Macquarie River - Watershed

Watershed

The Macquarie system covers an area of more than 74,000 square kilometres (29,000 sq mi). Over 72% of land is flat, with an additional 17% undulating to hilly. The remainder is steep to mountainous, rising progressively to elevations above 900 metres (3,000 ft). To the east the boundary is formed by the Great Dividing Range. This boundary extends from near Oberon in the south to Coolah in the north. A well defined ridge extends north-west from the Great Dividing Range for around 400 kilometres (250 mi), then the boundary turns north.

From Bathurst, near the formation of the river, it passes through the following geographic areas:

• Bathurst Plains, undulating country of 700 metres (2,300 ft) elevation surrounded by high tablelands on all sides. This includes an extensive floodplain around Bathurst
• past Hill End Plateau, where it is joined from the east by the Turon River, the river drains a plateau extending from near Portland to Sofala. The elevation is around 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) in the south and 700 metres (2,300 ft) in the north. This area is predominantly rugged slopes.
• Burrendong Dam, the Macquarie River is joined from the east by the Cudgegong River, which rises in the hills around Rylstone with a general elevation around 700 metres (2,300 ft)
• through Wellington and Dubbo where the river is joined by the Bell and Little Rivers. The Bell River rises in flat to undulating country of the Orange plateau, which has a general elevation of 900 metres (3,000 ft) with the highest point being the extinct volcanic peak of Mount Canobolas at roughly 1,400 metres (4,600 ft). Between Wellington and Dubbo extensive flat areas are evident.
• north of Dubbo, the Talbragar River joins the Macquarie. The Talbragar is the most important downstream tributary. This river rises in mountainous country at the junction of the Great Dividing Range and the Liverpool Range. The country through which the Talbragar River runs is broad and flat, bordered by undulating hills that disperse as the river nears Dubbo.
• north of Dubbo, the river passes through flat plains flowing north-west through Narromine and Warren. A complex series of effluent creeks connect the Macquarie, Darling and Bogan Rivers.
• Macquarie Marshes lie at the end of the river channel proper. Near Carinda, the Macquarie is joined by Marthaguy Creek which drains an area 6,500 square kilometres (2,500 sq mi) and carries spill-over water from the Macquarie and Castlereagh Rivers during floods.