Macquarie River, also known as the Wambuul, is a major inland river in New South Wales, Australia. The river flows for about 590 miles (950 kilometers) through the Murray-Darling Basin, a large agricultural region in southeast Australia. 
The Macquarie rises (originates) on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, near Oberon. The river flows northwest through the city of Bathurst. The Cudegegong River joins the Macquarie at Lake Burrendong, which was formed by Burrendong Dam. Beyond the dam, the Macquarie continues past Wellington and Dubbo. It flows through the Macquarie Marshes and then joins the Barwon River, which drains into the upper Darling River. 
The Macquarie Marshes are a key wetland area in the Murray-Darling Basin. The Macquarie River supplies the marshes with water. The water helps support livestock grazing in the region. The marshes host a diverse range of native plants and wildlife. The area is an important nesting place for water birds, including the Australian painted-snipe and the Australasian bittern. The Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve was established in 1971 to protect key parts of the ecosystem.
Farmers in the Macquarie Valley raise cattle, hogs, poultry, and sheep. They grow various fruits, as well as vegetables, wheat, and other crops.
The Wiradjuri people, one of the largest Aboriginal groups in New South Wales, are the traditional inhabitants of the Macquarie River region. The Wiradjuri name for the river is the Wambuul, which means winding river. The British surveyor George Evans was the first European to encounter the river, in 1813. Evans named the river after Lachlan Macquarie, the governor of New South Wales.
The Macquarie River is known for causing flooding in the surrounding region. Serious floods occurred in 1955, 1998, and 2022. These floods resulted in significant property damage in Bathurst, Dubbo, and other towns along the river’s banks.
