Mackintosh River
| Industry | Hydroelectric power |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1955 |
| Headquarters | Tasmania , Australia |
| Products | Hydroelectric power generation |
| Website | www |
The Mackintosh River is a key perennial watercourse located in Tasmania’s West Coast area, forming part of the larger Pieman River drainage basin. This river received its name in November 1828 from Henry Hellyer, a surveyor working for the Van Diemen's Land Company, in tribute to Sir James Mackintosh, the son of John Mackintosh of Kyllachy in Inverness-shire.
Course and features
Originating from the junction of Fury River and Mackintosh Creek beneath Mount Remus within the northern section of the West Coast Range, the Mackintosh River flows briefly through Lake Mackintosh. Along its path, it is augmented by four tributaries, notably the Sophia and Southwell Rivers, before ultimately merging with the Pieman River. The river is dammed by the Mackintosh Dam, which facilitates a hydroelectric power facility managed by Hydro Tasmania as an integral component of the Pieman River Power Development scheme. Over its 20-kilometer length, the river experiences a total elevation drop of 75 meters.
Hydro Tasmania commenced hydrological data collection for this river in 1955.
The eastern boundary of its catchment area is marked by Barn Bluff, which also delineates the divide with the Murchison River catchment. To the south, the catchment is narrowly separated from that of the Murchison River, with the Sophia River serving as a principal tributary. On the northern side, White Hawk Creek drains regions near Granite Tor and High Tor eastward of Tullah. Among important tributaries are Fury River—originating close to Barn Bluff—Schist Creek feeding into Fury River, Devils Ravine, Belvoir River which drains Mayday Mountain, and Southwell River collecting runoff from Mount Charles slopes.
The designation "Mackintosh River" has been consistently featured on official geological and forestry maps since early regional surveys and cartographic records from the 19th century.