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Looking west |
Looking south |
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Looking north |
Looking east |
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At the point:
Location:
The intersection is located about 3.5 km west of the town centre of
Moranbah within the Isaac Region council area. It is approached
through the sports precinct, past the racecourse then by following a
power line heading due west across the rail line. The site was
located about 40 metres north of the power line.
The Landscape:
The site is located at about 200m above sea level on low colluvial
slopes to the north of Grosvenor Creek in timbered land that has been
largely unaffected by the development of the rapidly expanding town
and industrial infrastructure of Moranbah. The construction of the
electrified rail line from Moranbah to the Blair Athol coal mine some
years ago could be a barrier to the development of this site for some
time in the future. Colluvium from the dissection of the Oligocene -
Miocene land surface (34 to 5 million years) forms the parent
material of the deep, texture contrast soil in the vicinity of this
intersection. An exposure of the soil profile in the railway cutting
350 metres to the east shows the typical brown loamy sand surface
horizon changing abruptly to a reddish-brown clay.
The vegetation
community at the site is almost riverine in appearance with a
dominance of Morton Bay Ash (Corymbia tessellaris) with some
Gum-Topped Bloodwood (Corymbia dichromophloia). A sub-story is
sparse and the ground species is dominantly Black Speargrass (Heteropogon
contortus) with invasions of the exotic Buffel Grass (Cenchrus
ciliaris). No native fauna were observed during the inspection
of the site. A vertebrate survey of a long (25km) narrow 93 sq km
area south of Moranbah was carried out in 1979. It was reported that
the area was profoundly modified by agricultural practices by
clearing and provision of water. This has favoured certain species
such as Singing Bushlark, Australian Bustard, Ducks, House Mouse, and
the Grey and Red Kangaroos. The change would have adversely affected
the habitat for some reptiles, small birds, Echidna and Dasyurids
(carnivorous marsupials). No rare species were found during the survey
The land at the
intersection site although used for agriculture in the past showed
little evidence of this at the present time. There was no evidence of
recent grazing or cattle in the area.
The Climate:
The area has a typical sub-tropical and sub-humid climate that has
wet and hot, dry and cool seasons with a high degree of variability.
The climate is greatly influenced by the trade wind belt. Annual
rainfall at Moranbah has a mean of about 600 mm and is received
mostly between November and April. About a quarter of this is
received in the remaining months. The nearest climate station is at
the Moranbah Water Treatment Plant.
Moranbah Water
treatment Plant (site 034038) 1972-2008
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
|
Mean
max
(ºC) |
34.0 |
33.3 |
32.4 |
29.6 |
26.6 |
23.6 |
23.7 |
25.4 |
29.2 |
32.4 |
33.1 |
33.9 |
29.8 |
|
Mean
min
(ºC) |
21.9 |
21.8 |
20.3 |
17.7 |
14.6 |
11.2 |
9.8 |
11.0 |
14.0 |
17.7 |
19.5 |
21.1 |
16.7 |
|
Mean
rain
(mm) |
100.2 |
94.3 |
48.7 |
37.5 |
37.8 |
23.5 |
16.9 |
23.7 |
8.1 |
37.8 |
68.9 |
99.2 |
596.4 |
Within the
Degree Square
|
 |
The Country:
The Isaac River and its tributaries drain the eastern half of the
square. The Isaac is one of the major northern tributaries of the
Fitzroy River. The western side of the square is drained by numerous
creeks that feed the Suttor River which forms part of the Burdekin
catchment. Elevations range from around 600m above sea level in the
Carborough Range in the north and 500m in the Peak Range in the
south, to around 150m along the Isaac River floodplain in the east.
Landscapes vary from steep hilly country in the mountain ranges to
low undulating ground in the floodplains.
Geology varies
across the square from the Tertiary volcanics of the Peak and Denham
Ranges in the south to Cainozoic sand plains and alluvium across the
central area and Triassic sediments of the Carborough Range.
The
Indigenous Story:
In an Archaeological Report, dated January 1979, of a mining lease to
within 6km to the south of Moranbah, Major I.W. Hill reported that
the area was occupied by the Barna tribal group. The inspection
showed that several camp-sites were located and these showed many
artefacts which were recorded. Most of these were quite common tools
such as knife blades, core and side scrapers and flakes. He also
reported that he did not find any incised trees or stone
arrangements.The western half of the degree square is Yambina country.
|
European
Exploration and Settlement:
The first European visitor to the area was Ludwig Leichhardt. In 1845
he passed to the west of the Peak Range and named them to honour
members of his exploration party.Some nine years later Charles and
William Archer from Rockhampton visited the area and recognized the
grazing potential of the land. They laid claim to large areas in 1857.
|
 |
Early in the
1860's some gold was found near Hoods Lagoon and the find sparked a
rush of prospectors to the area and Clermont was born. In 1865 the
area had a population of over 3500 people. Although with a decline in
mining the town survived due to the grazing and farming industries
and the finding of coal at nearby Blair Athol.To the east of the Peak
Range on the road out to the coast at Mackay development was slow and
land was taken up for low intensity grazing. In the late 1960's the
Bowen Basin was being prospected for coal. Reports of coal in some
creeks even back to Leichhardt's exploration were being investigated.
Economic deposits were being mined at Moura and later at Blackwater.
Utah Development Company found workable good quality metallurgical
coal at Goonyella about 40 km north of the Peak Downs Highway but in
isolated country. The development that was needed to allow this coal
to be mined in this remote area required the provision of a complete
set of infrastructure, sealed roads, rail and port facilities,
electricity, water supply and housing and facilities for a workforce.
The town of Moranbah was established as a dormitory for mining and
their families.
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Today:
The population within the degree square at the 2006 census was around
7431. This has been fluctuated over the past few decades influenced
by the development of the coal mines in the area and in the response
to the impact of drought on the farming community.
|
Measure |
1996 |
2001 |
2006 |
|
Total
Population |
7810 |
6621 |
7431 |
|
Total
Males |
4571 |
3764 |
4109 |
|
Total
Females |
3239 |
2857 |
3322 |
|
Under
5 |
693 |
584 |
738 |
|
65
Years and over |
111 |
179 |
75 |
|
Indigenous |
163 |
129 |
135 |
|
 |
Initially
Moranbah housed the workforce for Goonyella mine and was soon
expanded to accommodate the workers for another mine at Peak Downs,
some 35km south of the town. The town had a population of 7130 at the
2006 census - 96% of the total for the whole square.
Since 2006
there has been a marked increase in the population of the area due to
an upsurge in construction activity associated with the development
of further coal mines and other industrial facilities such as an
ammonium nitrate plant. According to the Isaac Region Council the
current population of Moranbah is in excess of 10,500, an increase of
over 80% in less than two years. They anticipate the population to
reach 13,000. Most of this growth is made up of transient
construction workers. Other towns in the Bowen Basin such as Dysart
are experiencing similar growth.
The main
infrastructure in the square supports the coal industry. It includes
the electrified rail network linking the Goonyella, Gregory and Blair
Athol mines to the export facilities at Hay Point. Water supply was
initially provided from Eungella Dam supplemented in 1992 by the
Burton Gorge Dam and in 2008 by a pipeline from Lake Dalrymple on the
Burdekin River. The main road link is the Peak Downs Highway.
There is a
small section of the Peak Range National Park in the south of the
degree square. |
Summary:
|
Location |
3.5km west of Moranbah |
|
Nearest
town |
Moranbah |
|
Access |
Overland from
the town |
|
Terrain |
Low lying with
an elevation of around 200m above sea level |
|
Geology
& soils |
Colluvium of
late Tertiary origin |
|
Vegetation |
Native grasses |
|
Land
use |
Former cattle
grazing - now vacant land |
|
Climate |
Semi-tropical
with a moderately dry winter |
|
Population
in degree square |
7431 in 2006 |
|
|
Compiler:
Ray Kelly 2008.
Images
taken by Ray Kelly
Source Documents:
Barry D. H.,
1979: A Preliminary Vertebrate Study. Report by Biological Field
Surveys, Daisy Hill, for Utah Development Company.
Kelly R.E.,
1981: Hydrogeochemistry of the Upper Isaac River. Thesis for
M.Sci, Griffith University, Brisbane
Hill I. W.,
1979: An Archaeological Report on Peak Downs Highway Area.
Consultant report for Utah Development Company. |
