The Murray-Darling Basin: Statistics HOME

The Murray-Darling Basin: Statistics

The Basin

The Murray-Darling Basin covers 1,058,000 square kilometres or approximately one-seventh (14%) of the total area of Australia(7,682,300sq.km).

The Rivers


The greatest continuous length of river in the basin extends 3750km from the source of the Condamine, a little over 100km south-west of Brisbane, to the mouth of the Murray, within 100km of Adelaide.

Three main groups of rivers drain the Murray-Darling Basin

River Lengths

Darling
2740km
Murray
2530km
Murrumbidgee
1690km
Condamine-Culgoa
1375km
Lachlan
1370km
Macquarie
950km
Warrego
830km
Namoi
700km
Paroo
640km
Bogan
600km
Goulburn
560km
Gwydir
560km
Castlereagh
550km
Loddon
390km
Wimmera
290km

Major Urban Centres: Population

Canberra-Queanbeyan
310,000
Toowoomba
82,4000
Albury-Wodonga
67,800
Wagga Wagga
52,600
Shepparton
35,800
Tamworth
34,800
Orange
33,400
Dubbo
33,000
Bendigo
32,200
Bathurst
27,100
Broken Hill
22,000
Mildura
20,800

Agricultural Production: Percentage of Australian Totals

Rice 97%

Cotton 94%

Grapes

Dried 97%

Wine 33%

Fruit (including table grapes) 63%

Wheat 44%

Wool 40%

  • Vegetables 25%
  • Native Fauna Species

    Source: Murray-Darling Basin Commision 1993

    HOME