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When Captain
Charles Sturt undertook the task of unraveling
the mystery of Australia's river system he discovered
that the Murrumbidgee River was a tributary of
a larger river which he named the Murray; not
knowing it was the same river which Hume and Hovell
had crossed six years prior. On January 24th,
1830, Sturt wrote: "Not having as yet
given a name to our first discovery at the junction
with the Murrumbidgee, I laid it down as the Murray
River in compliment to the distinguished officer
Sir George Murray who then presided over the Colonial
Department, not only in compliance with the known
wishes of the His Excellency General Darling,
but also in accordance with my own feelings as
a soldier."
Although for some years a portion of this river was known as the Hume River, the name Murray was eventually adopted for the whole length of its course, and first official mention of the River Murray was made in 1850 in the Imperial Act which finally decided the boundary line between New South Wales and Victoria.
The great River Murray has its
own peculiarities and its grandeur and beauty
of scenery. It is estimated that with its tributaries
it drains half the continent. The melting snow
in the Australian Alps feeds the river with its
most certain supply.
Respect the Old Man
River of Australia |
river is one of the most imposing features of the earth's surface, with its element of picturesque scenery, the means of vegetable and animal life, and with the history and industry of man.
