CAMPASPE RIVER

'The Campaspe River' is a river in Victoria, Australia, and was named for Campaspe, a mistress of Alexander the Great.

Contents

Course

Upper Catchment

Middle Catchment

Lower Catchment

Natural History

Kyneton area

History

External links

Course

From its source in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, the river flows north and joins the Murray River.

Upper Catchment

The Campaspe River flows through the town of Kyneton. The Calder Highway crosses the river at this point.

Middle Catchment

The middle reaches of the river are dominated by Lake Eppalock, a man-made reservoir.
Towns located on the river in this area include Redesdale located just above Eppalock and Axedale, located just below Eppalock, where the McIvor Highway crosses the river.

Lower Catchment

The towns of Elmore and Rochester lie on the river's lower reaches. The Midland Highway and the Northern Highway cross the river at Elmore.
The river meets the Murray River near the town of Echucha.

Natural History

Kyneton area

After European settlement, native vegetation was removed from part of the area, which was replanted with willow trees and hedgerows of hawthorn bushes, some of the latter remaining today.
Over a number of years the willow growth has been progressively cleared and eradicated by local groups of volunteers. The willow-free parts of the river have been subsequently replanted with indigenous species. Walking routes and cycle tracks have been installed along one bank of the river, creating a sustainable leisure resource for the town.

History

Aborigines lived in the catchment for millennia.
Europeans arrived in the upper catchment area in 1834.

External links

★ North Central Catchment Managment Authority Fact Sheet