Balla Balla River
The river rises on the southern side of Yirrakulanna Hills and flows in a north-easterly direction crossing the North West Coastal Highway near the Stranger mine at Whim Creek then finally discharging into Balla Balla harbour, near Depuch Island in the Indian Ocean.The river is ephemeral and can be completely dry in the summer months, but during periodic flood events the water level can rise over 5.5 metres (18Â ft).The name is believed to be Aboriginal in origin and is thought to come from the Kanyarra word Parla, which means mud.[5] In 2019, the owners of the Whim Creek Copper Mine were handed an Environmental Protection Notice by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation because of seepage of heavy metals from the mine into the Balla Balla River, considered a serious pollution risk.While in care and maintenance and with no active mining, Black Rock Minerals re-processed existing stockpiles through a small process plant and heap leach.