Kow Swamp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kow Swamp |
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Kow Swamp is in Gunbower County, Victoria (colored red on this map)
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| Location | Near Gunbower in Victoria, Australia |
| Coordinates | 35°57′30″S 144°17′45″E / 35.95833°S 144.29583°E |
| Type | freshwater lake |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Max. length | 7 km (4.3 mi) |
| Max. width | 4 km (2.5 mi) |
| Surface area | 24 km2 (9.3 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 3 m (9.8 ft) |
| Water volume | 51,730 megalitres maximum capacity |
| Surface elevation | 85 m (279 ft) |
Kow Swamp is a special lake located in north-central Victoria, Australia. Long ago, it was a natural swamp. Today, people use it to store water for farms and towns.
About Kow Swamp
Kow Swamp is found in the beautiful Murray River valley. It's about 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) west of a town called Gunbower. This area is part of the Shire of Campaspe.
The name Kow comes from an Aboriginal word, Ghow. This word describes the white gypsum soil often found in the swampy area.
Many people enjoy visiting Kow Swamp for fishing. It's a great spot for a fun day out. The lake itself is quite large, measuring about 7 by 4 kilometres (4.3 by 2.5 mi). Its total distance around the edge, called its circumference, is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi).
History of Kow Swamp
Ancient Discoveries
Kow Swamp is a very important archaeological site. This means scientists have found old things there. They discovered human skeletal remains, which are bones from people who lived a very long time ago. These bones are over 10,000 years old, from a time called the late Pleistocene period.
Water Storage for Farms
Kow Swamp has been used to store water from the Murray River for many years. This water is very important for irrigation. Irrigation helps farmers water their crops. In the year 1900, the amount of water the swamp could hold was made much bigger. It can now hold up to 51,730 megalitres of water.
