The Leigh River (or Waywatcurtan in the Wathaurong Aboriginal language) is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, in the Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Victoria.
Location and features The Leigh River is a major tributary and catchment of the Barwon River. Fed by the Yarrowee River that rises near Ballarat, the Yarrowee reaches its confluence to form the Leigh in the vicinity of Cambrian Hill and Golden Plains Shire.Leigh River sediment sourcing and transport Corangamite Catchment Management Authority The Leigh River rises below Mount Mercer and flows generally south, joined by three minor tributaries before reaching its confluence with the Barwon River, southeast of the central business district of . The river descends over its course.
Communities and bridge crossings along the river
There are several crossings over the Leigh River, including road, rail and pedestrian. Some additional roads allow passage through shallow sections of the river when the water levels are low.
LocationBridge nameComments/useImage Mount Mercer Leigh Gorge Bridge (formerly Leigh Grand Junction Mine bridge) Ballarat Gold Field [cartographic material] : longitudinal section showing the fall of the surface and bed rock respectively from no. 1 shaft mine of the Band and Albion Consols Co. to Yarrowee River at the Leigh Grand Junction bridge, undated, NSW Government Publications. Mount Mercer/Meredith Road Shelford Town Bridge Bannockburn/Skipton Road Inverleigh Two Bridges Inverleigh/Teesdale Road Federation Bridge Pedestrian suspension Hamilton Highway Standard gauge Melbourne/Adelaide railway
Etymology The Wathaurong Aboriginal people named the river Waywatcurtan.
It is believed that the name Leigh River was given by the surveyor J.H. Wedge who arrived in 1835, probably naming the river after his Tasmanian farm Leighlands.Lonsdale, Joan "Gateway to the West", Inverleigh Progress Association, 1978
See also
References
External links