The Namoi River, a major perennial river that is part of the Barwon catchment of the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes districts of New South Wales, Australia.
The Namoi River rises on the western slopes of the Moonbi Range and Great Dividing Range, near Niangala, at the convergence of the Macdonald River and Boundary Creek, and flows generally west, joined by twenty-seven tributaries, including the Peel, Manilla and Mooki rivers, before reaching its confluence with the Barwon River, near Walgett.
The Namoi River descends 578 metres over its 708 kilometres course; passing near the towns of Gunnedah, Boggabri, Narrabri, Wee Waa and Walgett. The flow of the river is impounded by Lake Keepit and Baraneal Lagoon.
The Namoi supports a wide range of fish and crustaceans, which include Murray cod, yellowbelly, silver perch, catfish (Tandanus tandanus) as well as yabbies (Cherax destructor). Crawbob is a regional name and may be called a yabby elsewhere in the state.
Murray cod in the Namoi grow to a very large size, with fish of forty kilograms or larger being not uncommon. European carp and extensive irrigation practices have had adverse impact on the native fish population over the last forty years, and restocking programs have been undertaken, mainly by volunteers, to ensure the survival of the native fish population.
