Nicholson River (Queensland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nicholson |
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 Location of Nicholson River mouth in Queensland
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| Country | Australia |
| Territory | Northern Territory |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Barkly Tableland west of China Wall, Northern Territory 240 m (790 ft) |
| River mouth | Gulf of Carpentaria Pasco Inlet, Queensland 0 m (0 ft) 17°30′21″S 139°36′14″E / 17.50583°S 139.60389°E |
| Length | 725 km (450 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 53,200 km2 (20,500 sq mi) |
The Nicholson River is a river in Australia. It flows through the Northern Territory and the state of Queensland.
Sometimes, the place where the Aboriginal mission at Doomadgee is located was also called Nicholson River in old writings.
Where the River Flows and What it's Like
The Nicholson River starts in the Northern Territory. Its beginning, called the headwaters, is at the western end of a place called China Wall. From there, it flows southeast.
The river then turns east and crosses into Queensland. This area is known as the Gulf Country. It passes through mostly empty plains. The river continues east past the Aboriginal community of Doomadgee.
Near the Tiranna Roadhouse, the river turns north. It goes past Hann Crossing and Escott. Just west of Burketown, another river joins it. This is its main branch, the Gregory River.
The Nicholson River keeps flowing north. Finally, it empties into Pasco Inlet and the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Nicholson River is about 390 kilometres (242 mi) long. It is an ephemeral river. This means it only flows after heavy rains.
The area of land that drains into the river is called its drainage basin. This basin covers about 53,200 square kilometres (20,541 sq mi). A part of this area, about 15,733 square kilometres (6,075 sq mi), is in the Northern Territory. The rest is in Queensland.
The river's basin is located between other river basins. To the north are the Robinson River and Settlement Creek. To the south is the Barkly River. To the east is the Leichhardt River. On average, the river carries about 2,237 gigalitres (4.92×1011 imp gal; 5.91×1011 US gal) of water each year.
History of the Nicholson River
The original people of this land are the Yukulta / Ganggalidda, Waanyi, Maga-Kutana, Wakabunga, Nguburinji, and Mingin peoples. They have lived here for thousands of years. These groups are known as the traditional owners of the land.
The Waanyi language is an Australian Aboriginal language. It is spoken in the Gulf Country region. This language area includes parts of Lawn Hill Creek and the Nicholson River. It stretches from the border of the Northern Territory and Queensland. It goes west towards Alexandria station and Doomadgee. The Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee is also part of this language region.
An explorer named Ludwig Leichhardt traveled through this area in 1845. He was on an expedition from Moreton Bay in Queensland to Port Essington in the Northern Territory. Leichhardt gave the river its name. He named it after Dr Henry Alleyne Nicholson from Bristol in England. Leichhardt wrote in his diary that Dr Nicholson's kindness helped him. It allowed him to study nature and come to Australia.
Flooding Events
The Nicholson River often floods. This happens because of heavy rainfall. The rain comes from cyclones. These cyclones cross the river's basin from either the Coral Sea or the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Big floods happened in 1971 across the entire river basin. Smaller floods also occurred in 2000, 2004, and 2009. All these floods caused roads in the area to close.
