Herbert River - Geography

Geography

It rises at an elevation of 1070 metres on the Atherton Tableland, part of the Great Dividing Range, west of Herberton and north of Ravenshoe. Its two head streams are the Millstream and Wild River. Flowing for 340 kilometres in a generally southeastern direction, it passes the town of Ingham before entering the Coral Sea near Lucinda, at the southern end of the Hinchinbrook Channel, 130 km north of Townsville. Heavy rainfall causes the river level and speed of flow to rise very quickly, especially in the lower flood plain areas around Ingham.

Its tributaries include Blunder, Sunday and Cameron Creeks, which all rise in the Cardwell Range and drain the northern portion of the river's catchment area, upstream of the Herbert River Falls. Further south the catchment is drained by Nanyeta (Return) and Rudd Creeks, which flow out of the Great Dividing Range west of Mount Garnet and from the Forty Mile Scrub area. In total, the river has a catchment of 10130 km².

Wallaman Falls on Stony Creek another tributary of the Herbert, are Australia's highest permanent waterfall. Other waterfalls on the river include Herbert River Falls, Blencoe Falls and Millstream Falls.