Stewart River (Queensland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stewart |
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 Location of Stewart River mouth in Queensland
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| Country | Australia |
| State | Queensland |
| Region | Far North Queensland, Cape York Peninsula |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | McIlwraith Range, Great Dividing Range northeast of Coen 580 m (1,900 ft) 13°53′44″S 143°17′39″E / 13.89556°S 143.29417°E |
| River mouth | Coral Sea Port Stewart 0 m (0 ft) 14°04′08″S 143°41′40″E / 14.06889°S 143.69444°E |
| Length | 96 km (60 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Stewart River is a river in Far North Queensland, Australia. It flows through the beautiful Cape York Peninsula. This river is an important part of the natural landscape in this area.
Contents
About the Stewart River
The Stewart River begins high up in the McIlwraith Range. This range is part of the larger Great Dividing Range. It starts northeast of a town called Coen.
Where the River Flows
From its start, the Stewart River first flows south. Then, it turns towards the southeast and finally heads east. Along its journey, two smaller streams, called tributaries, join the main river. These are Station Creek and Little Stewart Creek.
The river eventually reaches its end, called the mouth. Here, it empties into the Coral Sea at a place called Port Stewart. The river travels about 92-kilometre (57 mi) (about 57 miles) from its source to the sea. During this journey, it drops about 580 metres (1,900 ft) (about 1,900 feet) in height.
River's Catchment Area
A river's catchment area is all the land where water collects and flows into that river. The Stewart River has a catchment area of about 2,743 square kilometres (1,059 sq mi). This large area includes many different types of land.
Part of this area, about 81 square kilometres (31 sq mi), is made up of estuarine wetlands. These are special areas where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water. They are often home to unique plants and animals.
How the River Got Its Name
The Stewart River was named a long time ago, in 1872. It was named after a person with the family name Stewart. This person was part of an exploration group. The group was led by William Hann, who was exploring the area at that time.
