What is Finke River?
[[Image:FinkeR8.jpg|thumb|220px|Finke River after rain, Northern Territory]] [[Image:Finke River.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Finke River]] [[File:Lake eyre basin map.png|thumb|right|220px|Map of the Lake Eyre Basin showing Finke River]] The '''Finke River''' is one of the largest rivers in [[central Australia]]. It starts in the [[MacDonnell Ranges]] in the [[Northern Territory]]. it is formed where Davenport and Ormiston Creeks join together, just north of Glen Helen.<ref>[http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Australia&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=13&ll=-23.66638,132.673473&spn=0.067292,0.170288&t=k Google Maps image]</ref> The Finke River flows about 600&nbsp;km to the western edge of the [[Simpson Desert]] in northern [[South Australia]].<ref>[http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Australia&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=9&ll=-26.165299,135.513611&spn=1.055063,2.724609&t=k Google Maps image]</ref> Usually the river is a collection of waterholes, but it can become a raging torrent during rare flood events. In a big flood water from the Finke River can flow into the Macumba River, and then into [[Lake Eyre]], a total distance of about 750&nbsp;km. Major tributaries include Ellery Creek, and the Palmer and Hugh Rivers. The Finke River flows through the [[West MacDonnell National Park|West MacDonnell]] and [[Finke Gorge National Park]]s. The Finke River was named by [[John McDouall Stuart]] in 1860 after William Finke, an [[Adelaide]] man, who was one of the people who paid part of the cost of his expeditions.<ref>[http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=12827 Finke River: Northern Territory Place Names Register] (accessed 1 October 2007)</ref> The [[Indigenous Australian|indigenous]] name for the river in parts of the Northern Territory is '''Larapinta'''.<ref>[http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=6825 Larapinta: Northern Territory Place Names Register] (accessed 1 October 2007)</ref> Larapinta Drive is a road which runs west from [[Alice Springs, Northern Territory|Alice Springs]], and the [[Larapinta Trail|Larapinta walking trail]]. ==A