The river rises at Picnic Point east of Mathoura, as a result of the bottleneck created in the Murray by the Cadell Fault, and flows generally north through river red gum forest, reaching Deniliquin and then flowing generally west through Moulamein. It is joined by six minor tributaries, before reaching its confluence with the Wakool River and re-entering the Murray at Wakool Junction, near Kyalite. The river descends 49 metres (161 ft) over its 383-kilometre (238 mi) course.[2]
Kolety was gazetted as a dual official name for the river in 2006.[3]