| Leigh | |
| Name Etymology: | Aboriginal Wathaurong: Waywatcurtan; |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map: | Australia Victoria |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the Leigh River mouth in Victoria |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Australia |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Victoria |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Central Highlands |
| Length: | 61km (38miles) |
| Source1: | Mount Mercer |
| Source1 Location: | Cambrian Hill |
| Source1 Coordinates: | -37.63°N 143.8317°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 325m (1,066feet) |
| Source Confluence: | Yarrowee River |
| Mouth: | Barwon River |
| Mouth Location: | near |
| Mouth Coordinates: | -38.1086°N 144.0633°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 60m (200feet) |
| River System: | Corangamite catchment |
| Tributaries Left: | Wilson Creek (Victoria), Williamson Creek, Cargerie Creek |
| Extra: | [1] [2] |
The Leigh River (or Waywatcurtan in the Wathaurong Aboriginal language) is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Leigh River is a major tributary and catchment of the Barwon River. Fed by the Yarrowee River that rises near Ballarat, the Yarrowee reaches its confluence to form the Leigh in the vicinity of Cambrian Hill and Golden Plains Shire.[3] The Leigh River rises below Mount Mercer and flows generally south, joined by three minor tributaries before reaching its confluence with the Barwon River, southeast of the central business district of . The river descends over its 61km (38miles) course.[2] [4]
There are several crossings over the Leigh River, including road, rail and pedestrian. Some additional roads allow passage through shallow sections of the river when the water levels are low.
| Location | Bridge name | Comments/use | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leigh Gorge Bridge (formerly Leigh Grand Junction Mine bridge)[5] | Dereel/Elaine Road | ||
| Town Bridge | Bannockburn/Skipton Road | ||
| Two Bridges | Inverleigh/Teesdale Road | ||
| Federation Bridge | Pedestrian suspension | ||
| Standard gauge Melbourne/Adelaide railway | |||
The Wathaurong Aboriginal people named the river Waywatcurtan.[6] [7]
It is believed that the name Leigh River was given by the surveyor J.H. Wedge who arrived in 1835, probably naming the river after his Tasmanian farm Leighlands.[8]