Finke River

The Finke River, also known as Larapinta (in the Arrernte language), is one of the oldest riverbeds in the world. It flows for approximately 600 km (370 mi) from the MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory to the western edge of the Simpson Desert in northern South Australia.

The river passes through the West MacDonnell and Finke Gorge National Parks and is typically a series of waterholes. The Wangkangurru language is spoken on Wangkangurru country, which includes the Finke River.

The river was named "Finke River" by John McDouall Stuart in 1860 after William Finke, a supporter of his expedition. The Western Arrernte name for the river is "Lara Beinta," meaning "Salt River," as confirmed by Rev. Georg A. Heidenreich. This name is widely accepted due to the presence of constantly salty waterholes along the Finke.

The Finke River's antiquity is evident from the geology of the area, including deeply incised meanders found in places like the James Range. These meanders indicate that the river formed before the ranges were pushed up during the Alice Springs Orogeny, a mountain-building event that occurred between 400 and 300 million years ago. While it cannot be definitively stated as the oldest river, it is certainly one of the oldest in the world. Other eroded mountain ranges of equal