The Murrumbidgee River

The Murrumbidgee River is the second-longest river in Australia, flowing over 1,485 kilometers in a west-northwesterly direction.

It holds great significance to the Aboriginal peoples, as the word "Murrumbidgee" means "big water" in the Wiradjuri language. The river passes through the traditional lands of several Aboriginal groups and provides irrigation water for the Riverina farming area in southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

The mainstream of the river system stretches for 900 kilometers, collecting water from various tributaries such as the Gudgenby, Queanbeyan, Molonglo, and Cotter Rivers. Despite this, the river continues to flow within its ancestral channel from Gundagai onwards.

In the past, the Murrumbidgee River served as a transport route, with paddle steamers navigating the river as far as Gundagai. Opening bridges at Hay, Balranald, and Carathool were constructed to accommodate steamers and towed barges.

The Murrumbidgee River has a rich history, known to Indigenous Australians before European settlement. It was opened to settlement in the 1830s and quickly became an important farming area. The river is also home to various wetlands, including the Lowbidgee Floodplain, Mid-Murrumbidgee Wetlands, and Lake George, which provide important habitats for