The Macquarie system covers an area of more than 74,000 square kilometres. Over 72% of land is flat, and 17% is hilly. The rest is steep to mountainous, reaching 900 metres.
The east boundary is formed by the Great Dividing Range, from near Oberon in the south to Coolah in the north. A mountain ridge goes north-west from the Great Dividing Range for about 400 kilometres, then the boundary turns north.[6]
From Bathurst, near the start of the river it passes the following geographic areas:
the Bathurst Plains, undulating country about 700 metres above sea level surrounded by high tablelands on all sides. This includes a large floodplain around Bathurst
the Hill End Plateau where it is joined from the east by the Turon river. The Turon drains a plateau extending from near Portland to Sofala. This area is about 1100 metres above sea level in the south and 700 metres in the north. The area is mainly rugged mountain slopes
Burrendong Dam, the Macquarie River is joined from the east by the Cudgegong River. This rises in the hills around Rylstone about 700 metres above sea level.
through Wellington and Dubbo, the river is joined by the Bell and Little Rivers. The Bell River rises in flat to undulating country of the Orange plateau, about 900 metres above seal level. The highest point is the extinctvolcanic peak of Mount Canobolas which 1,400 metres above sea level. Between Wellington and Dubbo large flat areas are evident.
north of Dubbo, the Talbragar River joins the Macquarie. The Talbragar is the most important downstream tributary. This river rises in mountainous country at the junction of the Great Dividing Range and the Warrumbungle Range. The country through which the Talbragar River flows is broad and flat, bordered by undulating hills that become smaller as the river nears Dubbo.
north of Dubbo, the river passes through flat plains flowing north-west through Narromine and Warren. A complex series of creeks connecting the Macquarie, Darling and Bogan Rivers.
Macquarie Marshes are at the end of the river channel proper. Near Carinda, the Macquarie is joined by the Marthaguy Creek which drains an area 6,500 square kilometres and carries flood water from the Macquarie and Castlereagh Rivers.
Rainfall varies across the area drained by the Macquarie River. The mountain the peaks and tablelands receive higher rainfall due to the shadowing effects of the surrounding ranges. The Great Dividing Range area receives between 750 to 900 mm annual median rainfall. This is falls evenly throughout the year. Gaps in the Dividing Range allows moist easterly air to pass inland, annual median rainfall of 750 mm or more is experienced further westward. Further north-west it is drier, in the Castelreagh and middle portions of the Macquarie valleys the annual median rainfall is 300 to 400 mm.[6]
Rainfall can vary dramatically over several years. Records show that rainfall can be 200% or less than 50% of the average annual figure. Evaporation varies from less than 1000 mm south-east of Bathurst up to more than 2000 mm at Bourke.[6]
The Wiradjuri people are the original people to live in the Macquarie River area.[7] The Wiradjuri called the river Wambool.[8] The famous Wiradjuri warrior Windradyne came from the upper Macquarie River region. He was killed in a tribal battle alongside the river in 1829.[9]
Near Carinda between the Macquarie River and Marra Creek, the oldest evidence of bread making in the world (about 30,000 years old) was found at an ancient lake known as Cuddie Springs.[10]
Tuesday, 30th November 1813. I have at length reached the Ridge I so much wished to do after walking about 2 Miles, where I had a prospect to the North for a great distance; A Mist arises from a part I suppose to be a River or a large Lagoon about 20 Miles Off;
Thursday, 9th December 1813. I have called the Main Stream "Macquarie River".[11]
In 1817-18 John Oxley followed the Lachlan and Macquarie Rivers. In 1828 Charles Sturt proved that Macquarie River ended in marshes. He later explored the Darling River[12]
Irrigation
The Macquarie River area is a regulated Water Management Area and includes private irrigation as well as several public irrigation schemes[13]
Narromine - Trangie
Buddha Lakes
Tenandra
Trangie – Nevertire
Nevertire
Marthaguy
Flooding
Flooding at the low level bridge, Bathurst
The Macquarie River has a history of flooding. After major floods water can flow past the Macquarie Marshes and into the Barwon-Darling river system upstream of Brewarrina.[14]
Floods
1867, floods washed away the first Denison Bridge at Bathurst[3]
1955, serious flooding of Macquarie River amongst other river systems
