Leigh River (Victoria)
# Leigh River (Victoria)

The Leigh River (or Waywatcurtan in the Wathaurong Aboriginal language) is a perennial river of the Corangamite catchment, located in the Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Victoria.

## Location and features

The Leigh River is a major tributary and catchment of the Barwon River. Fed by the Yarrowee River that rises near Ballarat, the Yarrowee reaches its confluence to form the Leigh in the vicinity of Cambrian Hill and Golden Plains Shire. The Leigh River rises below Mount Mercer and flows generally south, joined by three minor tributaries before reaching its confluence with the Barwon River, southeast of the central business district of Inverleigh. The river descends 265 metres (869 ft) over its 61-kilometre (38 mi) course.

### Communities and bridge crossings along the river

There are several crossings over the Leigh River, including road, rail and pedestrian. Some additional roads allow passage through shallow sections of the river when the water levels are low.

| Location | Bridge name | Comments/use |
| - | - | - |
| Dereel | Leigh Gorge Bridge (formerly Leigh Grand Junction Mine bridge) | Dereel/Elaine Road |
| Shelford | Town Bridge | Bannockburn/Skipton Road |
| Inverleigh | Two Bridges | Inverleigh/Teesdale Road |
| Inverleigh | Federation Bridge | Pedestrian suspension |
| Inverleigh | | Hamilton Highway |
| Inverleigh | | Standard gauge Melbourne/Adelaide railway |

## Etymology

The Wathaurong Aboriginal people named the river Waywatcurtan.

It is believed that the name Leigh River was given by the surveyor J.H. Wedge who arrived in 1835, probably naming the river after his Tasmanian farm Leighlands.

