Coen River

Coen
Coen River
Coen River is located in Queensland
Coen River
Location of Coen River mouth in Queensland
Location
CountryAustralia
StateQueensland
RegionsFar North Queensland, Cape York Peninsula
Physical characteristics
SourceGreat Dividing Range
2nd sourcePandanus Creek
 • locationnear Bend
 • elevation205 m (673 ft)
Mouthconfluence with the Archer River
 • location
Oyala Thumotang National Park
 • coordinates
13°36′21″S 142°09′30″E / 13.60583°S 142.15833°E / -13.60583; 142.15833
 • elevation
35 m (115 ft)
Length217 km (135 mi)
Basin size3,207 km2 (1,238 sq mi)
Basin features
National parkMungkan Kandju National Park
[1]

The Coen River is a river in the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia.[2]

The headwaters of the river rise at the confluence of Pandanus Creek and an unnamed creek near Bend along the Peninsula Developmental Road in the Great Dividing Range. The river flows in an easterly direction crossing the Peninsula Developmental Road at Coen then veering north east through mostly uninhabited country including Mungkan Kandju National Park then heading east and eventually discharging into the Archer River.[1] The Coen River is a tributary of the Archer river and was for a time known as the South Coen River.

The catchment area of the river occupies an 3,207 square kilometres (1,238 sq mi) of which an area of 29 square kilometres (11 sq mi) is composed of riverine wetlands.[3]

The present (1996) Pennefather River (renamed 1894) was originally called the Coen River by Jan Carstenszoon in honour of Jan Pieterszoon Coen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.[4] The present Archer River was probably confused by Matthew Flinders with Carstenszoon's Coen River.

  1. ^ a b "Map of Coen River Qld". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Coen River (entry 47590)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Coen River drainage basin". WetlandInfo. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  4. ^ The Part Borne by the Dutch in the Discovery of Australia 1606-1765 by J. E. Heeres, 1894