WI just got back from another bush trip where we went looking for the source of a river and it hit me that this is something I’ve been doing for a long time.
My first river source that I explored and reached was the Murray River. Australia’s longest streak, its beginnings are rather obscure, one has to admit.
It is the source, within the peaks of the Great Dividing Range, beneath the round dome of Mount Pilot where the man-made and designated border between NSW and Victoria begins in a straight line pitch on the eastern shore of Cape Hue, from which springs comes out. , three springs, each lying at a distance of 40 to 50 meters from each other.
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The spring nearest to Cape Hue is marked by a low stone block which was first erected by the surveyors, Alexander Black and Alexander Allen, in 1870-72 when they established a straight line boundary between was assigned a task to do. Colonies
I was young and fit in 1974 when we visited this lonely spot a few kilometers from Kawombet Flat, a near-legendary ice field that today is largely abandoned to visitors by bureaucratic decision-makers. has gone From this lone small spring we walked down to where we could start river rafting. Our plan to travel from source to sea.
The next few river sources came quickly, when I headed north to Cape York in the mid-1990s with adventurer Peter Tresseder.
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The first river we tackled was the mighty Jardine when we went to its starting point and followed its banks until we started paddling the inflatable canoes in our backpacks.
Two other streams quickly followed. Both at Cape York. The Eliot, a distinct river in the Jardines but better known to travelers today for its incredible Indian Head Falls setting, was first, followed by the Doll Hunt, a river crossed by all Cape York 4WD adventurers. What did
More recently, and away from any perceived or real danger from crocs, I set out in search of the source of the Murrumbidgee River, high up among the snow-fields and snow-gums of the Snowy Mountains. Leaving my cruiser parked at the end of the trail where only humans are allowed in a motorized vehicle, I hopped on my mountain bike and hiked to the top of some low hills where the river begins.
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Between these adventures, we explored the Nile in Burundi in central Africa, which was hardly epic, and then, just two years ago, went and found the source of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca in the north-central region. Minnesota
Which brings me to the latest thread I’ve followed from its source. Like most rivers it did not terminate in the sea, but entered a series of ever-dry lakes in the desert country of western Victoria. The Wimmera River may be Victoria’s longest river that doesn’t end in the sea, but I was surprised to learn that it wasn’t the only one.
Such excursions, finding sources and even following these streams to their conclusion are the best ways to get to the remote country off the beaten path of maddened crowds and other four-wheelers.
You have a wide choice, which is really only limited by your imagination and the map of Australia. Go out and find a source, you’ll enjoy the experience!