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Wickham
Wickham River is located in Northern Territory
Wickham River
Location of the Wickham River mouth in the Northern Territory
Country Australia
Territory Northern Territory
Region Victoria Bonaparte (IBRA)
Physical characteristics
Main source Mount Kimon
330 m (1,080 ft)
River mouth Victoria River
74 m (243 ft)
17°01′31″S 129°57′52″E / 17.02528°S 129.96444°E / -17.02528; 129.96444
Length 198 km (123 mi)
Width
  • Average width:
    11.9 m3/s (420 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Basin size 5,018 km2 (1,937 sq mi)
Tributaries
  • Left:
    Midnight Creek, Broadarrow Creek, Cusack Creek, Humbert River
  • Right:
    Soda Springs Creek, Depot Creek (Northern Territory), Gibbie Creek
National park Judbarra / Gregory NP

The Wickham River is a special river in the Northern Territory of Australia. It's called an ephemeral river because it only flows for part of the year. You can find it in the Victoria Bonaparte area.

River's Journey and What You'll Find

The Wickham River starts high up on rocky hills and a sandstone plateau. It begins on the southeastern side of Mount Kimon. The river then flows mostly towards the northeast.

Along its way, seven smaller streams join the Wickham River. These include the Humbert River, Soda Springs Creek, Depot Creek, and Broadarrow Creek. It also flows through a permanent waterhole called Johnston Billabong.

Finally, the Wickham River meets the Victoria River. This meeting point is south of the Fitzgerald Range, near a place called Pompey Knob. The Wickham River drops about 256 meters over its 198-kilometer journey.

When the River Flows

The Wickham River only flows for about six months each year. This happens during the wet season in the Northern Territory. During the dry season, the riverbed becomes a string of waterholes. Some of these waterholes are fed by underground springs, so they almost never dry up.

Judbarra / Gregory National Park

A large part of the area where the Wickham River collects its water is inside the Judbarra / Gregory National Park. This park was created in 1981. In 1996, the park's boundaries were made even bigger to include Mount Sanford.

History and Local People

In 1905, a surveyor named Lawrence Wells set up his base camp on the Wickham River. This was close to the Victoria River Downs Station homestead. He was there to map out the Northern Territory.

The land around the Wickham River has long been home to Aboriginal people. The traditional owners of this area are the community of Yarralin, also known as Walangeri.

Why is it Called Wickham River?

The river is named after Captain John Clements Wickham. He was a sailor who explored the Victoria River in 1839. He sailed about 200 kilometers up the Victoria River on his ship, HMS Beagle.

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