Rivers of Queensland facts for kids

Queensland is a big state in Australia, and it has many rivers! The most important land feature here is the Great Dividing Range. This is a long chain of low mountains and plateaus that runs from north to south, close to the coast.

Queensland's rivers flow in different directions, like spokes on a wheel. We can put them into four main groups:

• Coastal rivers: These start on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range and flow east towards the Coral Sea (part of the South Pacific Ocean).
• Gulf rivers: These begin on the western side of the range and flow northwest towards the Gulf of Carpentaria.
• Murray–Darling rivers: These also start on the western side of the range but flow southwest. They become part of Australia's largest river system, the Murray–Darling basin.
• Lake Eyre rivers: These rivers usually start in the west of Queensland and flow southwest towards the Lake Eyre basin. This basin is a huge area where water collects, but it often dries up.

There is also one special river that doesn't flow into any of these basins or out to sea. It's called an "isolated" river.

Longest Rivers in Queensland

Some rivers in Queensland are very long! Here are the top five longest river systems. A river system includes the main river and all its smaller branches that flow into it.

Rivers Flowing to the Coast

These rivers start in the mountains or inland areas and flow east, ending up in the Coral Sea along Queensland's coast. They are very important for the towns and cities built along the coast.

Some well-known coastal rivers include:

• The Brisbane River, which flows through Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. It is about 344 km (214 miles) long.
• The Burdekin River, one of Queensland's largest coastal rivers, stretching about 886 km (551 miles).
• The Fitzroy River, which is around 480 km (298 miles) long.
• The Burnett River, about 435 km (270 miles) long.
• The Mary River, which is about 291 km (181 miles) long.

Rivers Flowing to the Gulf

These rivers flow north-west from the Great Dividing Range towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. This area is often flatter and can experience big floods during the wet season.

The Flinders River is a great example, being one of the longest rivers in Queensland at 1004 km (624 miles). It flows entirely within Queensland and empties into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Rivers in the Murray–Darling Basin

These rivers flow southwest from Queensland and become part of the huge Murray–Darling basin. This basin covers a large part of southeastern Australia and is vital for farming and water supply.

Key rivers in Queensland that are part of this basin include:

• The Warrego River, which is the longest river in Queensland at 1380 km (857 miles).
• The Paroo River, about 1210 km (752 miles) long.
• The Condamine River, which is about 657 km (408 miles) long.
• The Balonne River, about 479 km (298 miles) long.
• The Moonie River, about 542 km (337 miles) long.

Rivers in the Lake Eyre Basin

Rivers in this group flow southwest towards the Lake Eyre basin. This basin is unique because it's an "endorheic basin," meaning the rivers flow inwards and don't reach the ocean. Instead, they often end in salt lakes or simply disappear into the ground.

Important rivers in this basin from Queensland are:

• Cooper Creek, about 1113 km (692 miles) long. It's famous for sometimes reaching Lake Eyre during big floods.
• The Georgina River, about 1130 km (702 miles) long.
• The Diamantina, about 941 km (585 miles) long.
• The Thomson River.
• The Barcoo River.

The Isolated Bulloo River

There is one river in Queensland that is considered "isolated" because it doesn't flow into any other major river system or out to sea.

• The Bulloo River is about 600 km (373 miles) long. It flows into its own basin, often ending in a series of wetlands and lakes that can dry up.