Major Catchments

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Upper Murray River Basin

The southern boundary of the Murray River Basin in North East Victoria extends across the Great Dividing Range from Forest Hill to Mt Hotham and the western boundary runs north between the Kiewa and Mitta Mitta Rivers to Lake Hume.

The upper tributaries of the Mitta Mitta River include the Big, Bundara and Cobunga Rivers and Hollands and Livingstone Creeks, draining water from the High Plains through a deeply dissected landscape. Morass and Larsen Creeks and the Gibbo and Dart Rivers flow into the Dartmouth Reservoir in the centre of the Basin. From here, the Mitta Mitta River continues in a north westerly direction and takes in the waters of the Watchingorra, Snowy, Little Snowy, Little Scrubby and Tallangatta Creeks before entering Lake Hume near Tallangatta.

Kiewa River Basin

The Kiewa River’s headwaters are on the mildly dissected plateaux of the Bogong High Plains in the south of the Basin. The east and west branches flow almost parallel down steep gorge-like valleys, then merge on the narrow floodplain just downstream of Mt Beauty. The waters of Mountain Creek flow from the small plateau top of Mt Bogong at 1986 m and join the east branch of the Kiewa River just upstream from its confluence with the west branch. The Kiewa River is bordered by rolling foothills with alluvial flats rising to steep slopes. The next major tributary is Running Creek, which joins from the west. The Stanley Plateau and Mount Big Ben to the west provide water to the numerous tributaries of Yackandandah Creek.

Ovens River Basin

The Ovens River flows in a north-westerly direction from the high country at Mt Feathertop and Mt Hotham. Its two major tributaries are the Buffalo and King Rivers, which flow northward from the Barry Mountains. The Buffalo River joins the Ovens River near Myrtleford and the King River also joins it further downstream near Wangaratta. South of Wangaratta, the Ovens River takes in the waters of Reedy Creek and Fifteen Mile Creek and meanders northward across the riverine floodplain into Lake Mulwala. (DWR, 1989). Reference Department of Water Resources (1989). A Water Resource Handbook. Melbourne.

Part of Ovens River catchment (photo: North East CMA).

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