What is Bell River (New South Wales)?
{{Infobox_river | name = Bell River | image = | image_size = <!--Optional; defaults to 288 px--> | image_caption = | source1_location = Near [[Orange, New South Wales]], [[Australia]] | mouth = [[Macquarie River]], [[Wellington]], [[New South Wales]] | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Australia | length = {{convert|149|km}} | source1_elevation = {{convert|726|m}} | mouth_elevation = {{convert|285|m}} | discharge1_avg= | watershed = }} The '''Bell River''' is a river in the central west of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. It is part of the [[Murray-Darling basin]] and flows into the [[Macquarie River]]. ==Course== The Bell River begins in the hills to the north-west of [[Orange, New South Wales]], it flows a generally northerly direction joining the Macquarie River at [[Wellington, New South Wales]].<ref name=gnb>{{NSW GNR|id=anQlvqxO|title=Bell River|date=14 October 1977|accessdate=14 November 2013}}</ref> The river is {{convert|146|km}} long and drops {{convert|441|m}}.<ref name=bonzle>{{cite web |url=http://www.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=208714&cmd=sp |title=Map of Bell River, NSW |work=Bonzle.com |access-date=14 November 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[Platypus]] have been seen in the lower river near Wellington.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rivertrails.com.au/rivertrails/nature-trail/platypus-spotting-wellington/ |title=Platypus spotting, Wellington |work=Macquarie River Trails |year=2012 |access-date=14 November 2013 |archive-date=19 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419133935/http://rivertrails.com.au/rivertrails/nature-trail/platypus-spotting-wellington/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==History== [[Aboriginal Australians]] of the [[Wiradjuri]] nation were the original inhabitants of the area around the river.<ref name=smh>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-factsheet/wellington-20081113-5yn0.html |title=Travel Factsheet: Wellington |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |dat