Adelaide River

River in Northern Territory, Australia

Location of the Adelaide River mouth
in the Northern Territory

EtymologyQueen AdelaideLocationCountryAustraliaTerritoryNorthern TerritoryLGACoomalie, LitchfieldTownshipsAdelaide RiverPhysical characteristicsSource • elevation149 m (489 ft) MouthAdam Bay

• location

Clarence Strait

• coordinates

12°13′S 131°14′E / 12.217°S 131.233°E / -12.217; 131.233

• elevation

0 m (0 ft)Length238 km (148 mi)Basin size7,640 km² (2,950 sq mi)Discharge • average1,980 m³/s (70,000 cu ft/s) Basin featuresNational parkLitchfield National Park^[1]^[2]

The Adelaide River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Course and features

The river rises in the Litchfield National Park and flows generally northwards to Clarence Strait, joined by eight tributaries including the west branch of the Adelaide River, Coomalie Creek, Margaret River and Marrakai Creek, before discharging into its mouth in Adam Bay in the Clarence Strait. The river descends 151 metres (495 ft) over its 238-kilometre (148 mi) course.^[1] The catchment area of the river is 7,640 square kilometres (2,950 sq mi).^[2]

The Adelaide River is crossed by both the Stuart Highway, adjacent to the township of Adelaide River, and the Arnhem Highway near Humpty Doo.

The Adelaide River is well known for its high concentration of saltwater crocodiles, along with other wildlife including white-bellied sea eagles, whistling kites, freshwater crocodiles, bull sharks and black flying-fox. Its lower reaches form part of the Adelaide and Mary River Floodplains Important Bird Area. Waters of this river are also home to endangered speartooth shark and critically endangered largetooth sawfish. The river also contains a notable introduced population of Siamese fighting fish. ^[3]

History

Indigenous Australians including the Warray and Kungarakan owned the lands among the river for millennia.

Lieutenant Fitzmaurice, under the command of John Lort Stokes, sighted the river on a boating expedition. The expedition was part of the Admiralty surveying ship HMS Beagle's voyage in 1839, and the river was named in honour of Queen Adelaide.^[4]

Gallery

Jumping crocodile at Adelaide River
Croc whips tail to leap high but misses bait
A video taken on Adelaide River

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Adelaide River.

^ ^a ^b "Map of Adelaide River, NT". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
^ ^a ^b Bach, Christine; Hosking, Jane (1 September 2002). "Wetland monitoring for the Mary River Catchment, Northern Territory" (PDF). Natural Heritage Trust. Retrieved 27 April 2015.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Bray, Dianne. "Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens". Fishes of Australia. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
^ "Place Names Register Extract - Adelaide River". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 27 April 2015.