Map of Yarra River and its tributaries

The Yarra River is a river in East-Central Victoria, Australia that flows through the city of Melbourne. This article contains explanations and lists of the river's tributaries and other geographic features. The river flows atop layers of silt that built up within an ancient river valley around 10,000-15,000 years ago.

The river's major tributaries are the Plenty River, Merri Creek, Darebin Creek, Diamond Creek, Gardiners Creek, Mullum Mullum Creek and the Moonee Ponds Creek. It hosts a wide range of geographic features including; bends, rapids, lakes, islands, floodplains, billabongs, wetlands, etc. Most features have been named after translated Woiwurrung phrases or have European, particularly British, origins.

The Yarra River has two other names "the upside down river" and "Birrarung". The Yarra was for say nicknamed the upside down river because of the way some of it looked. Birrarung was the first name that the indigenous Australians gave it.

Tributaries

The Little Yarra River at Yarra Junction, 2009

The Yarra River has about 50 named tributaries; 6 rivers, 42 creeks and 2 gullies. At its most easterly point, it is fed by many small unnamed creeks and streams that begin in the Yarra Ranges within the Yarra Ranges National Park, which are sometimes fed by snowfalls. Below is a list of its tributaries (from downstream to upstream):[1]

Rivers of the Yarra River basin
Catchment riverElevation at
confluence
River mouthCoordinates[2][3]River length
Tributary
Tributary
Tributary
Tributary
Tributary
Tributary
Yarra River0 m (0 ft)Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip37°51′7″S 144°54′30″E / 37.85194°S 144.90833°E / -37.85194; 144.90833 (Yarra River)242 km (150 mi)
Stony Creek0 m (0 ft)Yarracirca 5 km (3 mi)
Maribyrnong River1 m (3 ft 3 in)Yarra37°45′19″S 144°50′57″E / 37.75528°S 144.84917°E / -37.75528; 144.84917 (Maribyrnong River)39 km (24 mi)
Steele Creek5 m (16 ft)Maribyrnong8 km (5 mi)
Taylors Creek20 m (66 ft)Maribyrnong13 km (8 mi)
Jackson Creek42 m (138 ft)Maribyrnong71 km (44 mi)
Longview Creek270 m (890 ft)Jackson8 km (5 mi)
Riddells Creek296 m (971 ft)Jackson15 km (9 mi)
Deep Creek42 m (138 ft)Maribyrnong128 km (80 mi)
Konagaderra Creek164 m (538 ft)Deep37°29′36″S 144°50′27″E / 37.49333°S 144.84083°E / -37.49333; 144.84083 (Konagaderra Creek)17 km (11 mi)
Boyd Creek243 m (797 ft)Deep12 km (7 mi)
Lintons Creek277 m (909 ft)Boyd11 km (7 mi)
No 3 Creek313 m (1,027 ft)Boyd13 km (8 mi)
Emu Creek270 m (890 ft)Deep8 km (5 mi)
Bolinda (Emu) Creek282 m (925 ft)Emu9 km (6 mi)
Bolinda Creek340 m (1,120 ft)Bolinda (Emu)9 km (6 mi)
Sandy Creek380 m (1,250 ft)Bolinda9 km (6 mi)
Moonee Ponds Creek1 m (3 ft 3 in)Yarra37°45′39″S 144°55′59″E / 37.76083°S 144.93306°E / -37.76083; 144.93306 (Moonee Ponds Creek)31 km (19 mi)
Kooyong Koot Creek (Gardiners Creek)12 m (39 ft)Yarra37°52′18″S 145°05′23″E / 37.87167°S 145.08972°E / -37.87167; 145.08972 (Gardiners Creek)17 km (11 mi)
Merri Creek14 m (46 ft)Yarra37°40′01″S 144°58′35″E / 37.66694°S 144.97639°E / -37.66694; 144.97639 (Merri Creek)69 km (43 mi)
Darebin Creek18 m (59 ft)Yarra37°39′32″S 145°02′08″E / 37.65889°S 145.03556°E / -37.65889; 145.03556 (Darebin Creek)43 km (27 mi)
Glass CreekYarra
Koonung Koonung Creek16 m (52 ft)Yarra37°47′11″S 145°06′16″E / 37.78639°S 145.10444°E / -37.78639; 145.10444 (Koonung Koonung Creek)11 km (7 mi)
Salt CreekYarra37°44′27″S 145°04′19″E / 37.74083°S 145.07194°E / -37.74083; 145.07194 (Salt Creek)
Banyule CreekYarra
Plenty River19 m (62 ft)Yarra37°36′46″S 145°06′20″E / 37.61278°S 145.10556°E / -37.61278; 145.10556 (Plenty River)47 km (29 mi)
Barber Creek169 m (554 ft)Plenty17 km (11 mi)
Bruces Creek189 m (620 ft)Plenty21 km (13 mi)
Scrubby Creek197 m (646 ft)Plenty11 km (7 mi)
Ruffey Creek17 m (56 ft)Yarra37°46′08″S 145°08′22″E / 37.76889°S 145.13944°E / -37.76889; 145.13944 (Ruffey Creek)11 km (7 mi)
Kestrel CreekYarra
Diamond Creek30 m (98 ft)Yarra37°37′42″S 145°12′38″E / 37.62833°S 145.21056°E / -37.62833; 145.21056 (Diamond Creek)11 km (7 mi)
Mullum Mullum Creek28 m (92 ft)Yarra37°46′25″S 145°11′21″E / 37.77361°S 145.18917°E / -37.77361; 145.18917 (Mullum Mullum Creek)11 km (7 mi)
Stony CreekYarra37°42′58″S 145°12′30″E / 37.71611°S 145.20833°E / -37.71611; 145.20833 (Stony Creek)
Andersons Creek17 m (56 ft)Yarra37°44′59″S 145°12′38″E / 37.74972°S 145.21056°E / -37.74972; 145.21056 (Andersons Creek)11 km (7 mi)
Parson GullyYarra
Jumping CreekYarra37°45′42″S 145°15′27″E / 37.76167°S 145.25750°E / -37.76167; 145.25750 (Jumping Creek)
Pigeon Bank GullyYarra37°42′44″S 145°14′26″E / 37.71222°S 145.24056°E / -37.71222; 145.24056 (Pigeon Bank Gully)
Watsons Creek47 m (154 ft)Yarra37°39′08″S 145°18′02″E / 37.65222°S 145.30056°E / -37.65222; 145.30056 (Watsons Creek)18 km (11 mi)
Brushy Creek65 m (213 ft)Yarra37°45′41″S 145°17′45″E / 37.76139°S 145.29583°E / -37.76139; 145.29583 (Brushy Creek)9 km (6 mi)
Olinda CreekYarra37°45′57″S 145°21′17″E / 37.76583°S 145.35472°E / -37.76583; 145.35472 (Olinda Creek)
Steels CreekYarra37°37′15″S 145°22′31″E / 37.62083°S 145.37528°E / -37.62083; 145.37528 (Steels Creek)
Pauls Creek74 m (243 ft)Yarra37°38′26″S 145°26′02″E / 37.64056°S 145.43389°E / -37.64056; 145.43389 (Pauls Creek)15 km (9 mi)
Watts River80 m (260 ft)Yarra37°37′29″S 145°39′34″E / 37.62472°S 145.65944°E / -37.62472; 145.65944 (Watts River)29 km (18 mi)
Meyers Creek92 m (302 ft)Watts37°35′20″S 145°31′02″E / 37.58889°S 145.51722°E / -37.58889; 145.51722 (Meyers Creek)9 km (5.6 mi)
Badger CreekYarra37°41′14″S 145°35′41″E / 37.68722°S 145.59472°E / -37.68722; 145.59472 (Badger Creek)
Woori Yallock CreekYarra37°43′52″S 145°29′53″E / 37.73111°S 145.49806°E / -37.73111; 145.49806 (Woori Yallock Creek)
Ure CreekYarra37°45′18″S 145°32′50″E / 37.75500°S 145.54722°E / -37.75500; 145.54722 (Ure Creek)
Hoddles CreekYarra37°47′35″S 145°34′54″E / 37.79306°S 145.58167°E / -37.79306; 145.58167 (Hoddles Creek)
Don RiverYarra37°45′20″S 145°35′13″E / 37.75556°S 145.58694°E / -37.75556; 145.58694 (Don River)
Little Yarra River108 m (354 ft)Yarra37°50′16″S 145°40′46″E / 37.83778°S 145.67944°E / -37.83778; 145.67944 (Little Yarra River)24 km (15 mi)
Britannia Creek123 m (404 ft)Little Yarra37°47′47″S 145°41′02″E / 37.79639°S 145.68389°E / -37.79639; 145.68389 (Britannia Creek)11 km (6.8 mi)
Don CreekYarra37°45′47″S 145°36′21″E / 37.76306°S 145.60583°E / -37.76306; 145.60583 (Don Creek)
Platts CreekYarra37°45′15″S 145°37′15″E / 37.75417°S 145.62083°E / -37.75417; 145.62083 (Platts Creek)
Frenchman CreekYarra37°44′23″S 145°37′41″E / 37.73972°S 145.62806°E / -37.73972; 145.62806 (Frenchman Creek)
Yankee Jim CreekYarra37°46′21″S 145°39′21″E / 37.77250°S 145.65583°E / -37.77250; 145.65583 (Yankee Jim Creek)
Dee RiverYarra37°44′59″S 145°38′41″E / 37.74972°S 145.64472°E / -37.74972; 145.64472 (Dee River)
Scotchman CreekYarra
Four Mile CreekYarra37°46′03″S 145°42′25″E / 37.76750°S 145.70694°E / -37.76750; 145.70694 (Four Mile Creek)
Pheasant CreekYarra37°45′31″S 145°42′52″E / 37.75861°S 145.71444°E / -37.75861; 145.71444 (Pheasant Creek)
Starling CreekYarra37°45′56″S 145°43′36″E / 37.76556°S 145.72667°E / -37.76556; 145.72667 (Starling Creek)
Big Pats Creek171 m (561 ft)Yarra37°48′22″S 145°45′06″E / 37.80611°S 145.75167°E / -37.80611; 145.75167 (Big Pats Creek)12 km (7 mi)
Dead Horse CreekYarra37°43′39″S 145°45′31″E / 37.72750°S 145.75861°E / -37.72750; 145.75861 (Dead Horse Creek)
Cement CreekYarra37°42′50″S 145°44′31″E / 37.71389°S 145.74194°E / -37.71389; 145.74194 (Cement Creek)
Braham CreekYarra37°45′11″S 145°47′32″E / 37.75306°S 145.79222°E / -37.75306; 145.79222 (Braham Creek)
McDonald CreekYarra37°44′59″S 145°47′49″E / 37.74972°S 145.79694°E / -37.74972; 145.79694 (McDonald Creek)
Crooked CreekYarra
Starvation Creek219 m (719 ft)Yarra37°45′39″S 145°51′16″E / 37.76083°S 145.85444°E / -37.76083; 145.85444 (Starvation Creek)14 km (9 mi)
McMahons Creek252 m (827 ft)Yarra37°42′48″S 145°52′00″E / 37.71333°S 145.86667°E / -37.71333; 145.86667 (McMahons Creek)14 km (9 mi)
Armstrong Creek275 m (902 ft)Yarra37°39′56″S 145°50′58″E / 37.66556°S 145.84944°E / -37.66556; 145.84944 (Armstrong Creek)13 km (8 mi)
Armstrong Creek East Branch352 m (1,155 ft)Armstrong37°37′31″S 145°53′26″E / 37.62528°S 145.89056°E / -37.62528; 145.89056 (Armstrong Creek East Branch)8 km (5 mi)
Alderman Creek357 m (1,171 ft)Yarra37°43′37″S 145°56′45″E / 37.72694°S 145.94583°E / -37.72694; 145.94583 (Alderman Creek)12 km (7 mi)
Walsh Creek357 m (1,171 ft)Yarra37°36′28″S 145°56′52″E / 37.60778°S 145.94778°E / -37.60778; 145.94778 (Walsh Creek)19 km (12 mi)
Clear Creek357 m (1,171 ft)Walsh37°40′15″S 145°58′10″E / 37.67083°S 145.96944°E / -37.67083; 145.96944 (Clear Creek)12 km (7 mi)
Baker Creek488 m (1,601 ft)Yarra37°45′38″S 145°49′14″E / 37.76056°S 145.82056°E / -37.76056; 145.82056 (Baker Creek)7 km (4 mi)
Woods Creek532 m (1,745 ft)Yarra37°43′02″S 146°07′19″E / 37.71722°S 146.12194°E / -37.71722; 146.12194 (Woods Creek)11 km (7 mi)
Mmbw Channel775 m (2,543 ft)Yarra23 km (14 mi)

Geographical features

Bolin Bolin Billabong, cut off in 1100 AD, shown here in 2008 at 10-15% its volume

The Yarra River hosts a wide range of geographical features, perhaps the most plentiful of which are billabongs, of which there are over 100, particularly in the floodplains near Yering, Yarra Glen and Coldstream. Being a considerably thin river for almost its entire length, there are very few islands or lakes. In the middle reaches there are a few rapids of easy to moderate difficulty, however these are sparsely distributed. Below is a list of the river's geographical features, including tributaries (shown in bold) and man-made features or townships (shown in italics), for bearings (from downstream to upstream):[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Melway, Edition 35, 2008
  2. "Place name search". VICNAMES. State Government of Victoria. Archived from the original on 2014-01-26.
  3. "Gazetteer of Australia Place Name Search". Geoscience Australia. Australian Government.
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