Queanbeyan River

The Queanbeyan River, a perennial stream that is part of the Molonglo catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the Monaro and Capital Country regions of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in Australia. The river is 104 kilometres (65 mi) in length with a catchment area of 96,000 hectares (240,000 acres). The Queanbeyan River and the Cotter River meet the potable water supply needs of the Canberra and Queanbeyan region and whose water quality is specifically protected under Federal legislation.

It is believed that the local Aboriginal Ngarigo people used a word that sounded like queanbeyan to describe the river, said to mean "clearwater".

River course

The headwaters of the Queanbeyan River rise 70 kilometres (43 mi) east-southeast of Queanbeyan and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northeast of the township of Bredbo, near the village of Jerangle. Fourteen tributaries upstream of the Googong Dam contribute to the river flow including the Burra, Urialla, Tinderry, Ballinafad, Groggy, Woolpack, Sherlock, Lyons, Towneys and Mile Creeks. The major river crossings above Googong Dam are the Boolboolma causeway on the Tinderry Road and a road bridge on the Captain's Flat-Jerangle Road.

Queanbeyan

Queanbeyan /ˈkwiːnbiən/ is a regional centre on the Southern Tablelands in south-eastern New South Wales adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory. The city's mixed economy is based on light construction, manufacturing, service, retail and agriculture. It is the council seat of the City of Queanbeyan. At the 2011 census census, Queanbeyan had a population of 37,991.

Following the founding of Canberra, Australia's federal capital, just 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the west, Queanbeyan has become an integral part of the capital city's economy. The word Queanbeyan is the anglicised form of Quinbean – an Aboriginal word meaning "clear waters".

History

The town grew from a squattage held by ex-convict and inn keeper, Timothy Beard, on the banks of the Molonglo River in what is now Oaks Estate. The town centre of Queanbeyan is located on the Queanbeyan River, a tributary of the Molonglo River and about one mile east of Oaks Estate.

Queanbeyan was officially proclaimed a township in 1838 when the population was about 50. The local parish was also known by that name and later still the member for the electorate of Queanbeyan held a seat in the legislative assembly of the colony of NSW. On 28 November 1837 the Colonial Secretary announced the appointment of Captain Allured Tasker Faunce as resident police magistrate at Queanbeyan. His homestead, called Dodsworth, was situated on the banks of the Queanbeyan river opposite the town.