Patterson River
| Patterson Carrum Creek | |
|---|---|
Patterson River, near Patterson Lakes | |
| Etymology | In honour of Sir James Patterson KCMG |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Region | South East Coastal Plain (IBRA), Greater Melbourne |
| Local government area | City of Kingston |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source confluence | Dandenong Creek and Eumemmerring Creek |
| • location | southwest of Bangholme |
| • coordinates | 38°2′37″S 145°10′29″E / 38.04361°S 145.17472°E |
| • elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Mouth | Beaumaris Bay, Port Phillip |
• location | at Carrum |
• coordinates | 38°4′26″S 145°7′6″E / 38.07389°S 145.11833°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Port Phillip catchment |
The Patterson River is a partly man-made, tidal river urban river of the Port Phillip catchment in the Australian east coast state of Victoria, located in the outer southeastern suburbs of the Greater Melbourne region. Under the name "Patterson", it is the shortest river in Victoria at only 6 km (3.7 mi) in length, although its main stem tributary and de facto upper section, the Dandenong Creek, is over 53 km (33 mi) long.
The river has only two bridge crossings along its entire course, being traversed by the Mornington Peninsula Freeway at its middle section at Patterson Lakes, and by the combined bridges of the Nepean Highway and the Frankston railway line at the junction of Bonbeach and Carrum less than 180 m (200 yd) above its mouth. There are no ferry services across the river, but the river is navigable to private boats (both human- and engine-powered) that can be deployed from various marinas, docks and ramps along the river.