| Goomadeer | |
| Name Etymology: | from Kunwinjku 'Kumardderr' |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map: | Australia Northern Territory |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the Goomadeer River mouth in the Northern Territory |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Australia |
| Subdivision Type2: | Territory |
| Subdivision Name2: | Northern Territory |
| Length: | 138km (86miles) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 36.1m3/s |
| Source1 Elevation: | 274m (899feet) |
| Mouth: | Junction Bay |
| Mouth Location: | Australia |
| Mouth Coordinates: | -11.8489°N 133.825°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 0m (00feet) |
| Basin Size: | 5684km2 |
| Tributaries Right: | Gumardir River |
| Extra: | [1] |
The Goomadeer River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.
The name comes from the Kunwinjku Kumardderr, which is the name of an area that the river flows through.[2] The name means literally 'at the silver-leaved paperbark', referring to Melaleuca argentea, known as mardderr in the Kunwinjku language.[3]
The headwaters are located on the sandstone plateau fed by springs[4] in Arnhem Land at an elevation of 274m (899feet) and flows in a northerly direction through mostly uninhabited lands and eventually discharges into Junction Bay and the Arafura Sea. The only tributary of the river is the Gumardir River.
The estuary formed at the river mouth is in near pristine condition and occupies an area of 24.9ha of open water. It is riverdominated in nature with a tide dominated delta having a single channel and is surrounded by an area of 11.2km2 covered with mangroves.[5]
The catchment occupies an area of 5684km2 and is situated between the East Alligator River catchment to the west and the Liverpool River catchment to the east.[6] It has an annual discharge of 1140GL.[7]
The riparian vegetation of the river is in good condition but are declining as a result of the proliferation of feral pigs and buffalo and the invasion of some weed species.[8]
19 species of fish are found in the river including; the Macleay's Glassfish, Barred Grunter, Sooty Grunter, Fly-specked Hardyhead, Northern Trout Gudgeon, Gulf Saratoga, Barramundi, Oxeye Herring, Rainbowfish, Black-banded Rainbowfish, Bony Bream, Catfish, Freshwater Longtom, Seven-spot Archerfish and the Sleepy Cod.[9]
The pig-nosed turtle, a threatened species of turtle, is known to inhabit sections of the river, but only in small populations.[10]