Barcoo River
The Barcoo River in western Queensland, Australia 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 River, believing it to be the same river as that named Victoria River by J. C. Wickham in 1839. It was renamed by Edmund Kennedy after a name supplied by local Aborigines.
| Barcoo River | |
|---|---|
Barcoo River at Tambo, 2012 | |
Map of the Lake Eyre Basin showing Barcoo River | |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Queensland |
| City | Blackall, Isisford, Tambo, Queensland |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Warrego Range |
| • location | east of Tambo, Central Queensland |
| Mouth | confluence with the Thomson River |
• location | north of Windorah |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Cooper Creek, Lake Eyre basin |
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"; legend has it that west of the Barcoo there is very little in the way of civilisation.
Tributaries include the Alice River 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.