The Barcoo River in western Queensland, Australia that rises on the northern slopes of the Warrego Range, flows in a south westerly direction and unites with the Thomson River to form Cooper Creek. The first European to see the river was Thomas Mitchell in 1846, who named it Victoria Stream. It was renamed by Edmund Kennedy after a name supplied by local Aborigines.
The waters of the river flow towards Lake Eyre in central Australia while those of rivers further east join the Murray-Darling basin and reach the sea in South Australia. The river forms a boundary between outback Australia and the "Far Outback"; west of the Barcoo legend has it there is very little in the way of civilization.
Tributaries include the Alice River, Torrens, Landsborough and Towerhill Creeks. Towns situated on the banks of the Barcoo River include Blackall, Isisford, Tambo and Retreat. The southern boundary of Welford National Park is marked by the Barcoo River and Isisford Weir has been constructed on the Barcoo.
Read more about Barcoo River: Barcoo Grunter, Disease, Cultural References
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