- Geography and Characteristics
- Australia's longest river at 2,508 km, forming Murray-Darling basin
- Originates in Australian Alps, flows northwest across inland plains
- Forms border between New South Wales and Victoria
- Empties into Great Australian Bight through Murray Mouth
- Historical Development
- First European explorers encountered river in 1824
- Named after British Secretary Sir George Murray in 1830
- Steamboats operated commercially from 1853 to 1920
- First bridge across river built in 1869
- Water Management
- Four large reservoirs built along river: Hume, Mulwala, Dartmouth
- Series of locks and weirs constructed for navigation and irrigation
- River supplies 40% of water for Adelaide
- Environmental concerns about salinity and ecosystem disruption
- Ecological Significance
- Supports diverse aquatic life including Murray cod and red gum forests
- River red gum forests formed 25,000 years ago due to Cadell Fault
- Supports important agricultural region with irrigation
- Experienced significant flooding, including 1956 flood lasting up to six months