The longest rivers in Australia

The lengths of the 10 longest rivers in Australia were re-calculated in September 2008 by Geoscience Australia using data from the National Topographic Database. The calculations confirmed that Australia's longest single river is the River Murray at 2508 kilometres. However, if the longest tributaries of the Darling River, the Culgoa, Balonne and Condamine, are taken into account its total length increases to 2740 kilometres, making it Australia's longest waterway.

NAME STATE LENGTH (km) approximate
1. River Murray New South Wales/South Australia 2508
2. Murrumbidgee River New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory 1485
3. Darling River (from the River Murray to Culgoa River) New South Wales 1545
4. Lachlan River New South Wales 1339
5. Cooper Creek Queensland/South Australia 1113
6. Flinders River Queensland 1004
7. Diamantina River Queensland/South Australia 941

1. Murray - 2,508 km
The river boasts a rich history, as aboriginal groups have relied on it for sustenance for centuries. The river also had cultural importance for the aboriginal tribes inhabiting the river’s basin. A typical folk tale among the groups was that of a hunter chasing a Murray cod and carving out the river as a result.
The river was discovered by European explorers in 1824 after which it was used for navigation, irrigation, and water supply. The Murray River today is home to dams and locks and weirs to control water quantities during drought or floods and hydroelectric projects.
Social and recreational facilities such as the annual canoe race are popular in River Murray.
Aquafauna present in the river includes Murray cod, perch, catfish, western carp gudgeon, and trout cod. Other fauna on the river’s basin include turtles, koalas, pelicans, Gray kangaroos, and lizards. The river has been negatively impacted by increased salinity levels, climate change, and over-extraction of water.

2. Murrumbidgee - 1,485 km
Murrumbidgee River, a tributary of the Murray River, flows for 1,485 km from the Australian Alps meandering its way to join the Murray River in the riverine plains. Historically, the river provided food and water to the aboriginal people on its banks.
In the Wiradjuri language, the river’s name translates to "big water".
The river facilitated the settlement of Europeans who used the water for irrigation. The river sustains many tributaries, swamps, and wetlands deemed to be ecologically significant.
Navigation was facilitated with the introduction of steamboats and irrigation was further promoted by the construction of dams. In the modern day, the river is crucial for the agricultural and tourism sector of the region as well as for hydroelectric power and water extraction.

The water is home to populations of Murray cod, Murray Cray, perch, crayfish, trout cod, Mountain galaxies, and Australian smelt. Threats to the river include increased sedimentation, alien fish species, reduced water flow, and physical disturbances.

3. Darling - 1,472 km
The Darling River is a tributary of the Murray River and flows from southwest Queensland. The river has been used for navigation for centuries.
Along its banks, the river's waters are used for small-scale agriculture and grazing. A network of dams and reservoirs have been built to control floods and supply irrigation schemes. Excessive water extraction has however caused the water quantity to decline.
Pollution from pesticides and extended periods of droughts has had negative impacts on the flow of the river.
The river supports populations of perch, catfish, Murray cod, and Murray hardyhead as well as lizards, frogs, turtles, rats, koalas, and possums.

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The rest of Australia’s longest rivers are Lachlan (1,448 km), Warrego River (1,380 km), Cooper Creek (1,300 km) and Paroo River (1,210 km). The sustainability of Australia’s rivers is threatened by physical disturbance such as the construction of dams, excessive water extraction, human activities, pollution, and climate change.