Ovens River

Ovens
Burwang
Djerrang
Ovens River at Wangaratta
Course of the Ovens River in Victoria
EtymologyIn honour of Major Ovens, the Secretary to Governor Thomas Brisbane
Location
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
RegionAustralian Alps (IBRA), Victorian Alps, Hume
Local government areasAlpine Shire, Wangaratta City, Moira Shire
Towns and citiesHarrietville, Bright, Porepunkah, Myrtleford, Wangaratta
Physical characteristics
SourceGreat Dividing Range
Source confluenceEast and West Branches of the Ovens River
 - locationHarrietville
 - coordinates36°53′15″S 147°3′45″E / 36.88750°S 147.06250°E / -36.88750; 147.06250
 - elevation529 m (1,736 ft)
Mouthconfluence with the Murray River
 - locationnear Bundalong
 - coordinates36°2′15″S 146°10′38″E / 36.03750°S 146.17722°E / -36.03750; 146.17722
 - elevation125 m (410 ft)
Length191 km (119 mi)
Basin size7,778 km2 (3,003 sq mi)
Discharge 
 - average46 m3/s (1,600 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River systemNorth-East Murray catchment, Murray-Darling basin
Tributaries 
 - leftMorses Creek, Buckland River (Victoria), Buffalo River (Victoria), King River (Victoria)
National parksAlpine NP, Mount Buffalo NP

The Ovens River is a river that flows all year round in the north-east part of Victoria, Australia. It is part of the larger Murray-Darling basin.

Location and features

The river starts where the East and West Branches meet, near a place called Harrietville in the Victorian Alps. It gets water from the mountains in the Alpine National Park and Mount Buffalo National Park. The river flows mostly north and west. Along the way, many smaller rivers join it, including Morses Creek at Bright, the Buckland River at Porepunkah, the Buffalo River and then the King River at Wangaratta. The river drops 405 metres (1,329 ft) in height over its 191-kilometre (119 mi) length. The Great Alpine Road runs alongside much of the river in the upper part.

Ovens Valley

The river goes through the Ovens Valley, a popular place for tourists. People visit for skiing at Mount Hotham, Mount Buffalo, and Falls Creek, and to enjoy the Alpine National Park and Mount Buffalo National Park. People also do air sports like gliding and paragliding here. There is a hedge maze at Wandiligong An old railway line is now a bike trail called the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail, which goes from Wangaratta and Beechworth to Bright.

There are many wineries and hop farms in the area. Cyclists often stop at the wineries during their rides.

Tobacco used to be a big business in the valley until 2006. That year, big tobacco companies stopped buying Australian tobacco, and the government started helping farmers switch to other crops.. You can still see old tobacco drying sheds in the valley as a reminder of its tobacco history.

Name

In 1824, explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell visited the area and named the Ovens River after Major John Ovens. Major Ovens was the Secretary to Thomas Brisbane, who was the Colonial Governor of New South Wales at that time.

Aboriginal Names

In the Waywurru Aboriginal language, the river has two names. One is Burwang, which does not have a clear meaning. The other is Djerrang, which means "leaf."

List of towns

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ovens River: 23093: Historical Information: Burwang". Vicnames. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "Ovens River: 23093: Historical Information: Djerrang". Vicnames. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2014.[permanent dead link]
  3. ↑ "Ovens River: 23093: Historical Information". Vicnames. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  4. 1 2 3 "Map of Ovens River". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  5. ↑ Lee, Tim (10 June 2007). "Tobacco industry up in smoke" (transcript). Landline. Australia: ABC TV. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  6. ↑ "Ovens River: 23093: Historical Information". Vicnames. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

Other websites

Media related to Ovens River at Wikimedia Commons