It runs in a generally northerly direction almost parallel with the Diamantina Developmental Road until it reaches Mount Isa and crosses the Barkly Highway.

It then bears east then north again almost parallel with the Burke Developmental Road until crossing it near Nardoo.

Continuing north past Augustus Downs Station to its mouth at the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The river is ephemeral and in the dry season the upstream reaches retract to a series of waterholes.

[5] In 2009 Xstrata spent $3 million for remediation work involving the removal of 40,000 tonnes of material from the riverbed.