The principal topographic feature of Queensland is the series of low highlands and plateaus called the Great Dividing Range, which extend from north to south roughly parallel to the coast of the Coral Sea of the South Pacific Ocean. The four main categories of rivers in Queensland are those that rise on the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range and flow eastwards to the sea, the Coastal rivers; those that rise on the other side of the crest of the range and flow north-westward, towards the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Gulf rivers; those that also rise on the other side of the crest of the range and flow south-westward, forming part of the Murray–Darling basin, the Murray–Darling rivers; and those that generally rise in the west of the state and flow south-westward, towards the Lake Eyre basin, the Lake Eyre rivers. One river is isolated and does not flow towards any other basin or sea.

Major rivers

The following rivers are the longest river systems, by length.

Longest rivers in Queensland by length(September 2008)
OrderRiver nameLengthRegion(s)Notes
kmmi
1Cooper Creek1,113692Lake Eyre BasinRiver course is located in Queensland and South Australia
2Warrego1,380857
3Paroo1,210752
4Flinders1,004624Entire course of the river is located in Queensland.
5Diamantina941585

Coastal rivers

Coastal rivers in Queensland
River nameLength
kmmiles
Annan6641
Barron165103
Bizant3723
Black3321
Bloomfield1811
Bohle3723
Boyne12578
Brisbane344214
Burdekin886551
Burnett435270
Burrum3119
Caboolture4629
Calliope9861
Chester159
Claudie2314
Coomera8050
Daintree14087
Don6037
Elliot4930
Elliott2516
Endeavour14087
Fitzroy480298
Gregory321199
Herbert288179
Haughton11068
Howick2516
Hull2113
Jeannie4327
Johnstone200124
Kolan195121
Lockhart3622
Logan184114
Marrett4629
Maroochy2616
Mary291181
Mcivor6540
Mooloolah7043
Moresby1912
Mossman2415
Mowbray138
Mulgrave7043
Murray7043
Nerang6239
Nesbit4125
Noosa6037
North Kennedy11773
O'Connell3421
Olive7043
Pascoe11974
Pimpama8050
Pine74
Pioneer12075
Proserpine6943
Ross4930
Russell5937
Seymour1912
Starcke3824
Stewart9660
Styx3321
Tully13383

Gulf rivers

Gulf rivers in Queensland
River nameLength
kmmiles

Murray–Darling rivers

Murray–Darling rivers in Queensland
River nameLength
kmmiles
Balonne479298
Bokhara347216
Boomi231144
Condamine657408
Culgoa489304
Langlo440273
Little Weir7848
Macintyre319198
Maranoa519322
Merivale250155
Moonie542337
Narran299186
Nive (Qld)263163
Nivelle1912
Paroo1,210752
Pike Creek (Qld)11773
Severn (Qld)9056
Ward (Central West Qld)455283
Warrego1,380857
Weir (Qld)470292

Lake Eyre rivers

Lake Eyre rivers in Queensland
River nameLength
kmmiles
Barcoo
Burke
Cooper Creek1,113692
Flinders1,004624
Georgina1,130702
Hamilton
Ranken
Thomson
Torrens

Isolated river

Isolated river in Queensland
River nameLength
kmmiles
Bulloo600373

See also