The Woady Yaloak River rises below Black Hill, west of Ballarat and flows generally south joined by three minor tributaries through the towns of Smythesdale, Scarsdale and Cressy before reaching its river mouth and emptying into Lake Martin and then Lake Corangamite. From its highest point, the river descends 280 metres (920 ft) over its meandering 104-kilometre (65 mi) course.[4]
In the Aboriginal Australian Wathawurrung language different sections of the river are given two names, Wurdi-yaluk or sometimes Wurdi-yaluk gundidj, meaning "big creek";[1] and Currarerer, with no defined meaning.[2] Variations on the spelling of the river's name have included Wandinyallock, Wardiyallock and Worriyallock.
