The North Para River rises from the Barossa Ranges

Barossa Ranges

The Barossa Ranges are located in the state of South Australia in Australia. They are a part of the southern Mount Lofty Ranges and primarily run along the eastern side of the Barossa Valley. The range was named by Colonel William Light in 1837 after the Barrosa Range in Spain, to which he found...

 near Eden Valley

Eden Valley, South Australia

Eden Valley is a small South Australian town in the Barossa Ranges. It was named by the surveyors of the area after they found the word "Eden" carved into a tree. Eden Valley has an elevation of 460 metres and an average annual rainfall of 716.2mm....

 and flows southwest through thhe Barossa Valley

Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of...

, passing through the towns of Nuriootpa

Nuriootpa, South Australia

Nuriootpa is the major commercial centre in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, about an hour's drive north of the capital, Adelaide, and 77 kilometres by rail...

, Tanunda

Tanunda, South Australia

Tanunda is a town situated in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, 70 kilometres north east of the state capital, Adelaide. The town derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning water hole. Town population is approximately 3500.-Settlement:...

, before merging with the South Para River

South Para River

The South Para River is a river in Australia. It rises in the Mount Lofty Ranges near Mount Crawford and Kersbrook and flows northwest through the Mount Lofty Ranges, passing through the Warren Reservoir and the South Para Reservoir, before merging with the North Para River in Gawler forming the...

 in Gawler

Gawler, South Australia

Gawler is the first country town in the state of South Australia, and is named after the second Governor of the colony of South Australia, George Gawler. It is located north of the centre of the state capital, Adelaide, and is close to the major wine producing district of the Barossa Valley...

 forming the Gawler River

Gawler River

Gawler River, is a confluence of the North Para and South Para Rivers at the South Australian town of Gawler. It is also the name of a suburb, between Gawler and Angle Vale....

.

The North Para River catchment is one of the key watersheds

Drainage basin

A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...

 in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges

Mount Lofty Ranges

The Mount Lofty Ranges are the range of mountains just to the east of Adelaide in South Australia.-Location and description:The Mount Lofty Ranges stretch from the southernmost point of the Fleurieu Peninsula at Cape Jervis northwards for over before petering out north of Peterborough...

. It plays a very important role in the economy of South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

, providing much of the water used by viticulture

Viticulture

Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...

 in the Barossa Valley

Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of...

. Its waters are also used for livestock production

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

, cereal cropping

Cereal

Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...

 and recreation.

Tributaries

• Angaston Creek
• Jacobs Creek
• Lyndoch Creek
• Greenock Creek
• Walkers Creek