Finke River identified as the world's oldest river system on Jan 13, 2026

Exam-focused facts from the 17 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Finke River, known to the Arrernte people as Larapinta, is believed to be the world’s oldest river system.
Researchers say it began flowing between 300 and 400 million years ago, long before dinosaurs walked the planet.
Today, it runs through Australia’s Northern Territory and South Australia, stretching for more than 640 kilometres.
As the land slowly lifted during a tectonic event known as the Alice Springs Orogeny, the river kept cutting downward, holding its course even as rock was pushed up around it.
In central Australia, the river passes straight through the MacDonnell Ranges, a line of hard rock mountains.