Buchan River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buchan |
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Buchan River at Buchan, Victoria, 2006.
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| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Region | Australian Alps (IBRA), Victorian Alps, East Gippsland |
| Local government area | Shire of East Gippsland |
| Locality | Buchan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | below Blue Hill Snowy River National Park 1,090 m (3,580 ft) |
| River mouth | confluence with the Snowy River near Lucas Point 41 m (135 ft) 37°31′S 148°16′E / 37.517°S 148.267°E |
| Length | 118 km (73 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Snowy River catchment |
| National park | Alpine NP |
The Buchan River is a beautiful river in the Australian Alps region of Victoria. It's part of the larger Snowy River system. This river flows all year round, making it a "perennial stream."
Contents
Where Does the Buchan River Flow?
The Buchan River starts high up in the mountains, below a place called Blue Hill. This area is a wild and remote part of the Alpine National Park. From there, the river flows generally south. It passes through the town of Buchan.
Along its journey, the Buchan River is joined by the Murrindal River and eight smaller streams. Finally, it meets the Snowy River near Lucas Point. This meeting point is called a confluence. The river drops about 1,050 meters (3,445 feet) from its source to where it joins the Snowy River. Its total length is about 118 kilometers (73 miles).
In the town of Buchan, you can see the river from Gelantipy Road. A bit further east, the Buchan Orbost Road also crosses it.
What Does "Buchan" Mean?
The name Buchan comes from the Aboriginal people. It is believed to come from the phrase bukkan bukkan or bukkan mungie. These words mean "bags made from grass."
A Look at History
Ancient Aboriginal History
The land around the Buchan River has a very long history. The Aboriginal people have lived here for thousands of years. The Bidhawal and Nindi-Ngudjam Ngarigu Monero peoples are the traditional owners of the upper parts of the river. Further down, the Gunaikurnai people are the traditional custodians.
At a place called Cloggs Cave, near Buchan, scientists have found proof that Aboriginal people lived there a very long time ago. This shows how important the area was to them.
European Settlement
European settlers, mostly farmers raising animals (pastoralists), first came to the Buchan area in the late 1830s. A large farm called Buchan Station was set up in the 1840s. Over the years, it had different owners.
In 1870, more people started to settle the land, especially along the river where the soil was good. A town was officially created in 1873. It was named Buchan, after the station.
