Boyne | |
Name Etymology: | River Boyne |
Pushpin Map: | Australia Queensland |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Boyne River mouth in Queensland |
Subdivision Type1: | Country |
Subdivision Name1: | Australia |
Subdivision Type2: | State |
Subdivision Name2: | Queensland |
Subdivision Type3: | Region |
Subdivision Name3: | Central Queensland |
Length: | 125km (78miles) |
Discharge1 Location: | Near mouth |
Discharge1 Avg: | [1] |
Source1: | Bobby Range |
Source1 Location: | southwest of |
Source1 Coordinates: | -24.5039°N 151.4892°W |
Source1 Elevation: | 371m (1,217feet) |
Mouth: | Coral Sea |
Mouth Location: | between Boyne Island and Tannum Sands |
Mouth Coordinates: | -23.9303°N 151.3594°W |
Mouth Elevation: | 0m (00feet) |
Basin Size: | 2496km2 |
Custom Label: | Reservoir |
Custom Data: | Lake Awoonga |
Extra: | [2] |
The Boyne River is a river in Central Queensland, Australia.
The headwaters of the river rise in the Bobby Range, within the Great Dividing Range southwest of . The river descends from the western slopes of the range and flows generally north by east parallel with the Gladstone-Monto Road through the Boyne Valley. The river enters Lake Awoonga where it flows east by north, crossed by the Bruce Highway near Riverview, and finally discharging into the Port Curtis and the Coral Sea. The river descends over its 125km (78miles) course, joined by thirteen tributaries from source to river mouth.[2] The mouth is located between the twin towns of Boyne Island and Tannum Sands. A bridge was built to cross the river joining the two towns in 1980.
The river is dammed by the Awoonga Dam which is the major water source for the Gladstone region. The river has a catchment area of 2496km2 of which 49km2 are riverine wetlands and 17km2 are estuarine wetlands.[3]
The Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection consider the Boyne River to be the southern habitat extent of the saltwater crocodile. However, crocodiles can occasionally be found as far south as the Mary River.[4]
The river was named in 1823 by John Oxley[5] as it reminded him of the River Boyne in Ireland.