Lort River Explained

Lort River
Map:
Wikidata:yes
Zoom:8
Frame-Height:300
Stroke-Width:2
Point:none
Stroke-Color:
  1. 0000FF
Id:Q6681754
Subdivision Type1:Country
Length:130km (80miles)
Source1 Elevation:206m (676feet)[1]
Discharge1 Avg:6190ML/yr[2]
Basin Size:2502km2

Lort River is a river in the Goldfields-Esperance region and the Eastern Mallee sub-region of Western Australia.

Lort River was named in 1848 by John Septimus Roe, the Surveyor General of Western Australia, while leading a five-man exploration expedition along the coast; the name commemorates John Lort Stokes' work on surveying the Western Australian coast.[3]

The headwaters of the Lort River begin in the Peak Charles National Park and its surrounding vacant Crown land. The river flows in a south-westerly direction and enters farmland area for a distance of 45km (28miles) with a reserve that is an average of 500m (1,600feet) wide containing riparian vegetation. The river then enters the Stokes National Park before discharging into Stokes Inlet.

Both the river and the inlet were named by John Septimus Roe while exploring and surveying the area in 1848 after his friend Admiral John Lort Stokes.[4]

The catchment of the river has been extensively cleared for agricultural purposes. It is estimated that 60% of the catchment has been cleared; this has led to increased sedimentation, eutrophication and salinity levels of the river.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bonzle Digital Atlas - Map of Lort River, WA. 2008. 26 November 2008.
  2. Web site: South Coast Rivercare - Lort River. 2007. 12 October 2010.
  3. Web site: Jamieson . Daryl . The Very Early Pioneers of Munglinup . Munglinup Pioneers 1957 - 1972 . 7 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Department of the Environment and Conservation - Stokes National Park. 2008. 12 October 2010.
  5. Web site: South Coast Rivercare - Lort River. 2007. 21 October 2010.