The Ovens River joins the Murray River a little east of the twin towns of Yarrawonga and Mulwala.
Ovens
Etymology In honour of Major Ovens, the Secretary to
Governor Thomas Brisbane
[1] Native name Country
Australia State
Victoria Region
Australian Alps (
IBRA ),
Victorian Alps ,
Hume
Local government areas
Alpine Shire ,
Wangaratta City ,
Moira Shire Towns and cities
Harrietville ,
Bright ,
Porepunkah ,
Myrtleford ,
Wangaratta Source
Great Dividing Range
Source confluence East and West Branches of the Ovens River • location
Harrietville • coordinates
36°53′15″S 147°3′45″E / 36.88750°S 147.06250°E / -36.88750; 147.06250 • elevation 529 m (1,736 ft)
Mouth
confluence with the
Murray River • location
near
Bundalong • coordinates
36°2′15″S 146°10′38″E / 36.03750°S 146.17722°E / -36.03750; 146.17722 • elevation
125 m (410 ft) Length 191 km (119 mi) Basin size 7,778 km2 (3,003 sq mi) Discharge • average 46 m3 /s (1,600 cu ft/s)
River system North-East
Murray catchment,
Murray-Darling basin Tributaries • left
Morses Creek ,
Buckland River (Victoria) ,
Buffalo River (Victoria) ,
King River (Victoria)
National parks
Alpine NP ,
Mount Buffalo NP
[4]
The Ovens River , a
perennial river of the north-east
Murray catchment, part of the
Murray-Darling basin , is located in the
Alpine and
Hume regions of the
Australian state of
Victoria .
Location and features
Formed by the
confluence of the East and West Branches of the river, the Ovens River rises in the
Victorian Alps , at the settlement of
Harrietville , sourced by runoff from high slopes located within the
Alpine National Park and the
Mount Buffalo National Park . The river flows generally north by west and is joined by eighteen tributaries including
Morses Creek at
Bright , the
Buckland River at
Porepunkah , the
Buffalo River and then the
King River at
Wangaratta . The river descends 405 metres (1,329 ft) over its 191-kilometre (119 mi)
course .
[4] The
Great Alpine Road follows much of the course of the river in its upper reaches.
[4]
Ovens Valley
The river flows through the Ovens Valley, which is a popular tourist destination servicing the ski fields of
Mount Hotham ,
Mount Buffalo and
Falls Creek , the Alpine National Park and the Mount Buffalo National Park. Air sports such as
gliding and
paragliding are also practised here, and there is a
hedge maze at
Wandiligong . A disused railway line has been converted to the
Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail , a
cycle trail which stretches from Wangaratta and
Beechworth to
Bright .
There are several
wineries in the area, and many
hops farms. The wineries are a popular stop for cyclists on their touring rides.
Tobacco was a major industry in the valley until 2006; that year saw the
British American Tobacco and
Philip Morris companies decide to no longer buy Australian tobacco, and the Federal Government began implementing a plan to transition growers out of this industry.
[5] Reminders of the valley's long and prosperous tobacco history continue to dot the valley, such as the many tobacco kilns.
Etymology
Hamilton Hume and William Hovell explored the area in 1824, naming the Ovens River in honour of Major
John Ovens , the Secretary to
Thomas Brisbane , the Colonial
Governor of New South Wales .
[1]
In the Aboriginal
Waywurru language , the river has two names: Burwang , with no clearly defined meaning;
[2] and Djerrang , meaning "leaf".
[2]
List of towns
See also
Gallery
References
External links
Media related to
Ovens River at Wikimedia Commons
Waterways of the North–East catchment,
Victoria , Australia
Rivers Creeks
Back (Indigo)
Beetoomba
Benambra
Black Dog
Black Mare
Black Range
Boggy (Wangaratta)
Buckwong
Buenba
Buffalo Creek
Burgoigee
Burrowye
Cobungra Creek
Corryong
Cudgewa
Davies Plain
Dead Horse
Diddah Diddah
Dinner
Dry Forest
Elkins
Evans
Factory
Fairyknowe
Fifteen Mile
Guys Forest
Happy Valley
Hodgsons
House
Hurdle
Indigo
Johnston
Jones (Mitta Mitta)
Kane
Kichington
Koetong
Lightning
Little Scrubby
Little Snowy
Limestone
Livingstone
Log Bridge
Meadow
Middle (East Gippsland)
Middle (Wodonga)
Morass
Morses
Mountain
Murtagh
Omeo
Reedy (Towong)
Reedy (Wangaratta)
Rocky Valley
Running (Alpine)
Sandy (Indigo)
Shady (Towong)
Simpson
Snowy
Spring (East Gippsland)
Stony (Towong)
Tallangatta
Thawgla
Tom Groggin
Walwa
Watchingorra
Wheeler
Whim
Whorouly
Wombat
Yackandandah
Yarrarabula
Lakes
Rivers that flow towards the coast
North–East catchment Goulburn Broken catchment North–Central catchment Mallee catchment
Rivers that drain inland
North–Central catchment Wimmera catchment
Murray catchment
Back (Edward)
Back (Billabong 1)
Back (Billabong 2)
Billabong
Box
Cootnite
Estuary
Forest
Four Mile
Jerra Jerra
Kangaroo
Little Billabong
Lunts
Mahonga
Mountain
Nowranie
Piccaninny
Sawyers
Sheep Wash
Simmons
Ten Mile
Tumudgery
Tuppal
Yarra Yarra
Darling catchment
Bulbodney
Burrill
Bywash Billabong
Cookopie
Coonalhugga
Genaren
Glue Pot
Gundong
Gunningbar
Kellys Cowal
Moonagee Cowal
Mulla Mulla Cowal
Nyangi Bogan Cowal
Popiltah
Redbank
Sandy (Bogan)
Stony (Darling Anabranch)
Tomingley
Barwon /
Macquarie sub-catchment
Abington
Attunga
Bakers
Bald
Berrygil
Boiling Down (Goonoo Goonoo)
Bowman
Brigalow
Bundock
Carole
Cheshire
Clay
Coolibar
Crossing
Duncans
Dungowan
Emu Swamp
Evans Plains
Ewenmar
Frazers (Coonamble)
Goonoo Goonoo
Halls (Gwydir)
Halls (Mehi)
Halls (Namoi)
Horsearm
Jamiesons
Lambruk
Limestone
Menedebri
Middlebrook (Goonoo Goonoo)
Mountain (Sandy (Peel 2))
Moonbi
Moore
Moredun
Mulla Mulla
Oakey (Peel)
Oakey (Jamiesons)
Queen Charlottes
Quegobla
Quirindi
Reedy (Peel)
Sandy (Bogan)
Sandy (Bohena)
Sandy (Gwydir)
Sandy (Jamiesons)
Sandy (Peel 1)
Sandy (Peel 2)
Sandy (Talbragar)
Spring (Goonoo Goonoo)
Swamp Oak
Tangaratta
Timbumburi
Tycannah
Murrumbidgee catchment