Which Is the Oldest River on Earth?

As rivers frequently change their channels, destroy lands around themselves and can even disappear from face of the Earth.

Nevertheless, the Finke River in Australia is considered one of the oldest rivers and is often called the oldest river system on the Earth. According to geological researches, the drainage system of the Finke River may have been formed about 300 to 400 million years ago and is therefore even older than dinosaurs.

Finke River is situated in central Australia and is unusual because it is rather short and does not transport large amounts of water. However, it is amazing by the fact that some elements of its drainage system have survived such large-scale changes in geological processes.

Which Is the Oldest River on Earth?

The Finke River, or Larapinta, is usually considered the oldest river in the world. This river flows in Australia’s Northern Territory and leads up to South Australia.

Research shows that some elements of the river’s drainage system could be 300-400 million years old and date back to the period of the Devonian or Carboniferous periods.

But there is one thing to clarify. The river did not keep its form for so many years. The channels of the river have been changing and reshaping during all this time. The ancient feature of the river is only the general drainage system and the landscape of the region through which it flows.

Where Is the Finke River Located?

The Finke River is located in the center of Australia. It mainly covers the Northern Territory and also extends towards the area of South Australia.

The river starts in the MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs and flows southwards through dry areas. It goes through regions including Finke Gorge National Park and Palm Valley to add up to the overall drainage network of the Lake Eyre Basin.

Key Points

River: Finke River (Larapinta)
Country Name: Australia
Main Region: Northern Territory
Estimated Geological Age of River: Approximately 300 – 400 million years
Length: More than 600 km
Type: Mainly seasonal river
Drainage: Lake Eyre Basin

How Old Is the Finke River?

While the age of a structure or an archaeological artifact can be determined through dating water, the same does not apply to the age of a river.

Instead, the experts have to study rocks, landforms and other geological features connected to the river’s drainage system.

The Finke River flows through many very old landscapes. The strongest evidence of the river being very old is related to the connections between the river and ancient mountain ranges.

In some regions, the Finke River crosses mountains and doesn’t flow around them. It means that the drainage network existed before some geological structures acquired their current look.

Thus, there is evidence of a very old drainage system that managed to survive in spite of considerable changes in the landscape of Australia.

Why Is the Finke River Considered So Old?

There are several geological characteristics that help explain why the Finke River is so old.

1. Geological Stability

The Central Australia area had been experiencing relatively long-term geological stability as compared to other areas that had undergone active mountain formation or geological disruptions during the last hundred million years or so.
This allowed the preservation of ancient landforms and drainage systems.

2. Slow Erosion

The Finke region is mostly arid. This may help to slow down some types of erosion and keep geological formations preserved for millions of years.

3. Ancient Mountain Ranges

The Finke river flows through the MacDonnell Ranges that contain ancient geological formations.
The association of these mountain ranges with the Finke river is of crucial importance when trying to explain the development of drainage system of the Finke river.

4. Ancient Drainage Pattern

Perhaps, the most important thing to understand is that the scientists are talking about the longevity of drainage system in question, not the longevity of river channels.
It should be understood that rivers tend to change their routes. It happens with Finke river as well.

How Long Is the Finke River?

Generally speaking, the Finke River is said to be more than 600 km long, though this figure varies depending on how one measures the length of the river.

Thus, in relation to many other rivers, it is not particularly long. The Nile, Amazon and Yangtze rivers are thousands of kilometres long.

Where Does the Finke River Run?

The Finke River starts in MacDonnell Ranges, close to Alice Springs in Australia’s Northern Territory.

It then runs southwards in the arid regions of central Australia. The river crosses through beautiful desert areas, like the Finke Gorge area and Palm Valley.

Unlike other rivers which flow all year round, the Finke is a seasonal river. Large parts of the river can dry up for long durations of time in the year leaving behind a sandy riverbed in many parts of the landscape.

But after sufficient rains, water can pass through the river.

In the end, the water that flows from the river will eventually drain into the Lake Eyre Basin, which is one of the major inland drainage systems in Australia.