The river basin covers an area of 66,850 square kilometres (25,810 sq mi) and includes the towns of Paraburdoo and Tom Price.

[7] Janszoon was the captain of the Duyfken in 1605–1606, when part of the Gulf of Carpentaria was mapped, during the earliest documented visit to Australia by a vessel from Europe.

[7] The Willem River is located to the extreme left (north) end of the coastline on the chart.

Other factors to back up that this is the Ashburton River is that it takes almost a 90 degree turn north-east, once in the mouth, as shown on the chart, and the northern headland of the river mouth matches closely the shape of the headland as shown on the chart.

The township of Onslow was located at the mouth of the Ashburton River where a jetty was used as the town's and region's port, but once the new deep water port facility was completed at Beadon point 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of the old townsite, the townsite was moved.