King River (Victoria)

This article is about the river in Victoria. For other uses, see King River.

King (Poodumbeyer)
River
The King River, above the King Valley, in 2008
Name origin: Philip Gidley King, 3rd Governor of NSW
Country	Australia
State	Victoria
Regions	Victorian Alps (IBRA), Victorian Alps, Hume
Local government areas	Mansfield Shire, Wangaratta
Part of	North-East Murray catchment, Murray-Darling basin
Tributaries
- left	Fork Creek, Tomahawk Creek, Evans Creek (King River, Victoria), Boggy Creek
- right	Stony Creek (King River, Victoria), Black Range Creek, Meadow Creek (Victoria), Hurdle Creek
Town	Moyhu, Wangaratta
Landmark	King Valley
Source	Alpine National Park, Victorian Alps
- location	below Mount Buggery
- elevation	1,030 m (3,379 ft)
- coordinates
Mouth	confluence with the Ovens River
- location	Wangaratta
- elevation	142 m (466 ft)
- coordinates
Length	126 km (78 mi)
National park	Alpine National Park, Mount Buffalo National Park
Reservoir	Lake William Hovell
Location of the King River mouth in Victoria
Wikimedia Commons: King River (Victoria)

The King River, a perennial river of the North-East Murray catchment of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the alpine and Hume regions of Victoria, Australia. It flows from the northwestern slopes of the Alpine National Park in the Australian Alps, through the King Valley, and joining with the Ovens River at the rural city of Wangaratta.

Location and features

The King River rises below Mount Buggery, within Mansfield Shire, at an elevation exceeding 1,460 metres (4,790 ft) above sea level. The river flows generally north by northwest, most of its course through remote parts of the Alpine and Mount Buffalo national parks, and then descending into the King Valley, joined by eight minor tributaries, before reaching its confluence with the Ovens River at Wangaratta. The river descends 1,320 metres (4,330 ft) over its 126-kilometre (78 mi) course.

The river is impounded by the William Hovell Dam to form Lake William Hovell, that provides water for approximately 24 square kilometres (9.3 sq mi) for irrigated crops, vineyards and grazing properties along the King River from Cheshunt to Wangaratta. A small 1.6-megawatt (2,100 hp) hydro-electric generator is driven by the river's outflow from the dam, with an average annual output of 3.7 gigawatt-hours (13 TJ).

Etymology

The river was named by Hamilton Hume and William Hovell, explorers of the region, in honour of Captain Philip Gidley King, the third Governor of New South Wales, in office from 1800 to 1806.

In the Australian Aboriginal Waywurru language, the river is named Poodumbeyer, with no defined meaning.

Recreation

Kayaking enthusiasts access the river for the many level 2 and level 3 rapids. In 2008 the site for the Victorian and Australian Downriver Championships.

See also

• List of rivers of Victoria

External links

Media related to King River (Victoria) at Wikimedia Commons