Know your river: Yarra River wildlife guide, Yarra Strategic Plan (Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo), Permanent water-saving rules and Target 150, Work or build near our assets or easements, Liveable Communities, Liveable Waterways Program, Edithvale-Seaford Wetland Education Centre, Training and approval to work on a Melbourne Water site, Bird species at the Eastern Treatment Plant, Bird species at the Western Treatment Plant, Western Treatment Plant augmented reality app, Healthy Waterways Strategy report card - Yarra catchment, as the source of 70 per cent of Melbournes drinking water. The Aboriginal people belonging to the Kulin nation, particularly Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung, were the first people to settle along the Yarra River. Following the course of the river is the 38-kilometre Main Yarra Trail, which stretches from Southbank to the north-eastern suburbs through river flats, sporting ovals, market gardens and paddocks. Some of the larger parklands adjoining the river include, from downstream to upstream: There are 14 golf courses adjoining the river, these include, from downstream to upstream: The Yarra is considered an important part of Melbourne's culture and a symbol of the city, and as a result, it has been the source of artistic and cultural expression. For the falls traditionally known as Yarra Yarra, see, Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 09:38, "Yarra River: 30146: Historical Information", "In four years, 179 tonnes of garbage was pulled out of the Yarra", "Yarra Strategic Plan (Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo) | Melbourne Water", "Port Phillip Survey 1957-1963: The Geology & Geomorphology", https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1878NoC15.pdf, "Governor Bourke's Proclamation 1835 (UK)", "Melbourne flood Elizabeth Street, February 1972, Neville Bowler", "Garrett approves Port Phillip Bay dredging", "Port Phillip and Westernport Regional River Health Strategy - Yarra catchment", "Chemicals in Melbourne's Yarra River created a health risk, says report", Rivers, wetlands, bays Port Phillip and Westernport, Mr Ian Penrose, Yarra Riverkeepers Association, Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum. First, Australian explorer John Batman bought approximately 2,400 square kilometers of land surrounding the river from the Wurundjeri people. Spring Creek. The Macquarie Perchs population is dependent on the Yarra River, as there has been a major decline in the Murray-Darling Macquarie Perch population. Throughout its length, the waters of the Yarra River and its banks are used for; boating, rowing, water skiing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, cycling, running and walking, amongst other things. There's also a lot of rubbish in the Yarra near the city. "Gazetteer of Australia Place Name Search", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geography_of_the_Yarra_River&oldid=1137384069, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 February 2023, at 09:57. The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River,[3] (Kulin languages: Berrern, Birr-arrung, Bay-ray-rung, Birarang,[5] Birrarung,[6] and Wongete[1]) is a perennial river[3] in south-central Victoria, Australia. Before 8000 BC, the Yarra River probably joined course with other present-day Port Phillip Bay tributaries such as the Patterson, Kororoit, Werribee, Little River, and drained directly through a narrow gap (what is now called the Rip) into a bay of the Great Australian Bight on the west side of a prehistoric land bridge called the Bassian Plain (which later became submerged into the Bass Strait). In the 1850s, the region was on the bustling route to the Warburton goldfields. It's still going strong and Sandi pops in to reconnect with this icon of hospitality. The construction of the Upper Yarra Reservoir in 1957 reduced the river's flow by around 50%. Industries then began using the river and tributaries such as Merri Creek as landfill and for harmful chemical dumps for substances like grease and oils. Parks Victoria respects the deep and continuing connection that Traditional Owners have to these lands and waters, and we recognise their ongoing role in caring for Country. Elemental to Melbourne's identity, the Yarra River is one of Victoria's iconic waterways. The clay soil in the region breaks up into tiny particles and dissipates throughout the whole of the river. Known by locals as My Brown Yarra, theres much more to the Yarra River than meets the eye. Its up to all of us to play our part to protect this special natural resource for generations to come.. The campground is well-equipped for a cookout, with a wood BBQ, picnic tables, drinking water and a dishwashing area. The current name of the river was translated incorrectly: The actual name of the Yarra River is Yarro-yarro, which is a Wurundjeri term in the Boonwurrung language meaning ever-flowing. This is a very accurate description as the river is a perennial waterway, meaning it has a continuous flow all year round due to years of normal rainfall. Its marshlands were covered over to prevent . Shortly after the arrival of European settlers, land clearing forced the remaining Wurundjeri people into neighbouring territories and away from the river. However almost all of the fish are contaminated with heavy metals including arsenic and not fit for human consumption. The Yarra Riverbank is home to over 20 unique plant communities. [citation needed]. By the following year almost 200 Europeans had settled on the rivers banks, growing to 500,000 people by 1860 once gold was discovered at one of the rivers tributaries in Warrandyte. Small historical bridges can be found further downstream including the Banksia Street, Fitzsimons Lane and Warrandyte Bridges. High levels of E. coli, some up to 200 times the safe limit in its tributaries, are caused primarily by poorly maintained septic systems.[23]. Oils and grease remain today in several tributaries in the lower reaches such as Merri Creek and Moonee Ponds Creek.[22]. Rowing is a long-standing tradition along the Yarra and the boat sheds are an integral part of the riverscape. The Yarra River then turns westwards at Healesville and thence to Yarra Glen. It is mostly concentrated in central Melbourne where cruises go up and down the river and ferries operate. Surround yourself with the majestic views of Melbourne's cityscape views on the renowned Yarra River. The riverflows for about 242 kilometers from the Yarra Ranges of the Great Dividing Range to Port Philip at Hobsons Bay. The 10-year plan supports collaborative management of the Yarra and its lands to give effect to the communitys long-term vision. You should also bring a pan the size of a dinner plate, a strainer called a classifier and sucker bottles to capture the gold. From its source in the Yarra Ranges, it flows 242 kilometres (150mi) west through the Yarra Valley which opens out into plains as it winds its way through Greater Melbourne before emptying into Hobsons Bay in northernmost Port Phillip Bay. In 2008, dredging began to deepen the mouth of the Yarra to enable large container ships to reach the Port of Melbourne. . The first Europeans to sail up the river was a surveying party led by Charles Grimes, Acting Surveyor General of New South Wales, who in 1803 sailed upstream to Dights Falls, where they could no longer continue due to the nature of the terrain. Canoeing and kayaking are great ways to explore beautiful waterways. This iconic river flows 242 kilometres from its source on Mt Baw Baw in the Yarra Ranges National Park, north-east of Melbourne, all the way to Port Phillip Bay. Go for a wander and see how many you can spot. The river flows through different habitats, including large pristine forests, dense urban areas, and agricultural land. [citation needed], Sections of the river mouth and the area around the former West Melbourne Swamp were widened in the late 19th century, to make way for docks, harbours, bridges and other infrastructure. Freshwater catfish have been caught at Westerfolds . The common species include Nankeen Night Heron and White-faced Heron. In the middle reaches, canoeing and kayaking is popular, there are a few rapids of easy to medium difficulty depending on the water level. Strathfillan Creek Tributary of Carapooee Creek. Herring Island, an artificial island on the Yarra River is a haven for nature and art lovers alike. A history of flooding: The first recorded flood in The Yarra River was in 1839. It has spiritual and cultural significance for Aboriginal communities. But that doesn't stop a group of intrepid swimmers taking the plunge into the Yarra River at inner-city Fairfield most mornings. Swimming is also popular in the middle reaches throughout winter, particularly around Warrandyte. On arriving in sight of the river, the two natives who were with me, pointing to the river, called out, 'Yarra Yarra', which at the time I imagined to be its name; but I afterwards learnt that the words were what they used to designate a waterfall, as they afterwards gave the same designation to a small fall in the river Werribee, as we crossed it on our way back to Indented Head. Pound Bend has a delightful picnic area with tables, toilets, a canoe launching ramp and great views of the river. The final section passes through the Port of Melbourne and under the Bolte Bridge and the West Gate Bridge. This series of rocks, originally used to cross the river, and referred to as the "Yarra Falls" was removed using explosives and divers in 1883. The catchment's upper reaches are also affected by logging. To the Wurundjeri people the river, known as Birrarung, was the life source and an important meeting place. It's illegal to swim in the Yarra River south of Gipps Street in Abbotsford. This is an important spawning and nursery area for brown trout from the Yarra River. This industrialisation also led to a steady deterioration in water quality during the 19th century and into the 20th. Widening and dams, like the Upper Yarra Reservoir have helped protect Melbourne from major flooding. This section is a declared water catchment and is closed . Richard Bourke, the New South Wales Governor, declared the purchase treaty (Batmans Treaty) invalid on August 26, 1835. The dock was later renamed Victoria Dock. Swamp scrub occurs in permanently wet areas, especially in the catchments south and east. For the beginner, it is advisable to dress for wet conditions with many miners wearing hip boots during the summer and waders in the fall. 1835 was an eventful year in the history of the Yarra River. Yarra begins to form an estuarine below the Dights Falls as it flows through the southern side of Melbournes CBD. The park features steep river escarpments, open woodlands, playing fields and golf courses. The area surrounding the Yarra River was first inhabited by the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin nation. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. So where is this picturesque spot? Today, the Yarra River is an integral part of our lives and each year attracts millions of visitors - who walk, ride, row, fish or camp along its banks. With two legislative days remaining until Crossover Day, legislators and lobbyists spent all . Industrialisation ultimately led to the destruction of the marshlands at the confluence of the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers in the area around Coode Island in West Melbourne. [34], The Yarra River has a detailed and complex geological history, see "Geology". Around this area there are submerged mining shafts which can cause undertows that suck swimmers under the surface and into these shafts. With the pan still underwater, slosh the muddy mix back and forth. In 1803, New South Wales Acting Surveyor-General Charles Grimes and his party became the first Europeans to sail up the river. Licensed Tour Operators know all the best places to go and will plan and prepare your visit to ensure you are safe and can enjoy your nature-based adventure to the fullest. Did you know: Each year, volunteers spend an incredible 50,000 hours working in parks along the Yarra. The river was selected as the site for the Royal Botanic Gardens in 1846 and the course of the river was modified slightly for the creation of a feature lake. Below Dights Falls at Yarra Bend Park in inner Melbourne, the river becomes increasingly estuarine as it passes along the southern side of the central business district. It hosts a wide range of geographic features including; bends, rapids, lakes, islands, floodplains, billabongs, wetlands, etc. There are few festivals as big and bold as this one and it is the perfect way to spend a day along the Yarra River. Some small hobby farms are located in the floodplain area of the river, surprisingly close to central Melbourne and almost completely surrounded by suburbs. The middle and lower sections have been mostly cleared for agriculture and urban and industrial development, eroding the clay soils and resulting in the rivers muddy colour. Boating is difficult beyond Hawthorn and impossible past Dights Falls. The lower stretches of the Yarra are where Victoria's state capital Melbourne was established in 1835, and today metropolitan Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches. Outside of Melbourne, settlement in the Yarra Valley represented a very significant segment in the history and economic development of the state of Victoria. The Yarra River is one of Melbourne's greatest assets. Not recommend. Sections of the river are occasionally closed for public events such as Moomba, New Year's Eve and Rowing events. From that point on, the river is a designated boating channel, so even if the water is clean, you run the risk of getting cleaned up by a pleasure boat. It was feared that dredging would disturb heavy metals and other toxic sediments mostly deposited during Melbourne's industrial era. Most features have been named after translated Woiwurrung phrases or have European, particularly British, origins. In 1835, Tasmanian farmer John Batman claimed he had bought the river and surrounding land from the Wurundjeri people in exchange for goods. The river enters Melbourne's suburbs proper at Chirnside Park, but virtually all the river's length is surrounded by parkland, much retaining (or having been replanted with) extensive native vegetation. [17] However, people continued to swim and drink the water until Melbourne's fresh water was sourced from elsewhere. Whether you'd rather your cruise to be chartered by an expert Skipper on our luxury . 5. Situated to the south of Yarra River, the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens have some of the most exquisite flora and fauna to offer up to nature aficionados. Ships would use one side of the falls while the other side provided fresh drinking water for the town and a convenient sewer. An example of this is the tunnel at Pound Bend in Warrandyte. [7], The annual Moomba festival celebrates the Yarra River's increasing cultural significance to Melbourne. Theres plenty of the Yarra to explore beyond the city. Image from State Library Victoria. Its a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates. The river's headwaters are located near Mount Baw Baw in Yarra Ranges National Park. Thanks to an abundance of native plants and water supply, the wildlife in and around the Yarra River is highly diverse. [30] They are part of the global Waterkeeper Alliance movement and have been involved in forums and discussions pushing for policies to ensure that "the voice" of the river is heard. Visiting a park can be more of a challenge for people with disabilities, however in Victoria there are a wide range of facilities to help people of all abilities enjoy our wonderful parks around the state. The first step is finding the right spot in the river where the gold might collect, such as a crook in the bedrock, idle pools, log jams, inside corners of rivers or spaces between boulders. Always check for signs of pollution before you swim. Some of the more prominent and historical crossings include;[39], Several reserves have been set aside adjoining the Yarra, mostly to preserve the natural environment or for recreation, many of these are managed and operated by Parks Victoria, the state government agency responsible for the management of Victoria's national parks and other reserves. And see how many you can spot maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com has... Oils and grease remain today in several tributaries in the 1850s, the wildlife in and around the River! And its lands to give effect to the Warburton goldfields idea to check this page ahead your. 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