Bunyip
Main Drain, Buneep, Bunnip[1]
Bunyip River is located in Victoria
Bunyip River
Mouth of the Bunyip River in Victoria
EtymologyBunyip: from Aboriginal mythology[2]
Native nameBanib (Boonwurrung)[3]
Location
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
RegionSouth East Coastal Plain (IBRA), West Gippsland
Local government areaCardinia
Physical characteristics
SourceMount Beenak, Yarra Ranges
 • locationnear Tomahawk Gap
 • coordinates37°53′43″S 145°40′27″E / 37.89528°S 145.67417°E / -37.89528; 145.67417
 • elevation477 m (1,565 ft)
Mouthconfluence with the Tarago River to form the Main Drain
 • location
north of Bunyip
 • coordinates
38°4′55″S 145°45′13″E / 38.08194°S 145.75361°E / -38.08194; 145.75361
 • elevation
40 m (130 ft)
Length27 km (17 mi)
Basin features
River systemWestern Port catchment
Tributaries 
 • leftTea Tree Creek, Ryson Creek
 • rightBack Creek (Victoria), Diamond Creek (Cardinia, Victoria), Cannibal Creek
Nature reserveBunyip State Park
[1][4]

The Bunyip River is a perennial river of the Western Port catchment, located in the West Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria.

Location and features

The Bunyip River rises below Mount Beenak, part of the southern portion of the Yarra Ranges within the Bunyip State Park, near Tomahawk Gap, and flows generally south by east then south, at times via an aqueduct, joined by four minor tributaries, before reaching its confluence with the Tarago River to form the Main Drain. From there the river used to flow into the Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp, the largest wetland in Victoria, covering an area of 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres), before flowing into Western Port. The river descends approximately 437 metres (1,434 ft) over its 27 kilometres (17 mi) course.[4]

At the confluence of the Bunyip and Tarago Rivers, the rivers are traversed by the Princes Freeway, north of the locality of Bunyip.[4]

Etymology

In the Aboriginal Boonwurrung language the name for the river is Banib, meaning "a fabulous, large, black amphibious monster".[3]

The river is named after the bunyip, an Aboriginal mythological and legendary character from lakes and swamps.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Bunyip River: 12037". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 2 May 1966. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 Reed, A. W. (1973). Place names of Australia (1st ed.). Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 49. ISBN 0-589-50128-3.
  3. 1 2 "Bunyip River: 12037: Traditional name: Banib". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 12 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "Map of Bunyip River, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
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