Aire River (Victoria)

Aire
The Great Ocean Walk across the Aire River, in 2007.
Aire River (Victoria) is located in Victoria
Aire River (Victoria)
Location of the Aire River mouth in Victoria
EtymologyAfter the River Aire.[1]
Location
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
RegionSouth East Coastal Plain (IBRA), The Otways
Local government areaColac Otway Shire
Physical characteristics
SourceOtway Ranges
 • locationnear Beech Forest
 • coordinates38°38′42″S 143°38′25″E / 38.64500°S 143.64028°E / -38.64500; 143.64028
 • elevation554 m (1,818 ft)
MouthBass Strait
 • location
west of Cape Otway
 • coordinates
38°48′26″S 143°27′32″E / 38.80722°S 143.45889°E / -38.80722; 143.45889
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length40 km (25 mi)
Basin features
River systemCorangamite catchment
Tributaries 
 • leftRedwater Creek
 • rightYoung Creek (Victoria), Little Aire Creek
WaterfallsHopetoun Falls
National parkGreat Otway National Park
[2][3]

The Aire River is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Otways region of the Australian state of Victoria.

Location and features

Horse teams used in 1948 to unblock the river mouth to prevent salt water being deposited on the arable river flats

The Aire River rises below the Otway Ranges in a remote forestry area southeast of the locality of Beech Forest. The river generally flows west by south then south through the Great Otway National Park, joined by three minor tributaries, before reaching its mouth and emptying into Bass Strait west of Cape Otway.[4][5][6] The river descends 555 metres (1,821 ft) over its 40 kilometres (25 mi) course;[3] including a 49 metres (161 ft) descent over the Hopetoun Falls in its upper reaches, located at an elevation of 314 metres (1,030 ft) above sea level.[7]

The river is traversed by the Great Ocean Road and the Great Ocean Walk near the river's mouth.[3]

It was named by the surveyor George Smythe after the River Aire in Yorkshire, England.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Bird, Eric (12 October 2006). "Place Names on the Coast of Victoria" (PDF). The Australian National Placename Survey (ANPS). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011.
  2. ^ "Aire River: 33". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 2 May 1966. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Map of Aire River, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Aire River (East): Great Otway National Park". Parks Victoria. Government of Victoria. 2014. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Aire River (West): Great Otway National Park". Parks Victoria. Government of Victoria. 2014. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Aire Crossing: Great Otway National Park". Parks Victoria. Government of Victoria. 2014. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  7. ^ "Map of Hopetoun Falls, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2014.