It then flows in a westerly direction, crossing the Brand Highway just north of Badgingarra, passing through the Hill River Nature Reserve and the northern boundary of the Southern Beekeeper's Nature Reserve and finally discharging into the Indian Ocean 8.7 kilometres (5 mi) south of Jurien Bay.

The river was seen and named by the explorer George Grey on 14 April 1839 during his second disastrous expedition along the Western Australian coast.

[3] In October 1840, at 28 years of age, Grey was appointed Governor of South Australia.

[6] In the 1990s a proposed utilization of coal deposits at Mount Lesueur 10 km north of the river by the Hill River Power Development Company Pty Ltd,[7][8] was abandoned in 1990 due to the creation of the Mount Leseuer National Park.

[9] The mouth of the Hill River is a popular camping destination and can be reached in a two-wheel drive vehicle.