The Taggerty River, a minor inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the lower South Eastern Highlands bioregion and Northern Country/North Central regions of the Australian state of Victoria. The headwaters of the Taggerty River rise on the north–western slopes of the Yarra Ranges, below Lake Mountain and descend to flow into the Steavenson River near Marysville.

Taggerty
Taggerty River is located in Victoria
Taggerty River
Location of the Taggerty River mouth in Victoria
EtymologyAboriginal Taungurong: blue pigment or clay or stain[1]
Location
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
RegionSouth Eastern Highlands bioregion (IBRA), Northern Country/North Central
Local government areaMurrindindi
TownsMarysville
Physical characteristics
SourceYarra Ranges, Great Dividing Range
 • locationbelow Lake Mountain
 • coordinates37°29′52″S 145°52′37″E / 37.49778°S 145.87694°E / -37.49778; 145.87694
 • elevation1,420 m (4,660 ft)
Mouthconfluence with the Steavenson River
 • location
near Marysville
 • coordinates
37°29′13″S 145°45′19″E / 37.48694°S 145.75528°E / -37.48694; 145.75528
 • elevation
368 m (1,207 ft)
Length18 km (11 mi)
Basin features
River systemGoulburn Broken catchment,
Murray-Darling basin
Tributaries 
 • rightWhitehouse Creek
National parkYarra Ranges National Park
[2]

Location and features

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The river rises below Lake Mountain on the north–western slopes of the Yarra Ranges, part of the Great Dividing Range, within the Yarra Ranges National Park. The flows generally west, through rugged national park as the river descends, joined by one minor tributary, before reaching its confluence with the Steavenson River near the settlement of Marysville. The river descends 1,050 metres (3,440 ft) over its 18-kilometre (11 mi) course.[2]

Much of the catchment area of the river was destroyed by the Black Saturday bushfires that passed through the area on 7 February 2009, destroying almost all of the man made infrastructure and causing extensive damage to the forest in the area.[3][4]

Etymology

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The river derives its name from the Aboriginal Taungurong word taggarty. It is recorded that Aborigines used to gather a blue pigment or clay on the banks of the Taggerty River and use the stain on their bodies.[1]

It is believed that the lower reaches of the Steavenson River, from the confluence of the Taggerty River with the Steavenson River, at the locale of Vic Oak, until the river mouth near Buxton, may have been initially named as the Taggerty River, until the Steavenson was officially named.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Taggerty River: Historical information: 2503". Vicnames. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Map of Taggerty River, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  3. ^ "DELWP". 10 November 2020.
  4. ^ "DELWP". 10 November 2020.