The river rises near Clover Power Station, on the slopes of Mount Bogong, the highest mountain in Victoria at . The main river is formed by the confluence of the Kiewa River East branch and West Kiewa River. The Kiewa River flows generally north northwest, joined by eleven minor tributaries, towards its confluence with the Murray River, southeast of Albury and east of Wodonga. The main river descends over its course, sedately through cleared farming country downstream of Mount Beauty; while the West Kiewa River descends over its course, in near-pristine ash and peppermint forest country where the flow is swift, upstream of the town of Mount Beauty.