- right Russell River - elevation 376 m (1,234 ft) - elevation 665 m (2,182 ft) Basin area 1,315 km² | - location west of Babinda - location below South Peak Basin area 1,315 km² | |
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- location south of Little Mulgrave | ||
River tubing mulgrave river cairns qld
The Mulgrave River, incorporating the East Mulgrave River and the West Mulgrave River, is a river system located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The 70-kilometre (43 mi)-long river flows towards the Coral Sea and is located approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Cairns.
Contents
- River tubing mulgrave river cairns qld
- Map of Mulgrave River Queensland Australia
- Location and features
- References
Map of Mulgrave River, Queensland, Australia
Location and features
Sourced by runoff from the Bellenden Ker Range, the headwaters of the Mulgrave River rise as the east and west branches of the river below South Peak and west of Babinda respectively. The two branches form their confluence within the Wooroonooran National Park and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The Mulgrave River flows generally north towards Little Mulgrave and through the outskirts of Gordonvale and flows through the Goldsbrough Valley. From Gordonvale the river flows east by south and then south where the Mulgrave River empties into the Coral Sea 30 kilometres (19 mi) south at the southern extremity of the Yarrabah Hills range where the Mulgrave meets the Russell River. The Trinity Inlet was once the river mouth of the Mulgrave River. Volcanic activity that resulted in the rise of Green Hill in the Mulgrave Valley blocked the river from entering the sea near present-day Cairns.
The river has a catchment area of 1,315 square kilometres (508 sq mi). From source to mouth, incorporating the east and west branches of the river, the river descends 665 metres (2,182 ft) over a combined 78 kilometres (48 mi) course.
The river is crossed by the Bruce Highway south of Gordonvale via the Desmond Trannore Bridge.
Gold was discovered in the river in the 1870s, bringing considerable change to the Goldsbrough Valley. Gravel is now extracted from the riverbed.
Freshwater stonefish and crocodiles are found in the river, so caution is advised if swimming in the river. The pest fish tilapia have been discovered in the river and been the target of eradication efforts.
Together with the Russell River, the Mulgrave River has a quite well recorded flood history with documented evidence of flooding beginning in the late 1930s.