The Staaten River is a river in northern Queensland, Australia, rising in the Great Dividing Range and flowing northwest into the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The river rises of the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range approximately 200 kilometres west of Cairns. The river flows generally northwest to the Staaten River National Park and then west, joined by eleven minor tributaries before reaching its mouth and emptying into the Gulf of Carpentaria. From source to mouth the rivers waters overflow into intertwining lagoons that create an enormous wetland sanctuary for a vast array of unique wildlife and plants. When the rains of the wet season cease, the Staaten River retreats from the floodplains and wetlands and becomes little more than a thread trickling down wide sand banks and a string of important lagoon refuges. The river descends 220 metres over its 383-kilometre course.
There is very little development in the catchment, with grazing being the most common activity, and there are no major water storage facilities on the river. The river is navigable for 17 kilometres upstream until sand and rock bars are found. Dinah Island, located about 15 kilometres inland, is a small cattle property and at times provides short term accommodation for fishing enthusiasts.
