Big | |
River | |
Looking south over the Big River at the Bundara Campground, near Anglers Rest
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Country | Australia |
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State | Victoria |
Regions | Victorian Alps (IBRA), East Gippsland |
Local government area | East Gippsland Shire |
Part of | North-East Murray catchment, Murray-Darling basin |
Tributaries | |
- left | Glen Wills Creek |
- right | Hollonds Creek, Middle Creek (Victoria), Bundara River |
Source | Spion Kopje, Victorian Alps |
- location | near Falls Creek |
- elevation | 1,850 m (6,070 ft) |
- coordinates | 36°49′S 147°19′E / 36.817°S 147.317°E |
Mouth | confluence with the Cobungra River to form the Mitta Mitta River |
- location | Anglers Rest |
- elevation | 645 m (2,116 ft) |
- coordinates | 36°59′23″S 147°30′40″E / 36.98972°S 147.51111°ECoordinates: 36°59′23″S 147°30′40″E / 36.98972°S 147.51111°E |
Length | 52 km (32 mi) |
National park | Alpine National Park |
The Big River, a perennial river of the North-East Murray catchment of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the East Gippsland and alpine regions of Victoria, Australia. It flows from the northern slopes of Falls Creek in the Australian Alps, joining with the Cobungra River near Anglers Rest to form the Mitta Mitta River.
The Big River rises below the ski resort at Falls Creek in the Alpine National Park, on the northern slopes of Spion Kopje at an elevation of 1,837 metres (6,027 ft) above sea level. The river flows north off Spion Kopje, then east in the valley between Spion Kopje and Victoria's highest peak, Mount Bogong, separating Mount Bogong itself from the Bogong High Plains. The river then flows south-southeast, forming the eastern edge of the national park, before turning southward near the Omeo Highway crossing around Glen Valley, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of Anglers Rest.
The Omeo Highway then closely follows the course of the Big River until the point where the Bundara River enters it, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of Anglers Rest. Shortly downstream from this, near Anglers Rest, the Big River forms its confluence with the Cobungra River, with the two rivers becoming the Mitta Mitta River, itself a tributary of the Murray River. The river descends 1,210 metres (3,970 ft) over its 52-kilometre (32 mi) course.