Coliban River
Encyclopedia
The Coliban River is a river in central Victoria
, in Australia
. It is a major water supply source for towns and cities in the region.
near Lyonville
and plunges 33 metres at Trentham Falls, flowing northward to the Upper Coliban, Lauriston
and Malmsbury reservoirs. Subsequently it flows through Malmsbury
and Metcalfe
and finally meets the Campaspe River
at Lake Eppalock
.
and Castlemaine
. As the population of those cities grew a water supply system consisting of 70 kilometres of tunnels and aqueducts was constructed. Over time, the water supply was extended to Kyneton
, as well as many other smaller towns in the region. Today the system supplies drinking water to a population exceeding 200,000.
as well as eight native fish species including the Macquarie perch
. Four of the fish species are endangered and the trout cod
is regarded as critically endangered in the river, and may no longer be present. Indigenous vegetation in the area includes the black gum
(Eucalyptus aggregata) which, though once plentiful in the area, is now rare due to vegetation clearance over many years.
(Coliban Water) manages the three major water supply reservoirs, which are part of the Eppalock Proclaimed Water Supply Catchment.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is a major water supply source for towns and cities in the region.
Course
The river begins at the Great Dividing RangeGreat Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
near Lyonville
Lyonville, Victoria
Lyonville is a town located in the Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, Australia. East of Daylesford on the Trentham road, the town takes its name from James Lyon who had arrived in the Glenlyon district in the 1860's. At the 2006 census, Lyonville had a population of 156.Lyonville Post Office opened on...
and plunges 33 metres at Trentham Falls, flowing northward to the Upper Coliban, Lauriston
Lauriston Reservoir
Lauriston Reservoir is a reservoir in Victoria, Australia, with a maximum capacity of 19,800 megaliters. The dam that created it, located 9 km west of Kyneton along Lauriston Reservoir Road, was constructed from 1938 to 1941 and has a spillway that measures 77 meters...
and Malmsbury reservoirs. Subsequently it flows through Malmsbury
Malmsbury, Victoria
Malmsbury is a town in central Victoria, Australia. It lies on the Old Calder Highway , 96 km north west of the state capital, Melbourne and 11 km north west of Kyneton. Situated close by the Coliban River, Malmsbury has a population of 587...
and Metcalfe
Metcalfe, Victoria
Metcalfe is a small community in central Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Metcalfe had a population of 531.Metcalfe Post Office opened on 13 December 1866....
and finally meets the Campaspe River
Campaspe River
The Campaspe River is a river in Victoria, Australia. It was named by Major Mitchell in 1836 for Campaspe, a mistress of Alexander the Great.The river was known as yalooka by the local aboriginal people of the Rochester area.-Course:...
at Lake Eppalock
Lake Eppalock
Lake Eppalock is a man-made lake located in North Central Victoria, Australia. It's situated on the Campaspe River between the city of Bendigo and the town of Heathcote and serves as a major water storage facility for both places...
.
Water Supply
Gold was found in the river in 1858, and water from the river was used to supply the goldfields cities of BendigoBendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
and Castlemaine
Castlemaine, Victoria
Castlemaine is a city in Victoria, Australia, in the Goldfields region of Victoria about 120 kilometres northwest by road from Melbourne, and about 40 kilometres from the major provincial centre of Bendigo. It is the administrative and economic centre of the Shire of Mount Alexander. The...
. As the population of those cities grew a water supply system consisting of 70 kilometres of tunnels and aqueducts was constructed. Over time, the water supply was extended to Kyneton
Kyneton, Victoria
Kyneton is a town on the Calder Highway in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria, Australia. The Calder Freeway bypasses Kyneton to the north and east. The town was named after the English village of Kineton, Warwickshire. The town has three main streets: Mollison Street, Piper Street and High Street...
, as well as many other smaller towns in the region. Today the system supplies drinking water to a population exceeding 200,000.
Fauna and flora
The river is home to the platypusPlatypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
as well as eight native fish species including the Macquarie perch
Macquarie perch
The Macquarie perch is an Australian native freshwater fish of the Murray-Darling river system. It is a member of the Percichthyidae family and is closely related to the golden perch ....
. Four of the fish species are endangered and the trout cod
Trout Cod
The trout cod or bluenose cod, Maccullochella macquariensis, is a large predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family which was originally found in the south-east corner of the Murray-Darling river system in Australia...
is regarded as critically endangered in the river, and may no longer be present. Indigenous vegetation in the area includes the black gum
Eucalyptus aggregata
Eucalyptus aggregata, or black gum, is a species of Eucalyptus which is endemic to Australia. It was first described by Deane and Joseph Maiden in 1900....
(Eucalyptus aggregata) which, though once plentiful in the area, is now rare due to vegetation clearance over many years.
Management
The Coliban Region Water CorporationColiban Water
Coliban Water is a regional water authority in Victoria, Australia, established on 1 July 1992.The service area includes 55 towns, of which the Greater City of Bendigo is the largest and also location of the head office....
(Coliban Water) manages the three major water supply reservoirs, which are part of the Eppalock Proclaimed Water Supply Catchment.
External links
- Public Record Office Victoria Photograph of Victorian RailwaysVictorian RailwaysThe Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
passenger train crossing the viaduct over the Coliban River at MalmsburyMalmsbury, VictoriaMalmsbury is a town in central Victoria, Australia. It lies on the Old Calder Highway , 96 km north west of the state capital, Melbourne and 11 km north west of Kyneton. Situated close by the Coliban River, Malmsbury has a population of 587...
, November 1945.