theMariala 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 ofWanaaring; and only reaches theDarling River in the wettest of years,[4] otherwise spilling into the Paroo River Wetlands. The river is joined by forty-three minor tributaries; as it descends 242 metres (794 ft) over its 1,210-kilometre (750 mi)course.[2]
The Paroo River is the last remaining free-flowing river in the northern part of the Murray-Darling basin,[5] 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.[2]
The Paroo Riverwetlands in north-western New South Wales are important for threatened species such as thefreckled duck and theAustralian painted snipe. The wetlands lie within theParoo Floodplain and Currawinya Important Bird Area, identified as such byBirdLife International because of its importance, when conditions are suitable, for large numbers ofwaterbirds.[6]
On 20 September 2007,Malcolm Turnbull, theMinister for the Environment and Water Resources, announced that the Paroo River Wetlands in north-west New South Wales would be listed under theRamsar Convention as wetlands of international importance, making them Australia's 65th Ramsar site.[5]
Henry Lawson described the ephemeral nature of the Paroo River in a poem, "The Paroo 'River'" (1894):
But soon he saw a strip of ground
That crossed the track we followed—
No barer than the surface round
But just a little hollowed.[7]
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Rivers of theMurray–Darling basin, Australia | |||||||||||||||
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