Billabong

What is a billabong?

A billabong is a small island created by a river, usually in a particularly marshy area. This happens when a river, meandering along its course, curves so much that it turns round completely, thus flowing into itself. The land encircled by the river is known as a billabong.

The name originates from the Billabong River in the New South Wales, Australia. The river has its source in the foothills west of Canberra and flows into the Murray River.

The billabong immortalized in the song Waltzing Matilda has come to represent Australian independence and self-reliance, two qualities that have been evident since the earliest settlers.