 thumb|flood damaged railway bridge over the burdekin river, 1917   thumb|burdekin river at its lowest level, 1948 thumb|home hill power station, used to pump water from the burdekin delta for irrigation ca. 1946 thumb|burdekin dam  thumb|charters towers weir, 1904 the burdekin river in queensland, australia rises on the western slope of the seaview range and flows into the pacific ocean at upstart bay over  to the southeast of the source. the river was first encountered by europeans during the expedition led by ludwig leichhardt in 1845 and named for mrs. thomas burdekin, who had provided assistance to the expedition. the river rises on the northern slopes of boulder mountain at valley of lagoons. ==history== the river was first discovered by john clements wickham aboard the hms beagle in 1839 who named it the wickham river. in 1849, ludwig leichhardt named the river after thomas burdekin, one of the sponsors of leichhardt's expedition. because he was inland away from the coast he was not aware it was the same watercourse named by wickham. the town of wickham was established on rita island at the river mouth b
North_Queensland Rivers_of_Queensland