Turon River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Turon River |
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The Turon River from near Sofala during a very dry season.
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 Location of the Turon River mouth in New South Wales
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| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | South Eastern Highlands (IBRA), Central West |
| Municipalities | Lithgow, Mid-Western, Bathurst |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Capertee Valley near Ben Bullen 778 m (2,552 ft) 33°13′55″S 149°58′23″E / 33.23194°S 149.97306°E |
| River mouth | confluence with the Macquarie River near Hill End 406 m (1,332 ft) 33°5′10″S 149°23′25″E / 33.08611°S 149.39028°E |
| Length | 117 km (73 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Macquarie River, Murray–Darling basin |
| Tributaries |
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| Bridges | Wallaby Rocks Bridge |
The Turon River is a stream that flows all year round in the central western part of New South Wales, Australia. It is an important part of the Macquarie River system, which then joins the much larger Murray–Darling basin.
The Turon River is famous for its history, especially during Australia's early gold rushes. Today, it's a popular spot for fun outdoor activities. People enjoy horse riding, searching for gold, canoeing, camping, and fishing at certain times of the year. Part of the river even runs through the beautiful Turon National Park.
Where Does the Turon River Flow?
The Turon River starts high up on the western side of the Great Dividing Range. This is near a place called Ben Bullen in the Capertee Valley. From there, it flows mostly to the north-west, then turns west.
Along its journey, the Turon River is joined by another river, the Crudine River. Finally, it meets and flows into the Macquarie River south-west of Hill End. The river travels about 117 kilometers (73 miles) and drops 372 meters (1,220 feet) in height from its source to where it joins the Macquarie River.
Turon National Park and Surroundings
The upper parts of the Turon River are protected by the Turon National Park. This park was created in 2002. As the river flows further downstream, it passes through private land, often used for grazing animals.
A bridge called the Wallaby Rocks Bridge crosses the Turon River. This bridge carries the Hill End Road and is located at a spot known as Wallaby Rocks.
The Turon River Gold Rush
The Turon River is well-known because it was one of the first places in Australia where people found a lot of gold. This led to one of Australia's first big gold rushes. The gold found here was alluvial gold, which means it was found in the riverbeds and banks, washed down from mountains over time.
During the gold rush, many Chinese migrant workers came to the area. They built a special channel called a "water race" to bring water to their gold mining sites along the river. You can still see parts of this old water race today, for example, at Turon Gates. The Turon River was a very busy place during this time, with many miners hoping to strike it rich.
