Goyder River

The Goyder River is a river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

The headwaters of the river rise at the base of the Mitchell Ranges and are fed by spring discharge from an extensive dolomite aquifer[3] that supports areas of rainforest along the banks. The river then flows north west before crossing the Central Arnhem Road then veering north and later forming multiple braided channels and feeding the Arafura Swamp[4] before eventually discharging into the Glyde River which in turn empties into Castlereagh Bay and the Arafura Sea.

The swamp area occupies an area of 700 square kilometres (270 sq mi) in the dry season and is of great cultural significance to the Yolngu people, in particular the Ramingining community which is located on the edge of the swamp.[5]

The river catchment occupies an area of 10,391 square kilometres (4,012 sq mi) and is wedged between the Blyth River catchment to the west, the Walker and Roper River catchments to the south and the Buckingham and Koolatong River catchments to the east.[2]

Three tributaries discharge into the Goyder; Annie Creek, Sheridan Creek and the Gulbuwangay River.

The Goyder has a mean average discharge of 788,940 megalitres (1.032×109 cu yd) with a maximum flow of 1,413 cubic metres (49,900 cu ft) per second and a minimum flow of 1,830 litres (483 US gal) per second.[6] It is the ninth largest river system in the Northern Territory but has the second highest end of dry season flow-rate.[7]