View source for Paroo River

{{Short description|River in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Paroo
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| name_other         = Paroo Channel, Paroo River Channels<ref name=gnb>{{NSW GNR|id=ujYbWyxOJP |title=Paroo River|date=6 May 1977|access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref>
| name_etymology     = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = Paroo River Wanaaring-2001-07-01.jpg
| image_size         = 
| image_caption      = Paroo River at [[Wanaaring, New South Wales|Wanaaring]], New South Wales
| map                = 
| map_size           = 250
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = Australia New South Wales
| pushpin_map_size   = 250
| pushpin_map_caption= Location of the Paroo River [[River mouth|mouth]] in [[New South Wales]]
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = Australia
| subdivision_type2  = [[States and territories of Australia|States]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Queensland]], [[New South Wales]]
| subdivision_type3  = Region
| subdivision_name3  = [[South West Queensland]], [[Far West, New South Wales]]
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| subdivision_type5  = 
| subdivision_name5  = 
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length             = {{convert|1210|km|mi|abbr=on}} 
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
| width_max          = 
| depth_min          = 
| depth_avg          = 
| depth_max          = 
| discharge1_location= 
| discharge1_min     = 
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|15|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max     = 
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = [[Mariala National Park]]
| source1_location   = west of [[Augathella, Queensland|Augathella]], [[Queensland]]
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|26|07|56|S|145|10|39|E|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation  = {{convert|336|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth              = [[confluence]] with the [[Darling River]] in wetter seasons
| mouth_location     = north of [[White Cliffs, New South Wales|White Cliffs]], [[New South Wales]]
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|31|33|30|S|143|27|08|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation    = {{convert|94|m|abbr=on}}
| progression        = 
| river_system       = [[Darling River]] catchment,<br />[[Murray–Darling basin]]
| basin_size         = {{convert|60095|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left   = 
| tributaries_right  = 
| custom_label       = [[Reservoir]]s
| custom_data        = Buckenby Waterhole, Humeburn Waterhole, Corni Paroo Waterhole, Caiwarro Waterhole, Thoulcanna Dam, Talyealye Billabong and Budtha Waterhole
| extra              = <ref name=bonzle>{{cite web |url=http://maps.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=214241&cmd=sp|title=Map of Paroo River |work=Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia|access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref>
}}

The '''Paroo River''', a series of [[Perennial stream|waterholes]], connected in wet weather as a running stream of the [[Darling River|Darling]] catchment within the [[Murray–Darling basin]], is located in the [[South West Queensland|South West]] region of [[Queensland]] and [[Far West, New South Wales|Far West]] region of [[New South Wales]], Australia. It is the home of the [[Paarkantji]] people.

Paroo is the local Aboriginal word for the [[bony bream]] fish, which are common in the river.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129819078 |title=The Story of John Conrick, Pioneer |newspaper=[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]] |volume=I |issue=12 |location=South Australia |date=6 August 1923 |accessdate=15 July 2023 |page=10 (Home Edition) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==Course and features==
The river rises in the gorge country of western Queensland south of the [[Mariala National Park]], and flows generally south and spreads into the vast floodplains of New South Wales, eventually reaching the Paroo overflow lakes. Most commonly, the Paroo River terminates on the floodplain south of [[Wanaaring, New South Wales|Wanaaring]]; and only reaches the [[Darling River]] in the wettest of years,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/ewater/northern/paroo/index.html |title=Paroo catchment |work=Commonwealth Environmental Water Office |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |date=13 December 2012 |access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> otherwise spilling into the Paroo River Wetlands. The river is joined by forty-three minor tributaries; as it descends {{convert|242|m}} over its {{convert|1210|km|adj=on}} [[watercourse|course]].<ref name=bonzle/>

The Paroo River is the last remaining free-flowing river in the northern part of the Murray-Darling basin,<ref name=turnbull/> and is impounded by the natural formation of the Buckenby Waterhole, Humeburn Waterhole, Corni Paroo Waterhole, Caiwarro Waterhole, Thoulcanna Dam, Talyealye Billabong and Budtha Waterhole.<ref name=bonzle/>

===Wetlands===
The Paroo River [[wetland]]s in north-western New South Wales are important for threatened species such as the [[freckled duck]] and the [[Australian painted snipe]]. The wetlands lie within the [[Paroo Floodplain and Currawinya Important Bird Area]], identified as such by [[BirdLife International]] because of its importance, when conditions are suitable, for large numbers of [[waterbird]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Paroo Floodplain & Currawinya |access-date=13 September 2011 |work=Birdata |publisher=Birds Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}</ref>

On 20 September 2007, [[Malcolm Turnbull]], the [[Minister for the Environment (Australia)|Minister for the Environment and Water Resources]], announced that the Paroo River Wetlands in north-west New South Wales would be listed under the [[Ramsar Convention]] as wetlands of international importance, making them Australia's 65th Ramsar site.<ref name=turnbull>{{cite press release |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/archive/env/2007/pubs/mr20sep07.pdf |author=Turnbull, Malcolm |author-link=Malcolm Turnbull |title=Outback NSW westland internationally recognised |date=20 September 2007 |work=[[Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities]] |publisher=[[Commonwealth of Australia]] |access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref>

== Cultural references ==
Henry Lawson described the ephemeral nature of the Paroo River in a poem, "The Paroo 'River'" (1894):<blockquote>But soon he saw a strip of ground

That crossed the track we followed— 

No barer than the surface round

But just a little hollowed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lawson |first=Henry |date=1894 |title=The Paroo 'River' |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-489099522/view?partId=nla.obj-489195204#page/n3/mode/1up |journal=The Bulletin |volume=14 |issue=743 |pages=2 |via=TROVE |archive-date=21 July 2024 |access-date=14 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240721154310/https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-489099522/view?partId=nla.obj-489195204#page/n3/mode/1up |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Paroo River Dry-2002-05.jpg|The dry Paroo River, near [[Wilcannia]]
Paroo R.JPG|Road sign by the Paroo River bridge, near [[Wilcannia]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Queensland|New South Wales|Water|Environment}}
*[[Rivers of Queensland]]
*[[Rivers of New South Wales]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Water/Wetlands/paroo-river-wetlands-ramsar-site-ecological-character-description-100213.pdf Ecological character description for Paroo River Wetlands Ramsar site – NSW Govt]

{{Rivers of New South Wales |state=autocollapse}}
{{Rivers of Queensland}}
{{Rivers of the Darling River catchment |state=autocollapse}}
{{Rivers of the Murray–Darling basin|state=collapsed}}
{{Ramsar sites in Australia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Queensland]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Australia]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Darling River]]
[[Category:South West Queensland]]
[[Category:Far West (New South Wales)]]