Margaret River (Kimberley, Western Australia)

Margaret River
Margaret River in flood at the entrance to the King Leopold Ranges
Country	Australia
Basin
Main source	King Leopold Range 498 metres (1,634 ft)[1]
River mouth	Fitzroy River 110 metres (361 ft)
Physical characteristics
Length	335 kilometres (208 mi)[2]

The Margaret River is a river in the Kimberley of Western Australia.

The river was named on 29 May 1879 by the explorer Alexander Forrest, during an expedition in the Kimberley area, after his sister-in-law Margaret Elvire Forrest, wife of his brother John Forrest, who was later to be Premier of Western Australia.^[3]

The headwaters of the river rise in the King Leopold Range West of Halls Creek and flows in a westerly until it merges with the Fitzroy River of which it is a tributary. The junction of the two rivers is close to Fitzroy Crossing. The Margaret River has 15 tributaries including; Mary River, Gliddon River, O'Donnell River, Leopold River, Louisa River, Station Creek, Dead Horse Creek, Gidgia Creek and Boab Creek.

The state Public Works Department set up a flow monitoring station on the Margaret River at the entrance of the gorge where it enters the Mueller Ranges in 1966. Debate continues about the use of the Fitzroy River basin as a water source for the South West of Western Australia.

Fish such as the Barramundi, Freshwater Sawfish, Greenway's grunter and the False-spine Catfish have all been found within the river system.^[4]

The traditional owners of the areas around the river are the Djaru, Kitja and Konejandi peoples.^[5]

• 
  Margaret River near the Louisa Downs Homestead

References

Coordinates: 18°10′24″S 125°37′5″E / 18.17333°S 125.61806°E / -18.17333; 125.61806