Charles River (Alice Springs) facts for kids
The Charles River, also known as Charles Creek, is a special kind of river in the southern Northern Territory of Australia. It's called an ephemeral river, which means it only flows after heavy rain. Most of the time, its riverbed is dry!
The Charles River is a branch of the Todd River. Both rivers were named after Charles Todd, an important government worker who helped build the Australian Overland Telegraph Line. This telegraph line was a huge project that connected Australia from south to north in the 1870s, making it possible to send messages across the continent.
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What is the Charles River?
The Charles River is about 19 kilometers (12 miles) long. It has a catchment area of 39 square kilometers (15 square miles). A catchment area is the land where all the rain collects and flows into a river.
Where is the Charles River?
This river flows into Alice Springs, a town in the middle of Australia. It starts in the MacDonnell Ranges, which are ancient mountains, and flows towards ANZAC Hill. At ANZAC Hill, the Charles River joins the Todd River.
Why is it called Charles River?
The river gets its name from Charles Todd. He was a key person in setting up the telegraph system in Australia. The telegraph allowed people to send messages quickly over long distances, which was a big deal back then!
The Arrernte Name and History
The local Aboriginal people, the Arrernte people, have their own name for the river: Anthelke Ulpaye. This name is also used for a nearby community called an Alice Springs Town Camp, which is located right on the riverbanks. This camp is often called Charles Creek Camp today.
Long ago, this camp was home to the Little Flower Mission. The Alice Springs Telegraph Station, another important historical site, is also very close to the river.
The Meeting Point: Tyuretye
The place where the Charles River and the Todd River meet is very important to the Arrernte people. They call this spot Tyuretye (sometimes spelled Choritja). They see it as the true center of Alice Springs.
A famous researcher named Ted Strehlow wrote about this in his book, Songs of Central Australia. He noted that Tjoritja was the original name for Alice Springs itself. This shows how deeply connected the Arrernte people are to the land and its waterways.
