The Hardey River is a river in the Pilbara region 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...

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The headwaters of the river rise at Mount Tom Price in the Hamersley Range

Hamersley Range

The Hamersley Ranges is a mountainous region of the Pilbara, Western Australia. The range runs from the Fortescue River in the northeast, 460 km south. The range contains Western Australia's highest point, Mount Meharry, which reaches approximately AHD. There are many extensively-eroded...

 and flow in a westerly direction. The river travels almost parallel with Nanutarra-Wittenoom

Wittenoom, Western Australia

Wittenoom is a ghost town located 1,106 kilometres north-northeast of Perth in the Hamersley Range in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is the site of Australia's greatest industrial disaster....

 Road until discharges into the Ashburton River

Ashburton River (Western Australia)

The Ashburton River is located within the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The river rises approximately 100 km south of Newman and flows in a west north westerly direction until discharging into the Indian Ocean approximately 20 km south west of Onslow. The river crosses the North...

 near Hardey Junction.

The Hardey River has only two tributaries; The Beasley River

Beasley River

The Beasley River is a river in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise in the Hamersley Range approximately North West of Tom Price and flows in a south westerly direction through Woongarra Pool before discharging into the Hardey River.The only tributary to the...

 and Hope Creek.

The river was named in 1861 during an expedition by explorer Francis Gregory

Francis Gregory

Francis Hoyt Gregory was an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812 through to the Civil War, serving then as a Rear Admiral.-Early life; service during the War of 1812:...

, he named the river after Swan River

Swan River (Western Australia)

The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....

colonist J. Hardey who was a family friend.