Gwydir River - Geography

Geography

The Gwydir river rises on the southern part of the Northern Tablelands near the town of Uralla, and flows about 668 km (415 mi) generally north west and then west onto the plains where it branches somewhat, eventually joining the Barwon River, mostly as its main branch the Mehi River which branches off to the east of Moree before passing though it. The upper Gwydir River also passes the towns of Bundarra, Bingara, Gravesend, and Pallamallawa. Further distributaries above Moree are the Carole/GilGil Creeks to the north and this may flow into the Barwon River if flow is high enough.

The Gwydir River further splits into two anabranches west of Moree - the Lower Gwydir or "Big Leather Watercourse" is the southern channel, and the "Gingham Channel" is the northern branch. The Gingham Channel flows west, joining the Ballone Creek before it flows into the Big Leather Watercourse. The Big Leather watercourse then joins the Mehi River to the south. The Mehi River joins the Barwon River near the township of Collarenebri.'

Over its entire distance, the Gwydir River falls around 558m in elevation from its headwaters, at an elevation of 760m above sea level to when it joins the Barwon River at an elevation of 202m above sea level. The Gwydir River's total length is 356 km, in which space and thirty tributaries feed into it over its entire length. Some of these including Horton River, Warialda Creek, Laura Creek and Moredun Creek.