Maranoa | |
Pushpin Map: | Australia Queensland |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the Maranoa River mouth in Queensland |
Subdivision Type1: | Country |
Subdivision Name1: | Australia |
Subdivision Type2: | State |
Subdivision Name2: | Queensland |
Subdivision Type3: | Region |
Subdivision Name3: | South West Queensland |
Length: | 519km (322miles) |
Source1: | Consuelo Tableland |
Source Confluence: | East and West branches of the Maranoa River |
Source Confluence Location: | Carnarvon National Park |
Source Confluence Coordinates: | -25.2889°N 147.7672°W |
Source Confluence Elevation: | 574m (1,883feet) |
Mouth: | confluence with the Balonne River |
Mouth Location: | Lake Kajarabie |
Mouth Coordinates: | -27.8364°N 148.6158°W |
Mouth Elevation: | 207m (679feet) |
River System: | Darling River catchment, Murray–Darling basin |
Basin Size: | 20039km2 |
Tributaries Left: | Merivale River |
Custom Label: | National park |
Custom Data: | Carnarvon National Park |
Extra: | [1] [2] |
The Maranoa River, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is a river situated in South West Queensland, Australia.
Formed by the confluence of the west and east branches of the river, the Maranoa River rises on the Consuelo Tableland in the Carnarvon National Park. The valleys in the river's catchment area are broad rather than gorge-like as in the nearby Carnarvon Gorge, with isolated bluffs and pillars of sandstone on sandy plains.[3] The Maranoa passes through Mitchell and flows south towards St George. The river reaches its confluence with the Balonne River north of St George. The Balonne eventually flows into the Darling River (via a few branches), so it contributes to the Murray-Darling Basin. From source to mouth, the Maranoa is joined by 31 tributaries including the Merivale River and descends over its 519km (322miles) course.[1]
The Warrego Highway crosses the river at Mitchell.
The Neil Turner Weir was built on the river in 1984. It provides limited supplies for irrigation purposes.[4] It also regulates streamflow and has recreational uses.
Major flooding on the river occurred in 1990.[5]
A number of Australian folksongs (such as Sandy Maranoa and The Maranoa Drovers) refer to this river.