Macalister River

37°10′18″S 146°39′37″E / 37.17167°S 146.66028°E / -37.17167; 146.66028 • elevation1,550 m (5,090 ft) Mouthconfluence with the Thomson Riversouth of Maffra38°2′18″S 146°58′52″E / 38.03833°S 146.98111°E / -38.03833; 146.9811114 m (46 ft)Length177 km (110 mi)Discharge  • locationmouth Basin featuresRiver systemWest Gippsland catchmentTributaries  • leftCaledonia River, Wellington River, Stony Creek 2 (Macalister River, Victoria), Main Northern Channel • rightPeters Creek (Victoria), Coleman Creek (Victoria), Grimme Creek, Barkly River, Target Creek, Serpentine Creek, Mount Useful Creek, Cheyne Creek, Stony Creek 1 (Macalister River, Victoria), Glenmaggie Creek, Main Serpentine DrainNational parkAlpine NP, Avon Wilderness Park^[5]

The Macalister River, a perennial river of the West Gippsland catchment, is located in the Alpine and Gippsland regions of the Australian state of Victoria.

The Macalister River rises below Mount Howitt, part of the Great Dividing Range in the southern portion of the Alpine National Park; and flows generally south by east in a highly meandering course. The river is joined by fifteen tributaries including the Caledonia, Wellington, and Barkly rivers, impounded by the Glenmaggie Dam that creates Lake Glenmaggie, before reaching its confluence with the Thomson River, south of Maffra. The river descends 1,530 metres (5,020 ft) over its 177-kilometre (110 mi) course.^[5] The fertile flats and valley floor of the Macalister River support agriculture around the town of Licola.

In the Aboriginal Braiakaulung language the river was named Wirnwirndook'yeerun, meaning the "song of some bird",^[3] purportedly an emu wren.^[4]

The river was later named the Macalister River by explorer Angus McMillan, after his employer, Captain Lachlan Macalister.^[1][2]

• Rivers of Victoria

• "West Gippsland Regional Catchment Strategy (2013 - 2019)" (PDF – 4MB). West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. 2012. ISBN 978-0-9805562-8-5.^{[permanent dead link]}
• "Latrobe Catchment Ecosystem" (PDF). West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 April 2011.