Leigh River (Victoria)
Perennial river in Victoria, Australia
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The Leigh River (or Waywatcurtan in the Wathaurong Aboriginal language) is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, in the Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Victoria.
| Leigh | |
|---|---|
The Leigh River at Inverleigh. The Hamilton Highway bridge is visible in the background. | |
| Etymology | Aboriginal Wathaurong: Waywatcurtan;[1][2] |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Region | Central Highlands |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Mount Mercer |
| • location | Cambrian Hill |
| • coordinates | 37°37′48″S 143°49′54″E |
| • elevation | 325 m (1,066 ft) |
| Source confluence | Yarrowee River |
| Mouth | Barwon River |
• location | near Inverleigh |
• coordinates | 38°06′31″S 144°03′48″E |
• elevation | 60 m (200 ft) |
| Length | 61 km (38 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Corangamite catchment |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Wilson Creek (Victoria), Williamson Creek, Cargerie Creek |
| [3][4] | |
Location and features
The Leigh River is a major tributary and catchment of the Barwon River. Fed by the Yarrowee River that rises near Ballarat, the Yarrowee reaches its confluence to form the Leigh in the vicinity of Cambrian Hill and Golden Plains Shire.[5] The Leigh River rises below Mount Mercer and flows generally south, joined by three minor tributaries before reaching its confluence with the Barwon River, southeast of the central business district of Inverleigh. The river descends 265 metres (869 ft) over its 61-kilometre (38 mi) course.[4][6]
Communities and bridge crossings along the river
There are several crossings over the Leigh River, including road, rail and pedestrian. Some additional roads allow passage through shallow sections of the river when the water levels are low.
| Location | Bridge name | Comments/use | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Mercer | Leigh Gorge Bridge (formerly Leigh Grand Junction Mine bridge)[7] | Mount Mercer/Meredith Road | |
| Shelford | Town Bridge | Bannockburn/Skipton Road | |
| Inverleigh | Two Bridges | Inverleigh/Teesdale Road | |
| Federation Bridge | Pedestrian suspension | ||
| Hamilton Highway | | ||
| Standard gauge Melbourne/Adelaide railway | |||
Etymology
The Wathaurong Aboriginal people named the river Waywatcurtan.[1][2]
It is believed that the name Leigh River was given by the surveyor J.H. Wedge who arrived in 1835, probably naming the river after his Tasmanian farm Leighlands.[8]
