# Wakefield River

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River in South Australia, Australia

Wakefield Wakefield River flowing through Auburn Location of the river mouth in South Australia Etymology Edward Gibbon Wakefield[1] Native name Undalya (Kaurna) Location Country Australia State South Australia Region Mid North, Adelaide Plains Physical characteristics Source Clare Valley • location Black Springs • coordinates 33°56′9″S 138°51′46″E / 33.93583°S 138.86278°E / -33.93583; 138.86278 • elevation 429 m (1,407 ft) Mouth Gulf St Vincent • location Port Wakefield • coordinates 34°11′24″S 138°08′38″E / 34.19000°S 138.14389°E / -34.19000; 138.14389 • elevation 0 m (0 ft) Length 116 km (72 mi) Basin size 1,913 km2 (739 sq mi) Basin features Tributaries • left Pine Creek (Wakefield River)|Pine Creek, Woolshed Flat Creek • right Skillogalee Creek [2]

The **Wakefield River** is an [ephemeral river](/source/Ephemeral_river) that flows to an [estuary](/source/Estuary) in the Australian state of [South Australia](/source/South_Australia).

## Course and features

Wakefield River in flood at [Whitwarta](/source/Whitwarta%2C_South_Australia) in 2010

The river rises above [Merildin](/source/Merildin%2C_South_Australia), flowing southward, passing the towns of [Watervale](/source/Watervale%2C_South_Australia) and [Auburn](/source/Auburn%2C_South_Australia), where it is fed by several small creeks, and then curves to flow westerly past the town of [Balaklava](/source/Balaklava%2C_South_Australia) into the head of [Gulf St Vincent](/source/Gulf_St_Vincent) at [Port Wakefield](/source/Port_Wakefield%2C_South_Australia).

The river's [catchment area](/source/Drainage_basin) covers 1,913 square kilometres (739 sq mi).[3] Three quarters of the catchment is used for agricultural purposes.[3]

The major tributaries of the Wakefield River are the [Eyre](/source/Eyre_Creek_(South_Australia)), [Skillogalee](/source/Skillogalee_Creek), Pine, Rices, Hermitage and Woolshed Flat Creeks.[4] Skillogalee Creek, which rises in the [Skilly Hills](/source/Skilly_Hills) near [Penwortham](/source/Penwortham%2C_South_Australia), is a significant tributary of the Wakefield River. The high rainfall in the Skilly Hills contributes to the Skillogalee Creek being one of the few permanently flowing watercourses in the region.[5]

Dennis Creek is another tributary of the Wakefield River. It is a very short ephemeral stream which is located in the [Clare Valley](/source/Clare_Valley) town of [Auburn](/source/Auburn%2C_South_Australia) and only flows during periods of rain. Its headwaters are located in the hills on the western side of the town and it runs along a small gully, passing under [Main North Road](/source/Main_North_Road), and into the Wakefield River. The creek was named after James Dennis, the father of [C.J. Dennis](/source/C.J._Dennis), who ran a hotel in the town for a time.

Course of the river

## History

The first recorded sighting of the river was from [John Hill](/source/John_Hill_(explorer)) (incorrectly named William Hill by some sources) in early April 1839, who named it after [Edward Gibbon Wakefield](/source/Edward_Gibbon_Wakefield), the promoter of the scheme of systematic colonization that led to the founding of the Colony of South Australia.[6][1] Hill was embarked upon the expedition which led to his discovery of the [Clare Valley](/source/Clare_Valley). The second European to visit was explorer [Edward John Eyre](/source/Edward_John_Eyre), in late May 1839, who records that he encamped "upon a chain of large ponds of excellent water called by Mr. Hill the Wakefield".[7]

## See also

- [South Australia portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:South_Australia)

- [List of rivers of Australia § South Australia](/source/List_of_rivers_of_Australia#South_Australia)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-slsa_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-slsa_1-1) ["Wakefield, River"](http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/w/w1.htm#wakefieldR). State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bonzle_2-0)** ["Map of Wakefield River, SA"](http://www.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=206571&cmd=sp). *Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia*. Retrieved 25 March 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-anrasoils_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-anrasoils_3-1) ["Soils - Wakefield River"](http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/soils/erosion/sa/basin-wakefield-river-se.html). *Australian Natural Resources Atlas*. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Natural Heritage Trust (Australia); South Australia. Environment Protection Agency; South Australia. Department for Water Resources (2000), *A river management plan for the Wakefield catchment*, Environment Protection Agency, pp. 13, 17 & 61, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-876562-19-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-876562-19-9)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Water Allocation Plan for the Clare Valley Prescribed Water Resources Area, (Government of South Australia, 2009) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9806143-1-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9806143-1-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Trove"](http://trove.nla.gov.au/version/216940689).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** E.J. Eyre's Autobiographical Narrative, 1832-1839, edited by Jill Waterhouse (Caliban, London, 1984), page 196.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Wakefield River](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wakefield_River).

- [Wakefield River Catchment](https://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/northernandyorke/water/managing-water-resources/surface-water/Wakefield_River_Catchment)

- [Archived water quality assessments](http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/archive/wakefield_river_archive.html) Environmental Protection Authority (South Australia)

v t e Rivers of South Australia Rivers that flow towards the coast Acraman Broughton Crystal Hill Hutt Rocky Bungala Christies Dry Field Panalatinga Gawler North Para Jacobs South Para Glenelg Hindmarsh Inman Light Gilbert Little Para Myponga Onkaparinga Patawalonga Glen Osmond/Keswick Brown Hill Sturt Pirie–Torrens corridor Port Tod Torrens Wakefield Eyre Rivers of the Murray–Darling basin Angas Bremer Burra Currency Finniss Marne Murray Rivers of the Lake Eyre basin Alberga Cooper Diamantina Finke Frome Neales Strzelecki Warburton Eyre Kallakoopah Officer Macumba Rivers of Kangaroo Island Cygnet De Mole Eleanor Harriet Middle Rocky Stun Sail Boom Willson Rivers flowing into Lake Torrens Willochra Creek Calabrinda Creek Kanyaka Creek Wirreanda Creek

v t e Clare Valley, South Australia Main towns Armagh Auburn Clare Leasingham Mintaro Penwortham Polish Hill River Sevenhill Stanley Flat Watervale Rivers and hills Hill River Hutt River Wakefield River Skilly Hills Protected areas Martindale Hall Spring Gully Conservation Park Places of interest Clare Valley wine region Clare Valley Racecourse Horrocks Highway Governance and people Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council (local) Electoral district of Frome (state) Division of Grey (Commonwealth) Ngadjuri Walking and cycling Rattler Rail Trail Riesling Trail Lavender Federation Trail Mawson Trail Heysen Trail

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wakefield River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_River) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_River?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.