Beyond the Murray

Posted 18 March, 2024 John Pedler

South Australia isn’t known for its abundant rivers. Apart from the mighty Murray, most of our waterways are much smaller, carving their narrow channels through the city, suburbs and regional SA.   We head beyond the Murray, Torrens, Port, Onkaparinga and Gawler rivers, and take a look at four lesser-known South Australian streams.

1. Neales River

Located in the arid far-north of the state, the Neales River only flows after thunderstorms drench the stony hills between the Oodnadatta Track and Stuart Highway. This is one of many inland-flowing streams that end their journeys in Kati Thanda/Lake Eyre. For much of the year (or years) the river is dry, apart from the odd waterhole. The most well-known of these is Algebuckina Waterhole on the Oodnadatta Track, 57km south of Oodnadatta. A haven for birds, fish and thirsty animals, this permanent outback water source is a popular camping spot. The site is also renowned for the 588m-long, wrought iron Algebuckina rail bridge, which was completed in 1892 as part of the Great Northern Railway. Later known as the Central Australian Railway, it carried The Ghan rail service to Alice Springs until 1980, when a new line was opened much further west to avoid train delays due to flooding.

2. Chapman River

At Chapman River, you can enjoy a river and beach holiday in one location (Main photo: Julie Fletcher). This tiny stream only flows for a few kilometres, snaking through Lashmar Conservation Park on the eastern end of Kangaroo Island, before emptying into the clear waters and white sands of Antechamber Bay. Flanked by thick vegetation, this picture-perfect waterway is the ideal spot for kayaking, fishing, birdwatching and swimming. Campsites can be booked through the National Parks and Wildlife Service website, while day-trippers can make use of the park’s picnic facilities.  

3. Cooper Creek

Cooper Creek formed from the convergence of the Thomson and Barcoo rivers in outback Queensland’s section of the expansive Lake Eyre Basin. The creek’s flow depends on heavy rains in the basin’s vast catchment area, and for much of the time its channel is dry – except for several substantial waterholes. The 7km-long, 30m-deep Cullyamurra Waterhole, just east of the tiny town of Innamincka, is a classic desert oasis. Its lush reedbeds, mighty redgums and splash of colourful parrots make it popular among outback campers. There are several other pretty campsites along Cooper Creek, east and west of town, within Innamincka Regional Reserve. Fisherfolk can hook yellowbelly, aka callop, and the endemic Cooper Creek catfish, in one of mainland Australia’s few European carp-free waterways. This section of Cooper Creek was thrust into the spotlight during Burke and Will’s disastrous 1860-61 expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria. While half the expedition team manned a base camp beside the creek, Robert Burke, William Wills, John King and Charlie Grey set out with camels and a horse to reach the Gulf. By the time they returned to Cooper Creek, four camels and the horse had died, while Grey had perished under mysterious circumstances. To add to the tragedy, the base camp crew had run short of supplies and headed for home just a few hours before Burke’s party arrived, leaving limited provisions at the now-famous Dig Tree. The local Yandruwandha people, who lived beside the bountiful Cooper Creek waterholes for generations, tried to help, but a stubborn Burke accepted only limited assistance before firing a pistol to scare them off. Sadly, Burke and Wills died, but a rescue party who arrived at the site in September 1861 were astonished to find King living among the Yandruwandha locals.

4. Tod River

Not to be confused with the similarly named Central Australian river, which sports an extra ‘d’, this small stream begins its journey in the hills west of Poonindie on Eyre Peninsula. It’s claimed to be the only watercourse on the peninsula to have a reliable flow. The main attraction for visitors is Tod River Reservoir Reserve, 28km north of Port Lincoln. The dam was built between 1918 and 1922 but no longer supplies the locals with drinking water, mainly due to increasing salinity levels. Facilities include a picnic shelter, barbecue, toilets, playground and museum. The Tod’s outflow into Spencer Gulf can be reached via Hirschausen Road, which runs south-east of Poonindie.