Oaky River facts for kids
The Oaky River is a cool stream in the Northern Tablelands area of New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the bigger Macleay River system.
Quick facts for kids Oaky River |
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Oaky River Dam and gorge
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| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| IBRA | New England Tablelands |
| District | Northern Tablelands |
| local government area | Armidale Dumaresq |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Round Mountain, Sonwy Range, Great Dividing Range below Point Lookout, near Ebor 1,400 m (4,600 ft) |
| River mouth | confluence with the Chandler River near Jeogla 277 m (909 ft) |
| Length | 60 km (37 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Macleay River catchment |
| Tributaries |
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| National park | Cathedral Rock NP, New England NP |
The Oaky River's Journey
The Oaky River starts high up on the southern side of Round Mountain. This mountain is the tallest peak in the Snowy Range, which is part of the huge Great Dividing Range. The river begins near a town called Ebor.
From its source, the river generally flows towards the southwest. It is joined by one smaller stream, called a tributary, along its way. Eventually, the Oaky River meets and joins the Chandler River. This meeting point, called a confluence, is southwest of Jeogla.
The river drops a lot in height, about 881 metres (2,890 ft), over its 51 kilometres (32 mi) journey. It quickly flows into a deep, narrow valley known as a gorge before it reaches the Chandler River.
The upper parts of the Oaky River are crossed by a scenic road called the Waterfall Way. This road runs between Wollomombi and Ebor.
Wildlife in the River
The Oaky River and its smaller streams are great places for trout fish. You might also be lucky enough to spot platypus swimming in the waters!
Oaky River Dam and Power Station
The Oaky River has a dam built on it, known as the Oaky River Dam. This dam is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the city of Armidale. When the dam is full, it covers an area of about 42 hectares (100 acres) and holds 2,780 megalitres (98×106 cu ft) of water.
A hydroelectric power station is located at the dam. This means the force of the flowing water is used to create electricity. The power station has five special machines called turbines that can generate 12 megawatts (16,000 hp) of power.
A very important engineer named Zihni Buzo was the main person in charge of building this dam and the hydroelectric power system. He was also the father of a famous Australian writer, Alex Buzo. The dam was damaged in February 2013 and is no longer used to generate electricity.
