Brunswick River

Starting in the Darling Range, with the upper reaches in the Mornington area, the Brunswick River flows through the town of Brunswick before heading west to Australind, where it joins the Collie River.

The 43km river has six tributaries: Wellesley River, Ernest River, Elvira Gully, Augustus River, Frederic River and Lunenburgh River.

It is a significant site of our First Nation Noongar people created by the Wagyl. The Noongar people describe the Wagyl as a sacred, snakelike Dreaming creature responsible for creating our rivers, other waterways, and landforms, including the Brunswick River and nearby Collie River and Leschenault Estuary.

Launch your boat or kayak at the Eastwell Boat Ramp Precinct and explore this watercourse.

It’s also very popular for fishing. Or take a walk along its picturesque shore along the Dandjoo Bilya Trail.

HISTORY

The Brunswick River was considered a place of respite for the Noongar people during the Birak and Bunuru (summer) seasons. They would fish the salt river for herring.

Most would camp east of the Brunswick River rather than along the Estuary, as it was more protected from the winds and had freshwater holes nearby.

My mum’s (Violet Bennell nee Khan) family would camp on the eastern banks of the river under big River gum trees, which are still there. Violet was born in 1943 and was stolen from Vasse in 1949 when she was around six. before that, though very young, she still remembers travelling with her mother and grandmother down the collie hills and camping near where the leschenault leisure centre is today. Violet’s nickname was Doornart, meaning 28 Parrot, as she talked a lot, whistled, and was always on the ‘watch out’.

Troy Bennell, Ngalang Wongi Aboriginal Tours

The Brunswick River was named in 1830 by Lieutenant-Governor James Stirling after Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, the fifth son and eighth child of George III.