(i) 
They have dry sandy channels, the banks of which are lined with gums, 
which are numerous and of vigorous growth near the ranges. There are a few 
creeks of this character heading from the south-western extremity of George 
Gill Range, ¢.g., King and Laurie Creeks. The former of these flows south- 
wards in the direction of Lake Amadeus, but the flow of the water at fifteen or 
twenty miles from its source is not strong enough to form a channel, with the 
result that the flood waters spreading out over wide ‘‘gum flats’’ become 
absorbed by the surrounding sandhills. 
There are, in addition to the above-mentioned small creeks, two or three larger 
ones taking their rise on the north slope of the Macdonnell and Hart Ranges 
near their eastern extremities, which after a short northerly course sweep round 
to the south and flow towards Lake Eyre. As an example of these may be 
mentioned the Hale, the Sandover, and the Plenty, the two last of which 
ultimately unite to form the Marshall or Hay River. Speaking generally, one 
may say that the drainage from the southern slope of the Macdonnell Ranges 
and from those ranges lying immediately to the south is sooner or later collected 
into one main channel known as the Finke, which trends in a general south- 
easterly direction towards Lake Eyre. 
(1) Finke Basin. 
(a2) Nature and Position of its Watershed.—The northern limit of the Finke 
Basin is to a great extent formed by the Macdonnell Ranges, the line of 
water-parting extending along the northern edge of these ranges. ‘lhe water- 
parting does not, therefore, traverse what are now the most elevated points. 
in the ranges, such as Mounts Gillen, Sonder, &c., but lies wholly to the north 
of the ridge containing these points. ‘This fact probably indicates that the 
summit of the arch, which originally determined the line of water-parting, 
lay near the northern edge of the Macdonnell Ranges. 
The mean elevation of the northern watershed is nearly 3,0 0ft. above sea 
level. The water-parting of the Finke Basin runs along the northern edge of 
the Macdonnell Ranges westerly to about Mount Ziel. From this point a 
straight line to the north-western extremity of Gardiner Range would nearly 
represent the north-west boundary of the basin. ‘The western line of water- 
parting extends from this latter point to George Gill Range, and thence E.S.E. 
along the southern face of i.evi Range. From Levi Range the rest of the 
western watershed is not well known; it passes at all events through the eastern. 
extremity of the Musgrave and Everard Ranges. ‘The exact eastern limit of 
the basin is practically unknown. 
(b) Area of the Finke River Rasin.—The area of the Finke Kiver Basin 
cannot be less than 80,000 square miles. The basin is roughly triangular in 
shape, with the apex situated at Lake Eyre and the base coincident with the 
northern water-parting. The northern portion of the basin is the most elevated, 
the drainage being to the south and south-east. The mean elevation of this 
northern portion cannot be less than from 2,500ft. to 3,00(ft. above sea level. 
About half the way between the northern watershed and the apex of the basin 
the mean elevation is about 1,000ft., while at Lake Eyre itself it is a few 
feet below sea level. A rough calculation of the average elevation of the basin. 
makes it at least 800ft. above sea level. 
