The Warburton River, also known as Warburton Creek, is a freshwater stream in the far north of South Australia, stretching approximately 412 km from its source at Goyder Lagoon (at 24 m elevation) southwest to its mouth at the eastern side of Lake Eyre, which sits at 15 m below sea level. The river runs along the eastern side of the Simpson Desert and drains water from the Eyre Creek, Diamantina, and Georgina river systems. It passes through a number of permanent and semi-permanent waterholes, including Poothapootha, Emu Bone, and Wurdoopoothanie waterholes, as well as the Kalawarranna soakage.

The river flows only during infrequent floods, making paddling entirely dependent on sufficient water levels — a critical planning consideration. When water is present, one documented put-in is at Cowarie, a cattle station located approximately 220 km north of Marree and just west of the Birdsville Track, straddling the Sturt Stony Desert and the Simpson Desert. From Cowarie, the river runs approximately 220 km downstream before spilling into Lake Eyre.

The character of the lower Warburton is notably estuarine in feel, with narrow channels crowded by densely packed lignum shrubs. The remote desert location means temperatures can drop sharply at night, with frost a real possibility — paddlers should plan for cold overnight conditions despite the arid surroundings. There are no crocodiles in this region due to the cold temperatures.

Where the Warburton enters Lake Eyre, it has carved a 90 km channel known as the Warburton Groove, running south through Lake Eyre North toward Dulhunty Island and ultimately toward Belt Bay, the lowest point in Australia at 15.2 m below sea level. Any extension of a Warburton paddle onto Lake Eyre itself requires careful assessment of wind conditions and water levels, as the lake is vast and exposed.