Bet Bet Creek Explained

Bet Bet Creek
Etymology:Place of red ochre (Aboriginal)[1]
Source1 Location:Ben Major, Victoria
Source1 Coordinates:-37.2701°N 143.4374°W
Source1 Elevation:479m
Mouth Coordinates:-36.836°N 143.889°W
Mouth Elevation:166m
Length:87.8km

Bet Bet Creek in west Victoria starts below Ben Major, Victoria (west of Lexton) at an elevation of 479m and ends at an elevation of 165m flowing into the Loddon River at the Laanecoorie Reservoir. The Bet Bet Creek drops around 314m over its 87.8 km length and ultimately contributes to the Murray River system. The six creeks flowing into the Bet Bet Creek are: Moina Creek (at 272m), Doctors Creek (at 264m), Caralulup Creek (at 253m), Timor Creek (at 190m), Carmanuel Creek (at 180m) and the Burnt Creek (at 177m).[2]

The Shire of Bet Bet was a Victorian local government area located about 180km (110miles) northwest of Melbourne.

Locations

Places

Bung Bong, Victoria is located at the boundary of the Pyrenees Shire and the Shire of Central Goldfields which are separated by the Bet Bet Creek. Timor, Victoria is located on the Bet Bet Creek with the nearby "Bridge Inn".

Areas bounded

The Electoral district of Avoca, as defined by the 1858 Electoral Act was bounded in-part by the Bet Bet Creek. The County of Gladstone is bounded by the Bet Bet Creek to the east. The now abolished Electoral district of Maldon was bounded in-part by the Bet Bet Creek. The Electoral district of Talbot from 1856 to 1859, was bounded on the west by the Bet Bet Creek. The now abolished Electoral district of Maryborough (Victoria) was bounded in-part by the Bet Bet Creek.

Hydrology

Stored salts have been liberated, predominantly due to erosion, into the upper tributaries of the catchment and these have accumulated lower down in the creek. This has degraded the water quality flowing into the Laanecoorie Reservoir. Early gold mining has produced some degradation of the creek environment.[3]

Major floods

There was significant flooding of the creek in 1860,[4] 1870[5] and 1935.[6]

Significant bridges

Two historically notable bridges over the Bet Bet Creek are the Glenmona Bridge[7] and Danns Bridge.[8]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bet Bet and Shire . 2015 . Victorian Places.
  2. Web site: Bet Bet Creek. 2017. Digital Atlas Pty Limited. 29 July 2017.
  3. Web site: Soil and landscape assessment in the upper Bet Bet Creek catchment . 19 May 2017. Agriculture Victoria. 29 July 2017.
  4. News: Lamplough . 25 April 1860. The Ballarat Star. 4.
  5. News: The Flood . 10 September 1870. Avoca Mail. 8 July 2017. 2.
  6. News: Creeks flooded . 31 July 1935. 11. The Argus.
  7. Web site: Glenmona Bridge . 3 September 1999 . Heritage Council of Victoria .
  8. Web site: Danns Bridge . 3 September 1999 . Heritage Council of Victoria.