The current name of the river was translated incorrectly: The actual name of the Yarra River is Yarro-yarro, which is a Wurundjeri term in the Boonwurrung language meaning ever-flowing. This is a very accurate description as the river is a perennial waterway, meaning it has a continuous flow all year round due to years of normal rainfall. [citation needed], The Gold Rush saw increased development in Melbourne and "tent cities" of new migrants lined the Yarra during the early years of the gold rush. The Yarra River was an important resource for the Wurundjeri people for around 40,000 years. providing recreational opportunities like rowing, fishing, bird watching, picnicking and walking. Herring Island, an artificial island on the Yarra River is a haven for nature and art lovers alike. During this era it was also commonplace for the winner of the Australian Open to bathe in the Yarra River as a post victory celebration. Board one of the river cruises from Southbank to explore the lower reaches of the Yarra, follow the Capital City Trail on foot or bike, canoe or kayak all or part of its 240-kilometre expanse, or set up for a scenic sunset barbecue or picnic on the banks of the river. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Riparian scrub occurs along much of the river. In the city's early days the Yarra was one of two major ports, the other being Sandridge (now Port Melbourne), but the Yarra was preferred due to the direct access to the town's main streets and was the location of Customs House (now the Immigration Museum). Herring Island is a small island at South Yarra which has a punt which takes people on to the park. The river has been a major food source and meeting place for Indigenous Australians for thousands of years. It is approximately 242 kilometres (150mi) in length, with a mean annual flow of 718 gigalitres (2.541010cuft), which is roughly 50% its original flow prior to damming. Shortly after the arrival of European settlers, land clearing forced the remaining Wurundjeri people into neighbouring territories and away from the river. . Swanson Dock was constructed between 1966 and 1972 equipped for modern container shipping. In 1891, the great flood caused the Yarra to swell to 305 metres (1,001ft) in width. The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River,[3] (Kulin languages: Berrern, Birr-arrung, Bay-ray-rung, Birarang,[5] Birrarung,[6] and Wongete[1]) is a perennial river[3] in south-central Victoria, Australia. The disposal of sewerage in Melbourne was very basic in the early days. Many cultural sites are still with us today like the Yarra Flats dreaming, and the Heide Scar tree and Bolin Bolin Billabong in Bulleen. The first step is finding the right spot in the river where the gold might collect, such as a crook in the bedrock, idle pools, log jams, inside corners of rivers or spaces between boulders. On this page: Yarra Ranges Shire Council Flood History Healesville Local Flood Guide Lilydale Local Flood Guide Mooroolbark Local Flood Guide Warburton Local Flood Guide Yarra Glen Local Flood Guide Then, place the pan underwater and saturate what remains, a process that allows the lighter material to float away. To protect the city from flooding, a series of works began in 1879 to widen and straighten the river. 4. Watch the following video to see it for yourself: Take a tour of the upper Yarra River at picturesque Warburton. The construction of the Upper Yarra Reservoir in 1957 reduced the river's flow by around 50%. This iconic river flows 242 kilometres from its source on Mt Baw Baw in the Yarra Ranges National Park, north-east of Melbourne, all the way to Port Phillip Bay. It hosts a wide range of geographic features including; bends, rapids, lakes, islands, floodplains, billabongs, wetlands, etc. The particles are kept suspended by the turbulence in some parts of the middle and lower sections of the river. Yarra Bend Park is Melbourne's largest natural bushland park. Did you know: Originally called Birrarung, meaning a place of mists and shadows, the river only became known as the Yarra in the 1830s after a surveyor misheard local Aboriginal people saying Yarro Yarro: it flows. Not recommend. With the Avon, Canning and Helena Rivers as its main tributaries, the Swan river's lower reaches are deep and wide while the upper reaches very shallow and narrow. Two major off-road, sealed trails, the Yarra River Trail and Capital City Trail follow the river on its course through the city, while part of the Bayside Trail also connects with the river. In fact, new research commissioned by Ocean Protect, shows Victorian residents are extremely concerned about marine and waterway health in relation to population growth over half rated it as their number one concern from a total list of 12 common concerns including increased traffic, housing density, competition for jobs and possible reduced water supply. This article contains explanations and lists of the river's tributaries and other geographic features. Licensed Tour Operators know all the best places to go and will plan and prepare your visit to ensure you are safe and can enjoy your nature-based adventure to the fullest. He describes the glacial flour. Boating is difficult beyond Hawthorn and impossible past Dights Falls. Spring Creek. However, the Aboriginals later denied selling the land to Batman, saying they only permitted him to pass through their land. The facility was situated inside Warrandyte State Park, from where the spillover until June 2015 flowed into the river and downstream towards Melbourne. 6. Image from State Library Victoria. There is plenty to be had, experts say, but probably not enough for you to quit your day job. This section is a declared water catchment and is closed . By the following year almost 200 Europeans had settled on the rivers banks, growing to 500,000 people by 1860 once gold was discovered at one of the rivers tributaries in Warrandyte. The river provided food and water and places for spiritual activities like burial grounds and birthplaces for the indigenous groups. [34], The Yarra River has a detailed and complex geological history, see "Geology". The Woods Point Rd follows the river through this section. I discovered this during one year of the birdman rally where annually people fly off a bridge into the murky muddy Yarra river waters. The first settlement the still-young river passes through is the small town of Reefton, but most of the river is surrounded by hills covered temperate forest until the timber and resort town of Warburton. As rivers, lakes and reservoirs are natural environments, you may encounter hazards. Reptiles that are common in the area include lizards, snakes, turtles, and skinks. The name Yarra Yarra is said to mean "ever flowing river",[2] but most likely refers to the Yarra Yarra falls which were later dynamited. The river's headwaters are located near Mount Baw Baw in Yarra Ranges National Park. The Melbourne Docklands urban renewal project began in 2000, comprising mixed use residential and commercial land and recreational boating moors along the river at the disused Victoria Dock and on the south bank of the Yarra. A growing number of people are heading to the streams and rivers in search of gold. The campground is well-equipped for a cookout, with a wood BBQ, picnic tables, drinking water and a dishwashing area. The Yarra River hosts a wide range of geographical features, perhaps the most plentiful of which are billabongs, of which there are over 100, particularly in the floodplains near Yering, Yarra Glen and Coldstream.Being a considerably thin river for almost its entire length, there are very few islands or lakes.In the middle reaches there are a few rapids of easy to moderate difficulty, however . Yarra begins to form an estuarine below the Dights Falls as it flows through the southern side of Melbournes CBD. Outside of Melbourne, settlement in the Yarra Valley represented a very significant segment in the history and economic development of the state of Victoria. [39], The river is navigable by most boats from its entrance in Hobsons Bay to Dights Falls, a stretch of 22km (14mi), and is subject to tidal variations and submerged objects. Of their contact with local Wurunderi people in 1835, John Wedge wrote:[11]. When the river water combines with marine salts as it enters Port Phillip, the suspended particles clump together and sink. Always check for signs of pollution before you swim. The river now compares favourably with many metropolitan rivers overseas. Then start digging, filling your pan with gravel. View annual progress towards 10-year targets for waterways in the catchment, as set out in the strategy. It was feared that dredging would disturb heavy metals and other toxic sediments mostly deposited during Melbourne's industrial era. On the southern side of the river near exists a number of university and private school rowing clubs who use the river for recreational sports. In 1835, Tasmanian farmer John Batman claimed he had bought the river and surrounding land from the Wurundjeri people in exchange for goods. The garden was set . Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. [citation needed] or 'river of mists'. The park features extensive stands of mountain ash, a very tall eucalypt, tree ferns, as well as patches of remnant rainforest. Some of the more prominent and historical crossings include;[39], Several reserves have been set aside adjoining the Yarra, mostly to preserve the natural environment or for recreation, many of these are managed and operated by Parks Victoria, the state government agency responsible for the management of Victoria's national parks and other reserves. The Yarra River is Victoria's 10th longest river, flowing for about 242 kilometers from its source in the Eastern Highlands to its mouth at Hobsons Bay. La Camera, Southgate The river was utilised primarily for agriculture by early European settlers. New ferry services and water taxis sprang up along the city reach, servicing as far up river as South Yarra and out to Hobsons Bay. The river enters Melbourne's suburbs proper at Chirnside Park, but virtually all the river's length is surrounded by parkland, much retaining (or having been replanted with) extensive native vegetation. The Yarra River has about 50 named tributaries; 6 rivers, 42 creeks and 2 gullies. Learn about grants available to support innovation, liveability and collaboration across water management, and improve river health. The Yarra River originates upstream of the Upper Yarra Reservoir in steep forest, with an annual rainfall more than 1,400 mm. In February 1972, the CBD was flooded as the natural watercourse of Elizabeth Street became a raging torrent. The river's major tributaries are the Plenty River, Merri Creek, Darebin Creek, Diamond Creek, Gardiners Creek, Mullum Mullum Creek and the Moonee Ponds Creek. The presence of clay particles is not a major factor in the pollution of the river. [17] However, people continued to swim and drink the water until Melbourne's fresh water was sourced from elsewhere. [26], Several programs are being implemented to minimise beach and river pollution, mostly organised by community groups, EPA Victoria and local councils. The Gold Rush saw increased development in Melbourne and "tent cities" of new migrants lined the Yarra during the early years of the gold rush. The final section passes through the Port of Melbourne and under the Bolte Bridge and the West Gate Bridge. Since the first permanent crossing was built over the river in 1844, there are now over 60 places where pedestrians, cars and other vehicles can cross the river. [28], Due to damming and the lack of natural flooding, much of the surrounding vegetation is lacking in the silt and soil deposits that would otherwise be provided by the floods. For example, in recent years paper company Amcor has been fined several times by EPA Victoria for polluting the Yarra and environs. With two legislative days remaining until Crossover Day, legislators and lobbyists spent all . Beginning with the Victorian gold rush (1850s and 60s), it was extensively mined and had numerous bridges built to facilitate the growing transport needs. The Upper Yarra Dam, one of a number of dams in the Yarra Catchment that supply a large part of Melbourne's water, is the furthest upstream point on the river visible to the general public (though the dam itself is closed off). Image compiled by J. Blundell, from State Library Victoria. As the river is never wider than around 350m and is on average only around 50m wide, most of the crossings are located in the suburbs of Greater Melbourne. Platypus are rarely seen as far downstream as Fairfield. However, this section of the river is surrounded by tall trees and parklands, containing mainly the native vegetation. Yarra River. Parks Victoria respects the deep and continuing connection that Traditional Owners have to these lands and waters, and we recognise their ongoing role in caring for Country. Whether you'd rather your cruise to be chartered by an expert Skipper on our luxury . [18] This was due mostly to previous storm water drainage works which utilised Elizabeth street as a watercourse during times of intense rain creating flash floods. The first step is finding the right spot in the river where the gold might collect, such as a crook in the bedrock, idle pools, log jams, inside corners of rivers or spaces between boulders.. Delivering the plan is a Victorian Government commitment to protect our treasured Yarra River, Birrarung, and its parklands for future generations. Surround yourself with the majestic views of Melbourne's cityscape views on the renowned Yarra River. Richard Bourke, the New South Wales Governor, declared the purchase treaty (Batmans Treaty) invalid on August 26, 1835. 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