Rous River
Encyclopedia
The Rous River is a river in the Northern Rivers region of the state of New South Wales
in Australia
. It is a tributary of the Tweed River
, joining the Tweed at Tumbulgum
, northeast of Murwillumbah
.
The rivers rises from a series of creeks in the vicinity of Numinbah and Upper Cystal Creek near the Queensland
border. Hopkins Creek starts on the southern slopes of the McPherson Range
south of Mount Merino. Numinbah, Pat Smith, Couchy and Crystal Creek emerge from the Numinbah Nature Reserve
, south of Springbrook
. The river then flows through the small villages of Chillingham
and Crystal Creek.
Downstream Nobbys and Dungay Creeks enter the Rous River after flowing from the small valley communities known as Nobbys Creek and Dungay which located south of Mount Cougal.
In January 2006, partially treated sewerage entered the river from emergency tanks and ponds after storage at the Murwillumbah treatment plant
, which had been off-line due to damage, was filled beyond capacity. Biological testing indicated the river water was hazardous which led to a temporary swimming ban.
The federal government proposed damming the Rous River, Oxley River and Byrill Creek in 2007. Local opposition to the plan was strong enough for the Save the Caldera Rivers Campaign to form, in an effort to stop the proposed dam
s from being built.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in 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...
. It is a tributary of the Tweed River
Tweed River (New South Wales)
The Tweed River is a short river in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. Its drainage basin consists mostly of the erosion caldera of the Tweed Volcano, a huge extinct volcano of which Mount Warning is the volcanic plug...
, joining the Tweed at Tumbulgum
Tumbulgum
Tumbulgum is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia. The town is in the Tweed Shire local government area, at the confluence of the Rous and Tweed Rivers, north east of the state capital, Sydney and south east of Brisbane...
, northeast of Murwillumbah
Murwillumbah, New South Wales
Murwillumbah is a town of approximately 7,500 people in far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire. It lies on the Tweed River, 848 km north-east of Sydney, 13 km south of the Queensland border and 132 km south of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Murwillumbah had a...
.
The rivers rises from a series of creeks in the vicinity of Numinbah and Upper Cystal Creek near the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
border. Hopkins Creek starts on the southern slopes of the McPherson Range
McPherson Range
The McPherson Range is an extensive mountain range, a spur of the Great Dividing Range, heading in an easterly direction from near Wallangarra to the Pacific Ocean coastline. It forms part of the Scenic Rim on the border between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. Further west of the...
south of Mount Merino. Numinbah, Pat Smith, Couchy and Crystal Creek emerge from the Numinbah Nature Reserve
Numinbah Nature Reserve
Numinbah Nature Reserve is part of the Mount Warning caldera, situated in the Border ranges of north eastern New South Wales in Australia. The Reserve is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian...
, south of Springbrook
Springbrook, Queensland
Springbrook is a suburb, mountain and plateau in the Gold Coast hinterland of South East Queensland. The highest point, known as Springbrook Mountain is high...
. The river then flows through the small villages of Chillingham
Chillingham, New South Wales
Chillingham is a small village approximately 14 km northwest of Murwillumbah in the Tweed Valley, New South Wales, Australia. The Rous River, a tributary of the Tweed River, flows through the town....
and Crystal Creek.
Downstream Nobbys and Dungay Creeks enter the Rous River after flowing from the small valley communities known as Nobbys Creek and Dungay which located south of Mount Cougal.
In January 2006, partially treated sewerage entered the river from emergency tanks and ponds after storage at the Murwillumbah treatment plant
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
, which had been off-line due to damage, was filled beyond capacity. Biological testing indicated the river water was hazardous which led to a temporary swimming ban.
The federal government proposed damming the Rous River, Oxley River and Byrill Creek in 2007. Local opposition to the plan was strong enough for the Save the Caldera Rivers Campaign to form, in an effort to stop the proposed dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s from being built.