Royston River
The Royston River, an inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the lower South Eastern Highlands bioregion and Northern Country/North Central regions of the Australian state of Victoria. The headwaters of the Royston River rise on the western slopes of the Victorian Alps and descend to flow into the Rubicon River.
| Royston | |
|---|---|
| Etymology | Perhaps after a Victorian State Electricity Commission employee or Brigadier John Robinson Royston; derived from Royston, Hertfordshire[1] |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Region | South Eastern Highlands bioregion (IBRA), Northern Country/North Central |
| Local government area | Murrindindi |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Victorian Alps, Great Dividing Range |
| • location | below Lake Mountain |
| • coordinates | 37°29′19″S 145°53′57″E |
| • elevation | 1,390 m (4,560 ft) |
| Mouth | confluence with the Rubicon River |
• location | Rubicon |
• coordinates | 37°19′36″S 145°51′42″E |
• elevation | 381 m (1,250 ft) |
| Length | 19 km (12 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Goulburn Broken catchment, Murray-Darling basin |
| [2] | |
Location and features
The Royston River rises from the Great Dividing Range near Lake Mountain and below Royston Gap, and flows northwest, fueled by runoff from the Federation and Royston Ranges before reaching its confluence with the Rubicon River, near Rubicon. The river descends 1,010 metres (3,310 ft) over its 19-kilometre (12 mi) course.[2]
The Royston Power Station, part of the Rubicon Hydroelectric Scheme, a small run-of-the-river hydroelectric scheme, is located at the mouth of the Royston River, where the river is impounded by a 48-metre (157 ft) concrete slab and buttres that diverts water into an aqueduct that carries water for 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) into the neighbouring Rubicon Valley to the Royston Power Station forebay. The Royston Power Station has a capacity of 0.8 megawatts (1,100 hp). Water from the power station outlet discharges into the Rubicon aqueduct about halfway along its length.[3] The Scheme is on the Victorian Heritage Register[4] and the Register of the National Estate.[5]
The river is not readily accessible nor heavily fished in its lower reaches. Brown trout, at an average of 70 grams (2.5 oz) with the occasional fish to 600 grams (21 oz) predominate; as well as some rainbow trout and river blackfish.[6]
Etymology
The name of the river is thought to be named by the Victorian State Electricity Commission after an employee. An alternate theory suggests that the river was named in honour of Brigadier John Robinson Royston (1860 - 1942), a South African who led Australian troops in the Boer War and the First World War. The name of the river is ultimately derived from Royston, Hertfordshire.[1][7]
References
- "Royston River (entry 620082)". VICNAMES. Government of Victoria. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- "Map of Royston River, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- Murray Darling Basin Commission: Electricity Generation
- "Rubicon Hydro-electric Scheme, Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1187, Heritage Overlay HO17". Victorian Heritage Database. Heritage Victoria. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- "Rubicon Hydroelectric Scheme, Rubicon, VIC (Place ID 100030)". Australian Heritage Database. Department of the Environment. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- "Royston River, Rubicon". Fishing Victoria Project. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- Sinnott, Nigel. Place-Names of the Alexandra, Lake Eildon and Big River Area of Victoria. Alexandra: Friends of the Alexandra Library.
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