Macalister River
Location and features
The Macalister River rises below Mount Howitt, part of the Great Dividing Range in the southern portion of the Alpine National Park; and flows generally south by east in a highly meandering course. The river is joined by fifteen tributaries including the Caledonia, Wellington, and Barkly rivers, impounded by the Glenmaggie Dam that creates Lake Glenmaggie, before reaching its confluence with the Thomson River, south of Maffra. The river descends 1,530 metres (5,020 ft) over its 177-kilometre (110 mi) course. The fertile flats and valley floor of the Macalister River support agriculture around the town of Licola.
Etymology
In the Aboriginal Braiakaulung language the river was named Wirnwirndook'yeerun, meaning the "song of some bird", purportedly an emu wren.
The river was later named the Macalister River by explorer Angus McMillan, after his employer, Captain Lachlan Macalister.
See also
References
- ^ Blake, Les (1977). Place names of Victoria. Adelaide: Rigby. p. 294. ISBN 0-7270-0250-3., cited in Bird (2006)
- ^ Bird, Eric (12 October 2006). "Place Names on the Coast of Victoria" (PDF). The Australian National Placename Survey (ANPS). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011.
- ^ "Macalister River: 20119: Traditional Name: Wirnwirndook'yeerung". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 12 May 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- ^ "Macalister River: 20119: Traditional name: Wirnwirndook'yeerung". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 12 August 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ "Map of Macalister River, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
External links
- "West Gippsland Regional Catchment Strategy (2013 - 2019)" (PDF – 4MB). West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. 2012. ISBN 978-0-9805562-8-5.
- "Latrobe Catchment Ecosystem" (PDF). West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 April 2011.