Wakefield River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wakefield |
|
|---|---|
Wakefield River flowing through Auburn
|
|
 Location of the river mouth in South Australia
|
|
| Country | Australia |
| State | South Australia |
| Region | Mid North, Adelaide Plains |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Clare Valley Black Springs 429 m (1,407 ft) 33°56′9″S 138°51′46″E / 33.93583°S 138.86278°E |
| River mouth | Gulf St Vincent Port Wakefield 0 m (0 ft) 34°11′24″S 138°08′38″E / 34.19000°S 138.14389°E |
| Length | 116 km (72 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 1,913 km2 (739 sq mi) |
| Tributaries |
|
The Wakefield River is a river in South Australia. It is an ephemeral river, meaning it only flows after it rains a lot. The river ends in an estuary, which is where a river meets the sea.
About the Wakefield River
The Wakefield River starts high up near a place called Merildin. From there, it flows south through towns like Watervale and Auburn.
As it flows, many smaller creeks join the river. Then, the river turns west and passes by the town of Balaklava. Finally, it reaches the Gulf St Vincent at Port Wakefield.
The area of land that collects water for the river is called its catchment area. The Wakefield River's catchment area is about 1,913 square kilometers. Most of this land, about three-quarters, is used for farming.
River Branches and Creeks
Several important creeks flow into the Wakefield River. These include the Eyre, Skillogalee, Pine, Rices, Hermitage, and Woolshed Flat Creeks.
Skillogalee Creek is a very important branch of the river. It starts in the Skilly Hills near Penwortham. Because the Skilly Hills get a lot of rain, Skillogalee Creek is one of the few creeks in the area that flows all the time.
Another creek is Dennis Creek, which is very short. It is in the town of Auburn and only flows when it rains. This creek was named after James Dennis, whose son, C.J. Dennis, was a famous writer.
How the River Got Its Name
The first European person to see the Wakefield River was John Hill. This happened in April 1839. He named the river after Edward Gibbon Wakefield. Edward Gibbon Wakefield helped plan how the colony of South Australia would be settled.
Another explorer, Edward John Eyre, visited the river in May 1839. He wrote about camping by "large ponds of excellent water called by Mr. Hill the Wakefield."
