Quiz: Rivers

Bulletin of 26 March 2026

  1. The Murray River’s flow is severely constrained by three narrow points as it passes through the redgum forest area downstream of Tocumwal. What do river managers call this constrained reach?
    AnswerThe Barmah Choke.
  2. What do the following five rivers have in common?: Hunter River (NSW), Murray River (NSW/Vic/SA), Lockhart River (Qld), Serpentine River (Tas) and Fitzroy River (Qld).
    AnswerThey all have counterparts in Western Australia (ie. rivers of the same name).
  3. Which river in Alice Springs holds a “boat race” in the dry riverbed, where participants run carrying bottomless boats. (bonus point for the name of the event).
    AnswerTodd River (the Henley-on-Todd Regatta).
  4. Which famous scientist published an explanation in 1926 of why rivers meander?
    AnswerAlbert Einstein (‘Die Ursache der Mäanderbildung der Flußläufe und des sogenannten Baerschen Gesetzes’, Naturwissenschaften, 14, 223-224, 1926).
  5. What two rivers were dammed in the 1970s to flood Lake Pedder, transforming it into Tasmania’s second largest lake? (one point each).
    AnswerSerpentine River and Huon River.

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