Talk:Finke River

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[edit] Worlds oldest river?

It is stated in the article (as at 1 Jan 2007) that "Some scientists claim that the Finke River is the oldest river of the world", clearly taken from the quote that follows. However, while scientists (like Vic Baker) have said that this river is very old, I very much doubt that any scientist has ever said in the published scientific literature that the Finke River is the oldest river in the world. I grew up on the banks of the Finke River and am now a geologist, and have read most of the geological literature on the area, but I have never seen this stated in the professional scientific literature. However, it has been a popular tour bus driver story since as long as I can remember, and most locals assume it is scientific fact (something said often enough has a habit of becoming "fact"). Can anyone cite a credible reference? I'm planning to modify the article to reflect what I believe are the verifiable facts, though I think it's important to retain a mention to the oldest river myth because it is so widely known are believed. PeterWH 13:02, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

OK, the rewrite is done with the best references I could find. If anyone finds the ultimate source of the 'oldest river' claim, I'd love to know. PeterWH 16:00, 9 January 2007 (UTC)