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Archer River
Rising in the rainforests of the McIlwraith Range and traversing the vast savannah landscape and enormous wetlands of western Cape York, the free-flowing Archer River is an icon of the region. In the upper reaches, its sandy banks provide idyllic camping and swimming holes, while the flooding flows of the wet give life to the sprawling Aurukun wetlands near the mouth of this wild river.
Misty morning on the Archer River. Photo: Glenn Walker
Conservation and cultural values
The Archer River catchment includes the Aboriginal townships of Coen and Aurukun and encompasses the Archer, Coen Rivers and Kirke Creek. Each river has its own distinct qualities: the Coen a multi-channeled stream strewn with thick monsoon forest; the Archer a deep channel arched by fig-dominated rainforest; the Kirke a collective of small channels feeding extensive saltpans inundated in the wet season. The tropical waters of these rivers include unique fish such as the Freshwater Anchovie and Renhals Catfish.
The lush gallery rainforests hugging the major tributaries of the Archer River catchment provide critical habitat and wildlife corridors for many rainforest creatures, including the Spotted Cus-Cus, the White-tailed Rat, Palm Cockatoo and numerous bat species. This wetter forest is also an important refuge for other wildlife during the dry season.
In between the vast river channels and wetlands, the savanna woodland is strewn with paperbark-lined lagoons, replenished during the wet season to provide vital refuges for wildlife. In these oases, the red-flowering Freshwater Mangrove displays its attractive waterlillies while majestic birds such as the Jabiru and Royal Spoonbill bath and feed in the life-giving waters.
These same birds share the enormous abundance of the 1.1 million hectare Aurukun wetlands on the coast with many other birds like the Magpie Geese, Radjah Shelduck, Sacred Kingfisher and Darter. Over five times the size of the wetlands of Kakadu, these wetlands are one of Australia’s best kept secrets. Local indigenous people have established a successful boat charter company which explores the wonders of this globally important area, kept healthy by the natural flows of the Archer River catchment.
Mungkan Kaanju National Park – a 457 000 ha wilderness area famous for its rich tropical natural and cultural heritage – protects much of the Archer River catchment.
The Wik, Mungkan, Southern Kaanju and Ayapathu people are the Traditional Owners of the Archer River catchment area and maintain strong cultural and spiritual connections with the land and rivers. The traditional ecological knowledge and health of these communities is in turn critical to the ongoing health of this wild river system.
Threats
The greatest threat to the Archer River catchment is the extensive bauxite strip-mining. The major Chinese mining corporation, Chalco, recently landed a major deal to begin feasibility studies to mine parts of the Archer River. However Wild Rivers will stop dam building on the Archer River. It will also help ensure mining is quarantined from rivers and wetlands, with large buffer zones.
Other key threats to the wild river values of this area include encroaching invasive weeds, growing numbers of feral pigs, and critical under-resourcing of the protected areas. Wild River protection, as well as the Indigenous Wild River Ranger program, will help address these impacts and resourcing issues.