Bell River (New South Wales)
Bell River, a watercourse that is part of the Macquarie catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the central west region of New South Wales, Australia.
| Bell River Nandillion Ponds[1] | |
|---|---|
| Etymology | in honour of Brevet Major 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, near Orange |
| • 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] | |
Course
The river rises in the hills north-west of Orange and flows generally north past the town of Molong, joining the Macquarie River at Wellington.[1] The course of the river is generally aligned with the Mitchell 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]
History
Aboriginal history
The original inhabitants of the land surrounding the Bell River were Australian Aborigines of the Wiradjuri clan.[2]
European history
The area surrounding the Bell River was first explored by John Oxley who named the river in honour of Brevet Major Bell.[2]
Alluvial gold was discovered in and along the river in 1851, inspiring a minor gold rush, most notably near the confluence 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]
References
- "Bell River". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- "Travel Factsheet: Wellington". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- "Map of Bell River, NSW". Bonzle.com. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- "Platypus spotting, Wellington". Macquarie River Trails. 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- Earp, G. Butler (1853). The Gold Colonies of Australia, Their History & Progress, With Ample Details of the Gold Mines, How To Get To Them, and Every Advice to Emigrants. London: Routledge & Co. pp. 138–145. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- "Western District: The Macquarie and Castlereagh". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 July 1920. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- "The Macquarie: over the banks". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 March 1926. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- "Macquarie Region: Record floods". Floodsafe. NSW State Emergency Service. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
External links
- "Macquarie-Bogan River catchment" (map). Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales.
