Nerang River
title: "Nerang River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["geography-of-the-gold-coast,-queensland", "rivers-of-queensland", "history-of-the-gold-coast,-queensland", "articles-containing-video-clips"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerang_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Nerang |
| name_etymology | Yugambeh: little or shovel-nosed shark |
| image | Narang River in Surfers Paradise.jpg |
| image_caption | View south at , 2007 |
| pushpin_map | Australia Queensland |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location of the Nerang River mouth in Queensland |
| subdivision_type1 | Country |
| subdivision_name1 | Australia |
| subdivision_type2 | State |
| subdivision_name2 | Queensland |
| subdivision_type3 | Region |
| subdivision_name3 | South East Queensland |
| subdivision_type4 | Local government area |
| subdivision_name4 | City of Gold Coast |
| subdivision_type5 | City |
| subdivision_name5 | |
| length | 62 km |
| source1 | McPherson Range |
| source1_location | Numinbah Valley |
| source1_coordinates | |
| source1_elevation | 138 m |
| mouth | Gold Coast Broadwater |
| mouth_location | |
| mouth_coordinates | |
| mouth_elevation | 0 m |
| basin_size | 490 km2 |
| tributaries_left | Nixon Creek, Tonys Creek, Crane Creek (Queensland) |
| tributaries_right | Nerang Creek, Bridge Creek (Queensland) |
| custom_label | National park |
| custom_data | Springbrook National Park |
| extra | |
| :: |
| name = Nerang | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = Yugambeh: little or shovel-nosed shark | image = Narang River in Surfers Paradise.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = View south at , 2007 | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Australia Queensland | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the Nerang River mouth in Queensland | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Australia | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Queensland | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = South East Queensland | subdivision_type4 = Local government area | subdivision_name4 = City of Gold Coast | subdivision_type5 = City | subdivision_name5 = | length = 62 km | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = | source1 = McPherson Range | source1_location = Numinbah Valley | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = 138 m | mouth = Gold Coast Broadwater | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 0 m | progression = | waterfalls = | river_system = | basin_size = 490 km2 | tributaries_left = Nixon Creek, Tonys Creek, Crane Creek (Queensland) | tributaries_right = Nerang Creek, Bridge Creek (Queensland) | custom_label = National park | custom_data = Springbrook National Park | extra = The Nerang River is a perennial river in South East Queensland, Australia. Its catchment lies within the Gold Coast local government area and covers an area of 490 km2. The river is approximately 62 km in length.
Course and features
The Nerang River rises in the McPherson Range in the Numinbah Valley on the New South Wales and Queensland border and heads north, then east where it flows through and reaching its mouth in the Gold Coast Broadwater at on the Gold Coast and emptying into the Coral Sea. The river descends 255 m over its 62 km course. Major crossings of the river occur at Nerang where the river is crossed by the Pacific Motorway and at Southport where the river is crossed by the Gold Coast Highway. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Nerang_River_at_Numinbah_Valley,_Queensland.webm" caption="Upstream from Pockets Road crossing in [[Numinbah Valley]], 2016"] ::
The Nerang River catchment is the largest and most significant river system on the Gold Coast. Its upper reaches in the McPherson Range and Springbrook Plateau deliver flows through significant rural areas and also feed into the Hinze Dam, creating Advancetown Lake, the Gold Coast's main water supply, and Little Nerang Dam. These two reservoirs provide a large percentage of potable water for the Gold Coast and are managed by Gold Coast Water. The Hinze Dam has had a significant flood mitigation effect. In the river's lower catchment, multi-branched canal developments and a number of artificial tidal and freshwater lake systems have influenced and altered large aras of the floodplain. These canal developments provide a range of opportunities for many residents including boating and recreational fishing. The canals and lakes provide habitat to a range of aquatic, terrestrial and marine flora and fauna. The canal systems provide for drainage of stormwater and contribute to flood mitigation, but can periodically be subject to contamination via stormwater drainage.
A number of islands are located in the canal region of the river's lower catchment, including the Girung, Paradise, Chevron, and McIntosh Islands. Two man-made lakes are also located in the lower catchment, including the Lake Rosser and Lake Capabella.
The river's mouth was once located much further south. In the early 1800s it entered the ocean at Broadbeach and by 1930 its mouth was located where Sea World now is. The main driving force for this movement is the northward drift of sand along the coast.
Crossings
A number of river crossings of the Nerang River are named, including the following listed below (from upstream to downstream), together with their location relative to tributaries of the river: ::data[format=table]
| Crossing name | Location(s) | Coordinates | Image | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyons Crossing | |||||
| Staffords Road Causeway | |||||
| Nixon Creek | |||||
| Tony's Creek | |||||
| Unnamed | |||||
| Priems Crossing | |||||
| Nerang Creek | |||||
| Hinze Dam | Pedestrian only | ||||
| Narrow Bridge | Road traffic below Hinze Dam wall | ||||
| Bridge Creek | |||||
| Latimers Crossing | |||||
| The Grand Golf Club | Private bridge | ||||
| R. A. Stevens Bridge | |||||
| Crane Creek | |||||
| Weedons Crossing | |||||
| Pacific Motorway interchange | [[File:Ferry_Street_bridge_across_Nerang_River_at_Nerang,_Queensland,_Australia.jpg | 100px]] | |||
| Dual carriageway | |||||
| Gold Coast railway line | Passenger rail | ||||
| Ross Street Bridge | Dual carriageway | ||||
| Bermuda Street Bridge | Dual carriageway | ||||
| Isle of Capri Bridge | Via Roma | ||||
| Chevron Island | [[File:Thomas Drive bridge over Nerang River, Southport, Queensland.jpg | 100px]] | via Thomas Drive (west) | ||
| via Thomas Drive (east) | |||||
| via Southern Cross Drive | |||||
| Anabranch Bridges | Gold Coast Highway | ||||
| Sundale Bridge | [[File:Sundale Bridge over the Nerang River, Queensland.jpg | 100px]] | |||
| Gold Coast Light Rail Bridge | 375 m long with 12 spans supported by 26 bored concrete piles with steel liners. | ||||
| Jubilee Bridge | [[File:Queensland State Archives 171 Jubilee Bridge Southport c 1932.png | 100px]] | Removed in 1966 | title=Jubilee Bridge (South Side) | |
| Gold Coast Broadwater | |||||
| :: |
Etymology
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Bundall,_Queensland.jpg" caption="Bundall"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Gold_Coast_Skyline_Dec_2013.jpg" caption="Gold coast skyline view from Nerang River, Chevron Island."] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Nerang_River_at_Weedons_Crossing.jpg" caption="Tidal limit of Nerang River at Weedons Crossing"] ::
The river was initially named the River Barrow by government surveyor Robert Dixon when he charted the Gold Coast in 1840, after Sir John Barrow, Secretary of the Admiralty. The surveyor general Thomas Mitchell later changed many places to Aboriginal names, and this included giving the Nerang River its present name. Neerang or neerung are Yugambeh words meaning "little shark" or "shovel-nosed shark". But the local aboriginal people called the river Mogumbin or Been-goor-abee; and the peoples of the Tweed called it Talgai.
History
In June 1967, the development of an east coast low lead to the rising of waters in the river that went on to flood significant lands upriver from Surfers Paradise.
Recreation
Surfers Riverwalk
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Goldcoast_Queensland_Australia_aerial_view.jpg" caption="The Nerang River (right of image) and canals" alt=""] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Surfers-Paradise-Map.png" caption="Part of the lower Nerang River"] ::
The City of Gold Coast council's "Surfers Riverwalk" coastal pathway links Sundale Bridge, Macintosh Island, Budd's Beach, Surfers Central Riverwalk, Cascade Gardens, the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Casino Island and Pacific Fair shopping centre.
Boat ramps
Boat ramps that are open to the public are located at Waterways Drive at Main Beach, Budds Beach, Evandale, on the Isle of Capri, TE Peters Drive at Broadbeach Waters (Convention Centre), Carrara Road, Carrara, and at the Nerang River Parklands.
Nerang Riverkeepers Group
Established in 2000, under the Beaches to Bushland Volunteer restoration program, the group works to restore local endemic species along the Nerang River. A major ongoing project is control of the invasive cats claw creeper, registered as a Weed of National Significance. Cat’s claw creeper was introduced to Australia. It is native to Central and South America and the West Indies. It was first reported as naturalised in the 1950s. The seeds spread by wind or water. A woody vine, it invades warm native forests killing native trees and undergrowth. If cut down it can regrow from persistent underground tubers.
References
References
- "Map of Nerang River, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
- "Nerang River Catchment". [[City of Gold Coast]].
- {{Cite QPN. 24050. Nerang River. watercourse in the City of Gold Coast
- "Flood Warning System For The Nerang River". [[Bureau of Meteorology (Australia)]].
- (28 August 2013). "History of the Gold Coast Seaway". Gold Coast Waterways Authority.
- (June 2013). "Piling and Bridges: Fact Sheet". GoldLinq.
- "Jubilee Bridge (South Side)".
- "Place Names of South-East Queensland". Piula Publications.
- Graham, Bruce. (2004). "The Green Coast: The Natural Environment of the Tweed-Moreton Bioregion".
- "Surfers Riverwalk".
- "Nerang Riverkeepers Group". Gold Coast Parks.
- "Weed Management Guide, Cat's claw creeper (Dolichandra unguis-cati)". Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::