Bell River (New South Wales) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bell River |
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|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Near Orange, New South Wales, Australia 726 metres (2,382 ft) |
| River mouth | Macquarie River, Wellington, New South Wales 285 metres (935 ft) |
| Length | 149 kilometres (93 mi) |
The Bell River is a river in the central west of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Murray-Darling basin and flows into the Macquarie River.
Course
The Bell River begins in the hills to the north-west of Orange, New South Wales, it flows a generally northerly direction joining the Macquarie River at Wellington, New South Wales. The river is 146 kilometres (91 mi) long and drops 441 metres (1,447 ft).
Platypus have been seen in the lower river near Wellington.
History
Aboriginal Australians of the Wiradjuri nation were the original inhabitants of the area around the river.
The river was named in honour of Brevet Major Bell by European explorer John Oxley, later Surveyor General of New South Wales.
Pieces of gold were found in and along the river in 1851. This started a minor a minor gold rush, mainly near where Nubrigan Creek joins the Bell River.
The river occasionally floods generally near Wellington, however it has flooded further up river. Major floods occurred in 1920, 1926, and in 1990 at Newrea, where the river reached 6.77 metres (22.2 ft).
