McArthur River
Encyclopedia
The McArthur River is a river in the Northern Territory
of Australia
which flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria
at Port McArthur, opposite the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands
. The river was named by Ludwig Leichhardt
while he explored the area in 1845. The McArthur River has significance for the local Aboriginal communities who use it for fishing and other traditional activities.
covers 20,010 km². The mean annual runoff is 3,270,000 ML per year. The headwaters of the rivers rise on the northern edge of the Barkly Tableland. Tributaries of the McArthur River include Tooganginie Creek, and the Kilgour and Clyde rivers.
The river has a long tidal estuary
which extends inland to the town of Borroloola
. The estuary is in near pristine condition, and forms part of the Port McArthur Tidal Wetlands System
Important Bird Area
.
. It was found that the approval of the expansion by Mines Minister Chris Natt
was invalid. Traditional owners were concerned the proposal, which included a 5.5 km river diversion, had serious, long term and irreversible impacts.
In 2008, the case was heard by the Federal Court, which found that the expansion was illegal. In early 2009, the Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett
formally approved the mines expansion. Garrett placed conditions on the project which aimed to reduce the impact on the freshwater sawfish and migratory birds.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
which flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria
Gulf of Carpentaria
The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea...
at Port McArthur, opposite the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands
Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands
The Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands is situated in the south-west corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the northern coast of Australia.-History:They were named in 1802 by Matthew Flinders in honour of Sir Edward Pellew, a fellow naval officer...
. The river was named by Ludwig Leichhardt
Ludwig Leichhardt
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous for his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
while he explored the area in 1845. The McArthur River has significance for the local Aboriginal communities who use it for fishing and other traditional activities.
Description
The McArthur River basinMcArthur Basin
The McArthur Basin is a large intracratonic sedimentary basin in northern Australia, with an exposed area of about 180,000 km2. Most of it lies within the northeastern Northern Territory, but extends over the border into the state of Queensland...
covers 20,010 km². The mean annual runoff is 3,270,000 ML per year. The headwaters of the rivers rise on the northern edge of the Barkly Tableland. Tributaries of the McArthur River include Tooganginie Creek, and the Kilgour and Clyde rivers.
The river has a long tidal estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
which extends inland to the town of Borroloola
Borroloola, Northern Territory
Borroloola is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located on the McArthur River, about 50 km upstream from the Gulf of Carpentaria. At the 2006 census, Borroloola had a population of 773, of whom 579 declared themselves indigenous....
. The estuary is in near pristine condition, and forms part of the Port McArthur Tidal Wetlands System
Port McArthur Tidal Wetlands System
The Port McArthur Tidal Wetlands System comprises a 994 km2 tract of tidal wetlands on the south-west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory of Australia. The land extends along the coast opposite the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands, incorporating the estuaries of the...
Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
.
McArthur River zinc mine expansion
In 2007, plans to expand the McArthur River zinc mine, one of the world's largest zinc mines, were halted by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Northern TerritorySupreme Court of the Northern Territory
The Supreme Court of the Northern Territory is the superior court for the Australian Territory of the Northern Territory. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the territory in civil matters, and hears the most serious criminal matters...
. It was found that the approval of the expansion by Mines Minister Chris Natt
Chris Natt
Christopher William "Chris" Natt is a former Australian politician and Australian rules footballer with Port Adelaide Football Club.A ruckman, Natt played 216 games for Port Adelaide between 1972 and 1983...
was invalid. Traditional owners were concerned the proposal, which included a 5.5 km river diversion, had serious, long term and irreversible impacts.
In 2008, the case was heard by the Federal Court, which found that the expansion was illegal. In early 2009, the Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett
Peter Garrett
Peter Robert Garrett, AM, MP , is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and politician.Garrett was lead singer of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil from 1973 until its disbanding in 2002...
formally approved the mines expansion. Garrett placed conditions on the project which aimed to reduce the impact on the freshwater sawfish and migratory birds.