Richmond River
Encyclopedia
The Richmond River is a river
in the north-eastern corner of New South Wales
, Australia
. It runs for approximately 170 km from the foothills of the Border Ranges
past the towns of Kyogle
, Casino
, Coraki
, Woodburn
, where it turns northward and empties into the Pacific Ocean
at Ballina
. It has a catchment area of 6,850 km², which makes it the sixth largest catchment in the state. Its floodplain
has an area of over 1,000 km².
It is one of the three rivers that are generally considered to constitute the Northern Rivers District of New South Wales, the other two being the Clarence River to the south and the Tweed River to the north.
identified the mouth of the river in 1828
that it was discovered by Europeans. Rous entered the river and sailed about 20 miles (32 km) up river. He subsequently named the river Richmond after the fifth Duke of Richmond
. Later that year the explorer Allan Cunningham
reached the river by land.
The river was a major port from the 1840s until well into the 20th century. Soon after the first white settlers arrived they discovered the abundant supply of Australian Red Cedar in the Richmond Valley and immediately began logging. The river was vital in the transportation of this resource.
At the time of its discovery in 1828 and until the late 1890s the river had a treacherous mouth of shifting sand bars, and many ships and lives were lost on it. Understandably, a decision was made to construct two breakwaters to channel the river's flow and these were completed in the early 1900s. The construction of the breakwaters also led to the formation of Shaw's Bay (after sand built up behind what is now called Lighthouse or Main Beach).
In 1846, a conflict between white settlers and local Aborigines in the river valley (the Richmond River massacre
) caused the deaths of around 100 of the latter.
With the decline of shipping as a transport mode, owing to better roads and rail, and the closing of the North Coast Steam Navigation Company (the major shipping firm of the area) in 1954, the river became less important as a port.
, which flows through the city of Lismore
and is navigable at least as far as Boatharbour approximately 12 km upstream from Lismore.
The Richmond River is heavily used for irrigation
along its length. Several weir
s have been constructed in order to mitigate the effects of flooding, most notably at Casino
.
, similar to Murray Cod
and possibly a subspecies of Eastern Freshwater Cod
. Unfortunately this unique native fish became extinct between the 1930s and 1950s due to habitat degradation and gross overfishing, including with dynamite during the building of the local railway line. The Endangered Oxleyan Pygmy Perch
has been recorded from the river.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the north-eastern corner of New South Wales
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 runs for approximately 170 km from the foothills of the Border Ranges
Border Ranges National Park
Border Ranges National Park, 150 km south of Brisbane, Australia, is in northern New South Wales with a small portion located in Queensland....
past the towns of Kyogle
Kyogle, New South Wales
Kyogle is a town in the Northern Rivers region of northern New South Wales, Australia, in Kyogle Council. At the 2006 census, Kyogle had a population of 2,731 people. It was founded in the 1830s as a lumber camp, and is located north of Sydney, north of Casino on the Summerland Way close to the...
, Casino
Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
, Coraki
Coraki, New South Wales
Coraki is a small town that sits on the confluence of the Richmond and Wilson Rivers in northern New South Wales, Australia in Richmond Valley Shire. At the 2006 census, Coraki had a population of 1,180 people...
, Woodburn
Woodburn, New South Wales
Woodburn is a small highway town on the banks of the Richmond River in New South Wales, Australia. The busy Pacific Highway passes through the centre of town...
, where it turns northward and empties into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
at Ballina
Ballina, New South Wales
Ballina is a town on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire Local Government Area. It had a population of 16,477 in the 2006 Census.-Location:...
. It has a catchment area of 6,850 km², which makes it the sixth largest catchment in the state. Its floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
has an area of over 1,000 km².
It is one of the three rivers that are generally considered to constitute the Northern Rivers District of New South Wales, the other two being the Clarence River to the south and the Tweed River to the north.
History
Missed by Captain James Cook when he sailed up the east coast of the Australian mainland in 1770, it wasn't until Captain Henry John RousHenry John Rous
Admiral Henry John Rous was a Royal Navy officer and sportsman.-Career:Born the second son of John Rous, 1st Earl of Stradbroke, Rous was educated at Westminster School, and entered the Royal Navy in 1808, serving as a midshipman in the Walcheren Campaign the following year...
identified the mouth of the river in 1828
1828 in Australia
See also:1827 in Australia,other events of 1828,1829 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Ralph Darling*Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania - Colonel George Arthur...
that it was discovered by Europeans. Rous entered the river and sailed about 20 miles (32 km) up river. He subsequently named the river Richmond after the fifth Duke of Richmond
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond and 5th Duke of Lennox KG, PC , styled Earl of March until in 1819, was a British soldier, politician and a prominent Conservative.-Background and education:...
. Later that year the explorer Allan Cunningham
Allan Cunningham (botanist)
Allan Cunningham was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels in New South Wales to collect plants.- Early life :...
reached the river by land.
The river was a major port from the 1840s until well into the 20th century. Soon after the first white settlers arrived they discovered the abundant supply of Australian Red Cedar in the Richmond Valley and immediately began logging. The river was vital in the transportation of this resource.
At the time of its discovery in 1828 and until the late 1890s the river had a treacherous mouth of shifting sand bars, and many ships and lives were lost on it. Understandably, a decision was made to construct two breakwaters to channel the river's flow and these were completed in the early 1900s. The construction of the breakwaters also led to the formation of Shaw's Bay (after sand built up behind what is now called Lighthouse or Main Beach).
In 1846, a conflict between white settlers and local Aborigines in the river valley (the Richmond River massacre
Richmond River massacre
The Richmond River massacres were a series of murders of groups of Indigenous Australians and Europeans in the region around the Richmond River in north-eastern New South Wales in the mid-nineteenth century.-Pelican Creek tragedy:...
) caused the deaths of around 100 of the latter.
With the decline of shipping as a transport mode, owing to better roads and rail, and the closing of the North Coast Steam Navigation Company (the major shipping firm of the area) in 1954, the river became less important as a port.
Current usage
More recently, however, there has been greater appreciation of the river and its place in Ballina (and NSW North Coast) history. For boats the river is only navigable for a short way up its length, possibly as far as Casino, but a major tributary of the Richmond River is the Wilsons RiverWilsons River (New South Wales)
The Wilsons River is a river in northern New South Wales. It was formerly known as Wilsons Creek and the North Arm of the Richmond River. It flows into the Richmond River proper at Coraki. Wilsons Creek was named after William Wilson, the first settler in Lismore, in the period 1844-5. In 1976 it...
, which flows through the city of Lismore
Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
and is navigable at least as far as Boatharbour approximately 12 km upstream from Lismore.
The Richmond River is heavily used for irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
along its length. Several weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
s have been constructed in order to mitigate the effects of flooding, most notably at Casino
Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
.
Fauna
The freshwater reaches of the Richmond River once supported the endemic Richmond River CodRichmond River cod
The Richmond River cod was a form of Maccullochella cod, now believed to have been eastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei, that occurred naturally in the Richmond River system, an east coast river system in north-east New South Wales, Australia....
, similar to 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...
and possibly a subspecies of Eastern Freshwater Cod
Eastern freshwater cod
Eastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei, also known as eastern cod, are a large and striking predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family, that occur in the coastal Clarence River system of north-eastern New South Wales...
. Unfortunately this unique native fish became extinct between the 1930s and 1950s due to habitat degradation and gross overfishing, including with dynamite during the building of the local railway line. The Endangered Oxleyan Pygmy Perch
Oxleyan Pygmy Perch
The Oxleyan Pygmy Perch is a species of perch-like fish in the Percichthyidae family.It is found only in Australia.-Source:* Wager, R. 1996. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007....
has been recorded from the river.