Alice River (Far North Queensland)

Alice
Alice River (Far North Queensland) is located in Queensland
Alice River (Far North Queensland)
Location of Alice River mouth in Queensland
EtymologyIn honour of Alice Johnston[1]
Location
CountryAustralia
StateQueensland
RegionFar North Queensland
Physical characteristics
SourceGreat Dividing Range
 • locationDixie
 • coordinates15°21′23″S 143°29′27″E / 15.35639°S 143.49083°E / -15.35639; 143.49083
 • elevation132 m (433 ft)
Mouthconfluence with the Mitchell River
 • location
Kowanyama
 • coordinates
15°21′29″S 141°58′32″E / 15.35806°S 141.97556°E / -15.35806; 141.97556
 • elevation
12 m (39 ft)
Length332 km (206 mi)
Basin size12,943 km2 (4,997 sq mi)
Basin features
River systemMitchell River
Tributaries 
 • leftTen Mile Creek, Horse Creek, Back Creek
 • rightCrosbie Creek, Goose Creek
[2]

The Alice River is a river located on the Cape York Peninsula of Far North Queensland, Australia.

The headwaters of the river rise in the Great Dividing Range and flow westward down the valleys and across Aerodrome Plain where they turn south west forming braided channels. The river then turns northwest and continues forming the northern border of Mitchell-Alice Rivers National Park before discharging into Mitchell River. From source to mouth, the river is joined by twelve tributaries and descends 119 metres (390 ft) over its 332-kilometre (206 mi) course.[2]

The catchment area of the river occupies 12,943 square kilometres (4,997 sq mi),[3] part of the much larger Mitchell River catchment that has a total area of 71,670 square kilometres (27,672 sq mi).[4]

Vegetation across the catchment area is speargrass savannah dominated by Stringybark, Bloodwoods and Moreton Bay Ash. Along the river banks and tributaries there are open stands of paperbarks and dense riparian rainforest. The season swamps and lagoons have Melaleucas and Freshwater Mangrove with water lilies in standing water.[5]

The river was named in circa 1886 by Frank Johnston, the manager of Koolata cattle station, after his wife Alice.[1]

  1. ^ a b "Queensland History". 21 March 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Map of Alice River, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Alice River drainage sub-basin". WetlandInfo. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Mitchell River drainage basin". WetlandInfo. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  5. ^ "15°S 143°E Strathaven". Queensland by Degrees. Royal Geographical Society of Queensland. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2015.