Finke River Recognised as World’s Oldest Flowing River

For millennia, rivers have shaped human civilisation and sustained life, from the Ganga and Indus to the Nile and Amazon. Yet scientists believe the world’s oldest river still flowing today is not found in Asia or Africa, but in the arid heart of Australia. Geological evidence points to the Finke River as the oldest surviving river system on Earth.

Ancient Origins in Central Australia

The “Finke River”, known to the Arrernte people as Larapinta, is believed to have begun flowing between 300 and 400 million years ago, long before the age of dinosaurs. The river stretches for over 640 kilometres across the Northern Territory and South Australia, cutting through some of the continent’s most ancient landscapes.

An Unusual River in a Desert Landscape

Unlike most major rivers, the Finke does not flow continuously throughout the year. For long periods, it appears as a series of isolated waterholes scattered across a desert environment. Only after heavy rainfall does it briefly become a connected river. Despite this intermittent nature, scientists confirm that these channels and pools form part of the same ancient river system that originated hundreds of millions of years ago.

Geological Evidence Behind Its Age

One of the strongest indicators of the river’s antiquity is its path through the “MacDonnell Ranges”. Rather than flowing around these hard rock mountains, the Finke cuts directly through them. This is explained by a geological process known as antecedence, where a river predates the uplift of surrounding terrain. As the mountains slowly rose during a major tectonic phase, the river maintained its course by eroding downward into the rock.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• Finke River is believed to be 300–400 million years old.
• It flows through Australia’s Northern Territory and South Australia.
• The river cuts through the MacDonnell Ranges due to antecedence.
• Also known as Larapinta among the Arrernte people.

A Rare Survivor of Deep Geological Time

Scientific analysis of surrounding rocks and sediments, including erosion patterns and radioactive isotope dating, supports the conclusion that the Finke River is at least as old as the mountains it traverses. While many ancient rivers vanished as climates changed and landforms shifted, the Finke endured due to its deeply entrenched channel and the slow geological evolution of central Australia. Today, it stands as a living relic of Earth’s distant past, still following a course carved hundreds of millions of years ago.