Suggan Buggan River

The Suggan Buggan River is a perennial river of the Snowy River catchment, located in the Alpine region of the Australian state of Victoria.

Suggan Buggan Toonginbooka, Oonginbooka, Berrima Creek[1]
The Suggan Buggan River at Suggan Buggan
Mouth of the Suggan Buggan River in Victoria
Etymology	Aboriginal: bukkan bukkan, meaning "bags made from grass"[2]
Location
Country	Australia
State	Victoria
Region	Australian Alps (IBRA), Victorian Alps, East Gippsland
Local government area	Shire of East Gippsland
Locality	Suggan Buggan
Physical characteristics
Source confluence	Berrima River and Freestone Creek
• location	Alpine National Park
• elevation	695 m (2,280 ft)
Mouth	confluence with the Snowy River
• location	Victorian Alps
• coordinates	37°1′54″S 148°23′15″E
• elevation	192 m (630 ft)
Length	38 km (24 mi)
Basin features
River system	Snowy River catchment
Tributaries
• left	Ingeegoodbee River
• right	James Creek, Rocky Plains Creek
National park	Alpine NP
[1][3]

Course and features

Formed by the confluence of the Berrima River and the Freestone Creek, the Suggan Buggan River rises in a remote alpine wilderness area within the Alpine National Park, south of the Black-Allan Line that forms part of the state border between New South Wales and Victoria. The river flows generally southeast by south through the locality of Suggan Buggan, joined by the Ingeegoodbee River and two minor tributaries, before reaching its confluence with the Snowy River in the Shire of East Gippsland, north of the Snowy River National Park. The river descends 507 metres (1,663 ft) over its 38-kilometre (24 mi) course.^[3]

The river is traversed by the Snowy River Road (C608).

Recreational activity

Bush walks in the area lead to Mount Stradbroke at 1,310 metres (4,300 ft) and Mount Cobberas at 1,836 metres (6,024 ft).

Many parts of the river are inaccessible during winter months.

Etymology

The river's name is derived from the Aboriginal phrase bukkan bukkan, referring to "bags made from grass".^[2]

History

Aboriginal history

The traditional custodians of the land surrounding the Suggan Buggan river are the Australian Aboriginal Bidawal and Nindi-Ngudjam Ngarigu Monero peoples.^[4]

European history

The first run in the district was taken up by William Woodhouse in 1843 who passed it on to Scottish-born Australian pioneer and entrepreneur Benjamin Boyd in 1845. The property was transferred to Edward O'Rourke in 1858 who had travelled south from the Monaro plains with his young family. He stayed for 25 years before moving south to Wulgulmerang, which began its life as another O'Rourke station, and then west to the Omeo station at Benambra. O'Rourke used local Murray pines to build the first permanent home in the area. The O'Rourke's ownership ended in 1902 when the property was sold to John Churchill Rogers.^[2]

See also

• Australia portal

• List of rivers of Australia