TheQueanbeyan River,aperennial stream[1]that is part of theMolonglocatchment within theMurray–Darling basin,is located in theMonaroandCapital Countryregions ofNew South Walesand theAustralian Capital Territory,inAustralia.The river is 104 kilometres (65 mi) in length with acatchment areaof 96,000 hectares (240,000 acres). The Queanbeyan River and theCotter Rivermeet thepotablewater supplyneeds of theCanberraandQueanbeyanregion and whose water quality is specifically protected under Federal legislation.
| Queanbeyan Burra Creek, Sallee Creek[1] | |
|---|---|
 Road bridge carrying theKings Highwayover the Queanbeyan River, inQueanbeyan | |
| Etymology | Aboriginal(Ngarigu): "clearwater"[2] |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State/terr. | |
| Regions | |
| Local government areas | |
| City | Queanbeyan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Gourock Range |
| • location | east ofBredbo,New South Wales |
| • coordinates | 35°56′24″S149°27′35″E/ 35.94000°S 149.45972°E |
| • elevation | 1,260 m (4,130 ft) |
| Mouth | confluencewith theMolonglo River |
• location | Oaks Estate,Australian Capital Territory |
• coordinates | 35°20′13″S149°13′51″E/ 35.33694°S 149.23083°E |
• elevation | 567 m (1,860 ft) |
| Length | 104 km (65 mi) |
| Basin size | 96,000 km2(37,000 sq mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Murrumbidgeecatchment, Murray-Darling basin |
| Reservoirs | Googong Reservoir,Queanbeyan Weir |
| [3] | |
It is believed that the local AboriginalNgarigo peopleused a word that sounded likequeanbeyanto describe the river, said to mean "clearwater".[2]
River course
editThe headwaters of the Queanbeyan River rise 70 kilometres (43 mi) east-southeast of Queanbeyan and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northeast of the township ofBredbo,near the village ofJerangle.Fourteentributariesupstream of theGoogong Damcontribute to the river flow including the Burra, Urialla, Tinderry, Ballinafad, Groggy, Woolpack, Sherlock, Lyons, Towneys and Mile Creeks. The major river crossings above Googong Dam are the Boolboolma causeway on the Tinderry Road and a road bridge on the Captain's Flat-Jerangle Road.
Once inside the city precinct of Queanbeyan, the river is crossed by several bridges, including the Canberra-Goulburn railway, Morisset Street bridge, the Queens Bridge on Monaro Street (which becomes Bungendore Road orKings Highway), and by a pedestrian footbridge near Isabella Street in East Queanbeyan. Queens Bridge was opened byWal Fife,Minister for Transport and Highways, on 21 July 1975, according to a plaque on the bridge. The Queanbeyan River meets the Molonglo River at aconfluencelocated inOaks Estate,within the boundary of the Australian Capital Territory. The river descends 697 metres (2,287 ft) over its 104-kilometre (65 mi)course.[3]The river's catchment area is 920 square kilometres (360 sq mi), more than double that of the Cotter River.[citation needed]
Damming
edit
The Queanbeyan Weir was constructed originally in 1901-02, providing a pool in the Queanbeyan River near the centre of the town for the town's water supply. It is now a place for town beautification with several parks located along the river, such as Blundell Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, and Ray Morton Park. The weir also provides for minor irrigation requirements. A buttressed concrete gravity wall which was 58 metres (190 ft) long, raised an extra 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) to the height of 4 metres (13 ft) in 1951–1952. The weir has had serious impacts on native fish migration in the Queanbeyan River.
Googong Dam
editThe Googong Dam is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) upstream of the town of Queanbeyan. The dam was completed in 1979 and has a maximum carrying capacity of 124,500 megalitres (4,400×106cu ft).[4]TheCommonwealth Governmentowns the dam, which is operated byACTEW Corporation,the water utility provider, anACTgovernment-owned corporation.ACTEW also manages the dam foreshores. Lower flows in the river downstream of the dam since its construction, together with below average rainfall for the past decade, have modified the river channel and led to an increase in colonisation bywillowsand river plants which enjoy low flows. Management of the river includes eradication of these weeds.[citation needed]
History
editThe Queanbeyan region is the traditional home of theNgunnawaland theNgarigopeoples.[5]The first Europeans visitors to the area were led byCharles Throsby.While searching for theMurrumbidgee Riverin 1820, his party followed the course of the Queanbeyan River into a valley at the eastern end of the Limestone Plains near present-day Canberra.[6]
The Queanbeyan River was the main water supply for the towns of Queanbeyan and during its early history it was an integral element to its economy. Woolscouringwas carried out in the river near present-day Oaks Estate, formerly a part of Queanbeyan.
Flooding
editThe first significant flood after European settlement of the site of Queanbeyan City was in 1851; others followed twice in 1852, twice in 1861, twice in 1870, 1891, 1910, 1922, 1925, 1952, 1974, 1975 and 1976.[7]A timeline compiled by a member of the Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum Society gives similar dates, extending to 2012.[8]It is yet[timeframe?]to be updated to record another 6-metre (19.7 feet) flood on 6 June 2016.[9]
During the 1976 flood the half completed Googong Dam was at risk of collapse under the weight of water behind it. In this eventuality low-lying parts of Queanbeyan and Canberra would have been inundated. The Queanbeyan Cemetery was flooded, with scores of bodies washed downstream intoLake Burley Griffin.[10]
In December 2010 the Queanbeyan River peaked at 8.4 metres (28 ft) and broke its banks, flooding the Queanbeyan Riverside tourist park. All schools in the area were closed and some local schools were used as shelter for evacuated residents of around 100 houses and businesses.[11]Following extensive rains in the catchment, in March 2012 there were flooding alerts, however the river did not breach its banks.[12]
Fishing
edit
The Queanbeyan River was renowned as a beautiful river abounding in nativeMurray cod,which once extended to the vicinity of Googong Dam, and nativeMacquarie perch,which extended to at least the headwaters of Googong Dam. Due to this abundance of native fish, the Queanbeyan River, along with the Molonglo River, was often known as the "Fish River" in the early days of settlement.[citation needed]Sometimes the Queanbeyan River was further distinguished by being called the "South Fish River". On more than one occasion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries floods deposited live Murray cod in the main streets of Queanbeyan.[citation needed]A variety of ills including introduction of exotic fish such astrout,overfishing, willow encroachment, siltation, and weirs blocking migration saw native fish populations in the Queanbeyan River close to extinction by the time Googong Dam was built.[13]
Water quality
editUnder theSeat of Government Acceptance Act, 1909,[14]theGovernment of New South Walesguaranteed the Australian Capital Territory access to resources including water by protecting and not polluting the waters of the Queanbeyan River.[15]
The condition of the river as a native habitat below Googong Dam has been seen as unhealthy in recent years by the Queanbeyan City Council, with the river being overrun withcarpand reeds. The Queanbeyan Council has put in place a resource development scheme to clean out the river, including a "catch a carp" competition where the winners won $500 or fishing gear.
European carphave not penetrated the river above Googong Dam, providing an excellent trout and native fish catchery in both the dam and the river upstream. Carp are present the entire length of the river, but in small quantities. Since construction of Googong Dam in 1979, the endangered Macquarie perch has been very occasionally reported in the reservoir, and rarely beyond the first waterfall upstream of Googong Dam, despite the introduction of 57 Macquarie perch in the 1980s.
Other wildlife
editThe Queanbeyan River has a range of native wildlife ranging fromwombatsandkangaroos,which are often found grazing on the banks, to the not commonly seenplatypus.The area surrounding the Queanbeyan River supports a large population of eastern grey kangaroos. There is also a small number of platypuses.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ab"Queanbeyan River".Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW.Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.Retrieved21 January2013.
- ^ab"Queanbeyan".Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW.Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.Retrieved21 January2013.
- ^ab"Map of Queanbeyan River".Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.Retrieved21 January2013.
- ^"Molonglo Catchment Strategy: 2004-2024"(PDF).Molonglo Catchment Group Inc. May 2005. p. 24. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 10 April 2013.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^"Molonglo Catchment Strategy: 2004-2024"(PDF).Molonglo Catchment Group Inc. May 2005. p. 16. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 10 April 2013.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^Queanbeyan City Council Strategic Overview – Part 1: 2007-08 to 2009-10.Queanbeyan City Council.
- ^Cross, R. 'Queanbeyan Flood Record Over 106 Years',Queanbeyan Age,21 June 1978, p. 19
- ^"Queanbeyan's Timeline | Queanbeyan Museum".July 2013.
- ^Tündern-Smith, A.Canberra History News,December 2016, pp 1-2.
- ^Byrnes, Jason (Spring 1999)."Team History: (Police) Divers"(PDF).Australian Federal Police Association Journal(1). Austral Media Group P/L: 14.
- ^"Queanbeyan a natural disaster as flood peaks".ABC News.Australia. 9 December 2010.Retrieved21 January2013.
- ^Hope, Ben (3 March 2012)."Queanbeyan remains on flood watch as rain continues".The Queanbeyan Age.Retrieved21 January2013.
- ^Lintermans, M (2000).The Status of Fish in the Australian Capital Territory: A Review of Current Knowledge and Management Requirements. Technical Report No. 15.Canberra: Environment ACT.
- ^Seat of Government Acceptance Act, 1909(Cth)
- ^McIntyre, R. A; et al. (2003).Augmentation of Water Supply to the ACT and region.Engineers Australia (Canberra Division).
External links
edit- "Murrumbidgee and Lake George catchments"(map).Office of Environment and Heritage.Government of New South Wales.
- "Queanbeyan River, including impact of Googong Dam".Environment ACT. 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2005.
- "Queanbeyan River management".Queanbeyan City Council.
- "Googong Dam".Water storage.ACTEW Corporation.2011. Archived fromthe originalon 21 April 2013.
- "Fish in the Murrumbidgee catchment"(PDF).