Peel River (New South Wales)
Encyclopedia
The Peel River is a river in New South Wales
, Australia
. It is part of the Murray-Darling Basin
.
The Peel rises on the northern slopes of the Liverpool Range
south of the village of Nundle
. It flows generally north and west through the foothills of the Great Dividing Range
, through Woolomin
and Piallamore
and emerges into the Liverpool Plains
near Tamworth
. It continues west and flows into the Namoi River
just downstream of Keepit Dam
. The Cockburn River
is a major tributary of the Peel River, joining it at Nemingha
east of Tamworth.
The Peel is dammed south of the village of Woolomin
by Chaffey Dam
, a water supply for Tamworth.
The Peel River was named after Sir Robert Peel who was an important British politician at the time of its discovery by British settlers in Australia
.
The famous Australian freshwater native fish Murray cod
, Maccullochella peelii, was named after the Peel River by Major Mitchell, who sketched and scientifically described and named one of the numerous Muray cod his men caught from the river on his 1838 expedition.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, 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 part of the Murray-Darling Basin
Murray-Darling Basin
The Murray-Darling basin is a large geographical area in the interior of southeastern Australia, whose name is derived from its two major rivers, the Murray River and the Darling River. It drains one-seventh of the Australian land mass, and is currently by far the most significant agricultural...
.
The Peel rises on the northern slopes of the Liverpool Range
Liverpool Range
The Liverpool Range is a mountain range and a lava-field province in New South Wales, Australia.The Liverpool Range starts from the volcanic plateau known as the Barrington Tops and runs for about 100 km westwards, forming the northern boundary of the Hunter Valley district...
south of the village of Nundle
Nundle, New South Wales
Nundle is a village in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It was formerly the centre of Nundle Shire Local Government Area, but most of this area, including the village of Nundle, was absorbed into Tamworth Regional Council in 2004. The village is 400 km north of Sydney and...
. It flows generally north and west through the foothills of the Great Dividing Range
Great 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...
, through Woolomin
Woolomin, New South Wales
Woolomin is a small settlement on the bank of the Peel River, about 20 km north of Nundle, New South Wales, Australia and about 40 km south east of the city of Tamworth. It is on the Fossickers Way near Chaffey Dam...
and Piallamore
Piallamore, New South Wales
Piallamore is a small outer suburb of Tamworth located about 15 km South-East of the city. It is located within the Parry County Cadastral division of New South Wales in the New England region...
and emerges into the Liverpool Plains
Liverpool Plains
The Liverpool Plains is a geographical area and Local Government Area in the North West Slopes, New South Wales.The Shire was formed on 17 March 2004 by the amalgamation of Quirindi Shire with parts of three other shires: Parry, Murrurundi and Gunnedah.- Main towns :* Quirindi* Ardglen*...
near Tamworth
Tamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
. It continues west and flows into the Namoi River
Namoi River
The Namoi River is a major tributary of the Darling River in inland New South Wales, Australia.- Course :The headwaters of the Namoi, including the Macdonald River, the Peel River, the Cockburn River and the Manilla River, rise on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range on the Northern...
just downstream of Keepit Dam
Keepit Dam
Keepit Dam is a water storage dam on the Namoi River in New South Wales, Australia. Keepit Dam retains water from the Namoi River 13 kilometres upstream of its junction with the Peel River for flood control and irrigation. It is also used for local recreation, fishing and water skiing...
. The Cockburn River
Cockburn River
The Cockburn River is a river in New South Wales, Australia.The Cockburn River rises near Woolbrook, New South Wales in the southern New England tablelands. It drains the western side of the Great Dividing Range...
is a major tributary of the Peel River, joining it at Nemingha
Nemingha, New South Wales
Nemingha is an outer suburb of Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia, located 5 km south of the Tamworth Central Business District on the New England Highway. Northwest of Nemingha is East Tamworth and the Tamworth Central Business District.-References:...
east of Tamworth.
The Peel is dammed south of the village of Woolomin
Woolomin, New South Wales
Woolomin is a small settlement on the bank of the Peel River, about 20 km north of Nundle, New South Wales, Australia and about 40 km south east of the city of Tamworth. It is on the Fossickers Way near Chaffey Dam...
by Chaffey Dam
Chaffey Dam
Chaffey Dam is a dam 16 kilometres north of Nundle and 44 kilometres south of Tamworth in New South Wales. Its main purposes are regulating the flow of the Peel River and to augment the water supply of Tamworth....
, a water supply for Tamworth.
The Peel River was named after Sir Robert Peel who was an important British politician at the time of its discovery by British settlers 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...
.
The famous Australian freshwater native fish Murray cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
, Maccullochella peelii, was named after the Peel River by Major Mitchell, who sketched and scientifically described and named one of the numerous Muray cod his men caught from the river on his 1838 expedition.
See also
- List of rivers in Australia
- Rivers of New South WalesRivers of New South WalesThis page discusses the rivers and hydrography of the State of New South Wales, Australia.The principal topographic feature of New South Wales is the series of low highlands and plateaus called the Great Dividing Range, which extend from north to south roughly parallel to the coast of the Tasman...