Buayanyup River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buayanyup River |
|
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Whicher Range 60 metres (197 ft) |
| River mouth | Geographe Bay sea level |
| Length | 27 kilometres (17 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 163 square kilometres (63 sq mi) |
The Buayanyup River is a river located in the South West region of Western Australia. It's an important natural feature in this part of Australia.
Contents
Journey of the Buayanyup River
The Buayanyup River starts its journey in the Whicher Range mountains. This is where its "headwaters" are, meaning the very beginning of the river. From there, it flows towards the north.
Where the River Flows
As it travels, the river crosses the Bussell Highway close to a town called Vasse. Eventually, the Buayanyup River empties into Geographe Bay. This happens near a place called Abbey, which is about 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of the larger town of Busselton.
River Branches and Length
The Buayanyup River has three main smaller rivers or streams that flow into it. These are called "tributaries." Two of them are named Dawson Gulley and Ironstone Gully. The third one doesn't have a specific name. If you add up the length of the main river and all its branches, the total stream length is more than 100 kilometres (62 mi)!
What the Land is Used For
The land around the Buayanyup River is mostly used for farming. This area is known as the river's "catchment," which means all the land where water drains into the river.
Farming and History
Farmers here mainly raise beef cattle and dairy cattle. This means they have cows for meat and cows for milk. Some land is also used for growing timber (trees for wood) and for viticulture, which is growing grapes to make wine. People started settling and farming in this area a long time ago, around 1834. The Bussell family was one of the first to set up a cattle farm near the Vasse River. More farming families followed them. Today, over half of the land in the river's catchment is used for cattle farming.
The River's Name
The name "Buayanyup River" was first written down by a surveyor in 1839. This name comes from the Aboriginal people who lived in this land for thousands of years. Even though we know it's an Aboriginal name, its exact meaning is not known today.
