The river rises on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range below Jacks Knob, west of Nundah homestead.

Finally, the Wenlock River enters the Gulf of Carpentaria and descends 215 metres (705 ft) over its 322-kilometre (200 mi) course.

[3] The river has no water storage facilities built on it and there is little development within the drainage basin, resulting in a low population.

[4] Much of the river is bordered by gallery rainforests which provide habitat for animals such as the white-tailed rat, spotted cuscus and palm cockatoo.

They include Buffon's river garfish and fimbriate gudgeon, as well as the freshwater sawfish and more common species such as the sooty grunter, saratoga and barramundi.