Acheron River (Victoria)

Acheron
Location of the Acheron River mouth in Victoria
Etymology	Greek Akheron or akhos, meaning "distress"
Native name	Agaroon, Nyaggeron (Woiwurrung)
Location
Country	Australia
State	Victoria
Region	South Eastern Highlands bioregion (IBRA), Northern Country/North Central
Local government area	Murrindindi
Towns	Buxton, Taggerty
Physical characteristics
Source	Yarra Ranges, Great Dividing Range
• location	below The Knobs
• coordinates	37°30′04″S 145°40′30″E
• elevation	637 m (2,090 ft)
Mouth	confluence with the Goulburn River
• location	at Acheron near Alexandra
• coordinates	37°14′39″S 145°42′24″E
• elevation	190 m (620 ft)
Length	84 km (52 mi)
Basin features
River system	Goulburn Broken catchment, Murray-Darling basin
Tributaries
• left	Robbie Creek, Mill Creek (Victoria), Health Creek, Connelly Creek
• right	Dip Creek, Little Steavenson River, Steavenson River, Cerberus Creek, Little River (Cathedral Range)
National park	Yarra Ranges National Park

The Acheron River, a minor inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the lower South Eastern Highlands bioregion and Northern Country/North Central regions of the Australian state of Victoria. The headwaters of the Acheron River rise on the north–western slopes of the Yarra Ranges, below The Knobs and descend to flow into the Goulburn River near Alexandra.

Location and features

The river rises below The Knobs on the north–western slopes of the Yarra Ranges, part of the Great Dividing Range, within the Yarra Ranges National Park. The flows generally north by west, much of its course following the path of the Acheron Way, through rugged national park as the river descends, then north, joined by nine tributaries including the Steavenson, Little Steavenson, and Little Rivers, before reaching its confluence with the Goulburn River at the settlement of Acheron, south of the town of Alexandra. The river descends 447 metres (1,467 ft) over its 84-kilometre (52 mi) course.

The river is crossed by the Maroondah Highway north of the locale of St Fillans, and again at the settlement of Taggerty.

Etymology

In Australian Aboriginal languages, the river is variously named Agaroon, Nyaggeron, Ngaragon, and Niagaroon with no defined meanings for each of the words.

The origin of the river's current name is thought to be derived from the Latin spelling of Greek Akheron or "River of Woe", from akhos, meaning "distress". The Acheron was one of the rivers of the underworld or Kingdom of Hades, and also the name of a river in Epirus, Greece.

See also

• List of rivers of Australia § Victoria