Yea River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yea |
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Pipeline crossing the Yea River at Glenburn
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| Native name | Kayigai |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Region | South Eastern Highlands bioregion (IBRA), Northern Country/North Central |
| LGA | Murrindindi |
| Towns | Toolangi, Castella, Glenburn, Yea |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Great Dividing Range below Mount Tanglefoot 566 m (1,857 ft) 37°19′56″S 145°28′27″E / 37.33222°S 145.47417°E |
| River mouth | confluence with the Goulburn River northwest of Yea 162 m (531 ft) 37°30′53″S 145°31′10″E / 37.51472°S 145.51944°E |
| Length | 74 km (46 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Goulburn Broken catchment, Murray-Darling basin |
| Tributaries |
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| Nature reserve | Murrindindi River Scenic Reserve |
The Yea River is a river in Victoria, Australia. It's a perennial river, which means it flows all year round. The Yea River is part of the larger Goulburn Broken catchment, which then flows into the huge Murray-Darling basin. This river is found in the south-eastern highlands and north-central regions of Victoria.
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Where is the Yea River Located?
The Yea River begins in the Toolangi State Forest. This area is north-east of a town called Toolangi and north-west of Mount Tanglefoot. Mount Tanglefoot is part of the Great Dividing Range, a long chain of mountains in Australia.
How the River Flows
The river mostly flows north. It follows a path similar to the Melba Highway, a road that crosses the river closer to its end. Six smaller streams, called tributaries, join the Yea River. One of these is the Murrindindi River. The Yea River then flows east and north of the town of Yea.
Where the Yea River Ends
The Yea River eventually meets and joins the Goulburn River. This meeting point is called a confluence, and it's located near Ghin Ghin Bridge. From where it starts to where it joins the Goulburn River, the Yea River travels about 74 kilometers (46 miles). During this journey, it drops about 403 meters (1,322 feet) in height. Another important road, the Goulburn Valley Highway, also crosses the Yea River east of Yea.
What's in a Name? The Story of the Yea River
The original name for the Yea River was Kayigai. This name came from the Aboriginal people of the Taungurong language group. The exact meaning of Kayigai isn't fully known, but a map from around 1860 suggested it meant "Muddy Creek."
How the River Got its Current Name
In 1824, explorers Hume and Hovell first called the river "Muddy Creek." They gave it this name because its banks were very muddy. Later, the river was renamed when the nearby town, which was also called Muddy Creek, changed its name to Yea. Both the river and the town were named to honor Colonel Lacy Walter Yea. He was a British Army colonel who died in 1855 during the Crimean War. The town of Yea was founded in that same year.
