The Donnelly River is a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in the South West of Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

.

The main tributaries of the Donnelly River are Barlee Brook and Carey Brook.

The first European to sight the river was Lieutenant

Lieutenant

A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

 William Preston

William Preston

William Preston may refer to:*William Preston , Scottish author of Illustrations of Masonry*William Preston , Irish-born frontier Virginia leader, signer of the Fincastle Resolutions...

 in 1831.
The river was named by James Stirling

James Stirling (Australian governor)

Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...

, the governor

Governor

A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

 of Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

, in the 1830s after a friend of his family, Admiral Ross Donnelly.
The river runs primarily through State Forest

State forest

A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...

 reserves, although 25 land-holdings do have river frontage. The clearing

Clearing

Clearing may refer to:* Glade , a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area* Deforestation, the clearing away of trees to make farmland* Clearing , the process of settling a transaction after committing to it...

 of the catchment area

Drainage basin

A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...

 is estimated at 15–20% with the land mostly being used for perennial horticulture

Horticulture

Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...

, dairy

Dairy

A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...

 and grazing.

Fauna

The Donnelly is one of the few catchments left in the state that contains all of the regions endemic freshwater fishes. The native freshwater species that are found include salamanderfish (Lepidogalaxias salamandroides), freshwater cobbler

Freshwater cobbler

The freshwater cobbler, Tandanus bostocki, is a species of catfish of the family Plotosidae. The freshwater cobbler originates from coastal drainages of southwestern Australia, from the Frankland River to the Moore River. This species may reach about 50.0 centimetres TL.This species lives in...

 (Tandanus bostocki), Western Minnow

Western galaxias

The western galaxias , also called the western minnow, is a species of fish in the genus Galaxias of small, Southern Hemisphere freshwater fish of the family Galaxiidae....

, western mud minnow (Galaxiella munda), black-stripe minnow

Black-stripe minnow

The black-stripe minnow is a species of fish in the Galaxiidae family. It is endemic to Western Australia.- Description :Galaxiella nigrostriata males grow to a maximum length of and females to a maximum length of...

, western pygmy perch

Western Pygmy Perch

Western pygmy perch , is am Australian fish. After four years, they may reach 65 mm long.-Reproduction:...

 (Nannoperca vittata), Balston's Pygmy Perch

Balston's Pygmy Perch

The balston's pygmy perch is a species of perch-like fish in the Percichthyidae family.It is found only in Australia.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007....

 and nightfish.

The ancient pouched lamprey is also known to inhabit the river.

Many estuarine fish are found close to the mouth of the river, these include black bream

Southern black bream

The southern black bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri, is a species of marine and freshwater fish of the porgy family, Sparidae...

 (Acanthopagrus butcheri), sea mullet

Flathead mullet

The flathead mullet, Mugil cephalus, is a mullet of the genus Mugil, found in coastal tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Its length is typically 30 to 75 centimeters...

 (Mugil cephalus), yellow-eye mullet

Yellow-eye mullet

The yellow-eye mullet, Aldrichetta forsteri, is a mullet of the family Mugilidae, the only species in the genus Aldrichetta. It is found around New Zealand, the Chatham Islands, and southern Australia, from the surface to depths of 50 m...

, silverfish

Silver fish (fish)

Silver fish is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Raiamas....

, Hardyhead

Hardyhead

Hardyhead refers to a number of species of fish in the Atherinidae family, including:*Dalhousie hardyhead *Darling River hardyhead *Drysdale hardyhead...

, South West Goby (favonigobius tamerensis), Tarwhine, flathead

Flathead (fish)

A flathead is one of a number of small to medium fish species with notably flat heads, distributed in membership across various genera of the family Platycephalidae. Many species are found in the Indo-Pacific, especially most parts of Australia where they are popular sport and table fish...

, Australian herring

Australian herring

The Australian Herring, Arripis georgianus, is one of four species within the Arripis genus. It closely resembles its 'cousins', the Australian Salmon, although it grows to a smaller size. Like the other members of its genus, it is found in cooler waters around the southern coast of Australia...

 (Arripis georgianus), and cobbler

Cobbler (fish)

Cnidoglanis macrocephalus is a species of catfish of the family Plotosidae, and is the only species of the genus Cnidoglanis...

.
Several species have been introduced into the river, these include Eastern mosquitofish

Eastern mosquitofish

The eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, is a species of freshwater fish that is closely related to the western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes...

 (Gambusia holbrooki), redfin perch

European perch

The European perch, Perca fluviatilis, is a predatory species of perch found in Europe and Asia. In some areas it is known as the redfin perch or English perch, and it is often known simply as perch. The species is a popular quarry for anglers and has been widely introduced beyond its native area,...

 (Perca fluviatilis), and rainbow trout

Rainbow trout

The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....

 (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The latter is the most common, being specifically introduced for angling purposes, with over 500,000 being stocked into the system between 1999 and 2004.

Flora

The river originates in the an area of open Jarrah Marri

Corymbia calophylla

Corymbia calophylla is a bloodwood native to Western Australia. Common names include Marri and Port Gregory Gum, and a long standing usage has been Red Gum due to the red gum effusions often found on trunks.It is distinctive among bloodwoods for its very large buds and fruit Corymbia calophylla...

 forest between Bridgetown

Bridgetown, Western Australia

-Notable people:*Emily Barker, singer-songwriter*Jon Doust, author and comedian*Robyn McSweeney, politician*Tom O'Dwyer, cricketer*David Reid, politician*Deborah Robertson, novelist and poet-External links:* * * * * * * *...

 and Manjimup

Manjimup, Western Australia

Manjimup is a town in Western Australia, south of the state capital, Perth. The town of Manjimup is a regional centre for the largest shire in the South West of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Manjimup had a population of 4,239.-History:...

,
The area contains an understorey composed of such species as Banksia grandis

Banksia grandis

Banksia grandis, commonly known as Bull Banksia, Giant Banksia or Mangite, is a common and distinctive tree in South West Western Australia....

, Allocasuarina fraseriana

Allocasuarina fraseriana

Allocasuarina fraseriana, commonly known as western sheoak, common sheoak or just sheoak, is a tree in the family Casuarinaceae. Endemic to Western Australia, it occurs near the coast in the south west corner of the State, from Jurien to Albany .In ideal conditions, Western Sheoak grows to a...

, Agonis flexuosa

Agonis flexuosa

Agonis flexuosa is a species of tree that grows in the south west of Western Australia. It is easily the most common of the Agonis species, and is one of the most recognisable trees of Western Australia, being commonly grown in parks and on road verges in Perth.The species is commonly known as...

, Persoonia longifolia

Persoonia longifolia

The Upright Snottygobble , also known as the Long-leaf Persoonia or just Snottygobble, is a species of tall shrub or small tree in the plant genus Persoonia, reaching 1 to 5 metres in height. It is found in the Jarrah forests of southwest Western Australia...

, Acacia pulchella, Macrozamia reidlei, Xanthorrhoea preissii

Xanthorrhoea preissii

Xanthorrhoea preissii , with the common name Balga, is a widespread species of perennial monocot in Southwest Australia. This plant, and other members of the genus Xanthorrhoea, are also known as grasstrees...

and Xanthorrhoea gracilis.

The river then flows through a large area of tall Karri

Karri

Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as the Karri, is a eucalypt which is native to the wetter regions of south west of Western Australia.-Description:...

 forests these forests have an understory containing many species such as Allocasuarina decussata, Agonis flexuosa

Agonis flexuosa

Agonis flexuosa is a species of tree that grows in the south west of Western Australia. It is easily the most common of the Agonis species, and is one of the most recognisable trees of Western Australia, being commonly grown in parks and on road verges in Perth.The species is commonly known as...

, Bossiaea laidlawiana, Trymalium floribundum, Thomasia quercifolia

Thomasia quercifolia

Thomasia quercifolia is a shrub which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.It grows to around 1 metre in height....

and Pimelia clavata.

Toward the coast the floral composition changes as the soils change to swampy flats and consolidated dunes. Species such as Stout Paperbark

Melaleuca preissiana

Melaleuca preissiana, commonly known as Stout Paperbark, Modong or Moonah, is a tree that grows in coastal areas of southwest Australia. It grows up to 15 metres tall, occurring chiefly in areas that are seasonally wet. It has papery bark, and pointed leaves from 1 to 1½ centimetres long and 1 to 2...

, Swamp Paperbark

Melaleuca rhaphiophylla

Melaleuca rhaphiophylla, or Swamp Paperbark, is a species of tree which is endemic to the South west region of Western Australia....

, Yate

Eucalyptus cornuta

Eucalyptus cornuta, commonly known as Yate, is a tree which occurs in an area between Busselton and Albany in Western Australia....

, Warren River Cedar

Taxandria juniperina

Taxandria juniperina commonly known as Wattle, Swamp Wattle, Warren River Cedar or Juniper Myrtle is a species of tree that grows in the south west corner of Western Australia. This plant was previously classified as Agonis juniperina but is now part of the Taxandria genus.- Description :T...

, Wonnich

Callistachys lanceolata

Callistachys lanceolata commonly known as the Wonnich or Native Willow is a species of tree that is native to the South West of Australia.C. lanceolota has the synonym Oxylobium lanceolatum.- Habit :...

 and various Banksia

Banksia

Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...

species start to dominate.