Transcript

Black Catchment Story

This catchment story is part of a series prepared for the catchments of Queensland.

Table of contents

1. Understanding how water flows in the catchment
2. How to view this map journal
3. Map journal for the Black catchment—water movement
4. Black catchment story
5. Values of the catchment—key features
6. Values of the catchment—economic
7. Values of the catchment—environmental and social
8. Natural features—geology and topography
9. Natural features—rainfall
10. Natural features—vegetation
11. Modified features—infrastructure, dams, weirs and bores
12. Modified features—sediment
13. Water quality
14. Water flow
15. The main areas
16. Alice River
17. Black River
18. Deep Creek
19. Bluewater and Two Mile creeks
20. Sleeper Log Creek
21. Leichhardt, Cassowary and Saltwater creeks
22. Rollingstone, Station, Wild Boar and Surveyor creeks
23. Hencamp, Scrubby and Ollera creeks
24. Crystal and Lorna creeks
25. Conclusion
26. Acknowledgments
27. Data source, links and extra information

Main image. The Black River - provided by John Gunn..

Understanding how water flows in the catchment

To manage a catchment effectively, it is important to have a collective understanding of how the catchment works. This map journal gathers information from experts and other data sources to provide that understanding.

The information was gathered using the walking the landscape process*, where experts systematically worked through a catchment in a facilitated workshop, to incorporate diverse knowledge on the landscape features and processes, both natural and human. It focused on water flow and the key factors that affect water movement.

This map journal was prepared by the Queensland Wetlands Program in the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, in collaboration with local partners.

*The ‘walking the landscape’ process involves local stakeholders systematically working through a catchment in a facilitated workshop, to incorporate diverse knowledge on the landscape (Department of Environment and Heritage Protection 2012) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

How to view this map journal

This map journal is best viewed in Chrome or Firefox, not Explorer.

Map journal for the Bohle catchment—water movement

This map journal describes the location, extent and values of the Bohle catchment*. It demonstrates the key features that influence water flow, including geology, topography, rainfall and runoff, natural features, human modifications and land uses.

Knowing how water moves in the landscape is fundamental to sustainably managing the catchment and the services it provides.

Main image. Recreational use of Crystal Creek - provided by Alana Lorimer.

*The use of the terms 'catchment', 'sub-catchment', 'basin' and 'sub-basin' are sometimes used interchangeably. In this map journal the term 'catchment' has been used.

Map journal for the Black catchment—water movement

This map journal describes the location, extent and values of the Black catchment*. It demonstrates the key features which influence water flow, including geology, topography, rainfall and runoff, natural features, human modifications and land uses.

Knowing how water moves in the landscape is fundamental to sustainably managing the catchment and the services it provides.

Main image. Bluewater Creek - provided by John Gunn.

*The use of the terms 'catchment', 'sub-catchment', 'basin' and 'sub-basin' are sometimes used interchangeably. In this map journal the term 'catchment' has been used.

Black Catchment Story

The Black catchment is located in north Queensland and is part of the NQ Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (NRM) region. The catchment falls mostly within the Townsvile City Council area. The catchment includes large areas of conservation and natural environments, including part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WHA), and farming together with other land uses.

The catchment covers approximately 1,100 square kilometres (click for animation).

The main waterway is the Black River, together with the Alice River and many smaller waterways including Deep, Bluewater, Sleeper Log, Leichhardt, and Saltwater creeks in the south and Rollingstone, Hencamp, Ollera and Crystal creeks in the north. All waterways (click for animation) flow to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), via Halifax Bay. The GBR is World Heritage-listed and a marine park.

The Black catchment is adjacent to the Bohle, Ross, Upper Burdekin and Herbert catchments. There are hydrological connections between these coastal catchments through surface flow and groundwater.

There is a drop-down legend for most maps and it can be accessed by clicking on 'LEGEND' at the top right of the map. On this map you can use the drop down legend for the land use.

There are also 'pop-ups' for most mapping features - simply click on the mapping of interest for more information.

Main image. Conservation and natural environments of upper Bluewater Creek - provided by John Gunn.

Values of the catchment—key features

Key features of the Black catchment include:

• A western escarpment of granite (mostly Rollingstone Granite and Clemant Microgranite) and felsite (Paluma Rhyolite and Saint Giles Volcanics) feeds several larger catchments, interspersed with many smaller coastal catchments
• Alluvium and colluvium on the lower lying land, and sand ridges with marine deposits (estuaries) along the coast
• There are hydrological connections between these coastal catchments through surface flow and groundwater
• Usually experiences annual wet and dry seasons, with 80% of the area's rainfall during the wet season between November and March
• The hydrological seasonality associated with these wet and dry season flow conditions are critical to the ecological character, function and associated values of aquatic ecosystems
• Generally, upper parts have fast flow off the hard geologies and lower parts have more complicated hydrology related to tides and rainfall (locally and upstream) and significant regional and local aquifers
• Inter-basin transfer from Paluma Dam to Crystal Creek and ultimately northern Townsville households
• Abundant groundwater in the Black and Alice rivers area, with a groundwater management area for the Black River bore fields established in 1972 (Black River Underground Water Area*)
• The Black River colluvium at the break in slope is an important groundwater recharge area
• There are many paleochannels (old river channels) and aquatards, which are highly variable in their transmissivity (ability for water to pass through the sediment particles) both spatially and temporally in the alluvial areas
• The Black River is a large delta with changing flow paths and mouth over time, particularly following heavy rainfall
• Land use is mostly conservation and natural areas, with forestry, farming (grazing on native pastures, sugar cane, pineapple, lychees and mangoes), aquaculture, industry (extraction and mining) and residential areas
• The southern parts are very sandy and extraction has altered hydrology in some areas, particularly along the Black River
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and the Wet Tropics WHA, together with the adjacent Cleveland Bay Fish Habitat Area (FHA), Cleveland Bay—Magnetic Island Dugong Protection Area, Great Barrier Reef (GBR) WHA
• The catchment is adjacent to Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) with conservation park and general use zones inshore, and habitat protection and marine national park zones further offshore
• Areas of contains wetlands**, lacustrine, riverine, palustrine and estuarine wetlands, together with the DIWA-listed (Directory of Important Wetlands Australia) Bambaroo Coastal Aggregation and wetland protection areas; relatively small areas of wetland except for the larger contains wetlands areas in the south
• A mosaic of habitats provide important connectivity for recreationally and commercially important fisheries species, including freshwaters, estuaries, inshore seagrass meadows and offshore shoals and reef
• Inshore seagrass meadows are important to the foraging of juvenile green turtles, dugong and dolphins
• Estuaries provide some refuge to crocodiles moving along the coast
• Halifax Bay is an important stopover for humpback whales during migration, and the nearby Palm Islands are a site for calving

Main image. Rollingstone Creek shoreline - provided by John Gunn.

*The Black River Underground Water Area is a groundwater managed area under the Water Regulation 2016 (Water Act 2000) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

**Areas mapped as ’contains wetlands’ typically include many small wetlands, which are too small to map individually.

Values of the Catchment—economic

The Black catchment supports many different land uses*, mostly conservation and natural areas, with farming (grazing on native pastures, sugar cane, pineapple, lychees and mangoes), forestry, aquaculture, industry and residential areas. There are areas of mining and quarrying and a Key Resource Area.** The area also has a major nickel refinery (Yabulu).

Grazing in the Black River catchment - provided by John Gunn.

Main image. Pineapple and banana farming in the Rollingtone Creek catchment - provided by John Gunn.

*Australian Land Use Management Classification (Department of Agriculture and Water Resources 2010) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

**Hard rock, gravel and sand extraction shown is within KRAs (Key Resource Areas) only. KRAs are identified locations containing important extractive resources of state or regional significance worthy of protection for future use. Some KRAs include existing extractive operations (see link at the end of map journal for more information).

Values of the catchment—environmental and social

The Black catchment provides important habitat for many marine, estuarine, freshwater and terrestrial species.

Kangaroo, Rollingstone Creek - provided by John Gunn.

The catchment includes large protected areas, which also provide for recreational activitiessuch as bush walking, bird watching and swimming. These activities not only provide substantial social and health benefits but they are also very important for tourism.

The wetlands and creeks of the catchment provide habitat for many important aquatic species, including plants, fish and birds. Estuarine areas also support important plants (mangrove, saltmarsh and seagrass), estuarine crocodiles, marine turtles, marine mammals and fisheries species. These areas are also used for camping, fishing, crabbing and boating.

Information about the different types of wetlands shown in this mapping is provided here.

The catchment also includes a nature refuge and part of a DIWA-listed wetlands (Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia), and is adjacent to a declared Fish Habitat Area* (FHA) and a Dugong Protection Area.

Many of the species in the catchment have lifecycles with connections to the GBR, which is World Heritage-listed and a marine park.

Mangrove growing on Bluewater Beach - provided by John Gunn.

Main image. Fishing on Bluewater Beach - provided by John Gunn.

*Declared Fish Habitat Area Plans (Queensland Government 2016) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

Natural features—geology and topography

Several different rock types combine to make up the geology of the Black catchment.

The headwaters of the catchment are dominated by granite (mostly Rollingstone Granite and Clemant Microgranite) and felsite (Paluma Rhyolite and Saint Giles Volcanics). Most of the other parts are dominated by alluvium and colluvium with outcrops of granite, mafites and felsites, and sand ridges with marine deposits (estuaries) along the coast. Much of the lower catchment is flat and prone to flooding.

Conceptual models for several of the catchment's geology types are provided below.

Main image. The Black River mouth and rocky outcrop (Jugalo Volcanics) - provided by John Gunn.

Natural features—rainfall

The Black catchment usually experiences annual wet and dry seasons, with most of the rainfall typically between November and March.

The hydrological seasonality associated with these wet and dry season flow conditions are critical to the ecological character, function and associated values of aquatic ecosystems. The dry season is also as an essential part of the functioning of the system with these semi-permanent waterholes just as vital to the ecosystems as the wet season flows.

The northern parts of the catchment are part of the wet tropics and typically receive higher rainfall, with greater permanency in some waterways. Crystal Creek is permanent due to an inter-basin transfer from Paluma Dam.

Average annual rainfall* is mostly 901 to 1,401 millimetres per year in the south, and up to 3,300 millimetres per year in the north.

Main image. Crystal Creek waterfall, in the north of the catchment - provided by John Gunn.

*This dataset depicts the 50-year mean annual rainfall isoheyts (contours) over Queensland for the period 1920 to 1969. The dataset was produced from the mean annual rainfall of as many locations as possible including private collections. Incomplete datasets were `made whole` by calculating values for missing periods through correlation with adjacent rainfall stations.

Natural features—vegetation

Vegetation affects how water flows through the catchment, and this process is affected by land use and management practices. Native vegetation slows water, retaining it longer in the landscape and recharging groundwater aquifers, and reducing the erosion potential and the loss of soil from the catchment.

Several different vegetation types combine to make up the original native (preclearing) vegetation of the Black catchment.* Some of the catchment, mostly in the lower parts, has been cleared or partially-cleared for a range of rural land uses. Some of the cleared vegetation has regrown** since initial clearing.

Explore the swipe map showing vegetation clearing over time, using either of the options below.***

• Interactive swipe app where you can zoom into areas and use the swipe bar(ESRI version)
• Interactive swipe app where you can use the swipe bar. Use the white slide bar at the bottom of the map for a comparison(HTML version)

These developments and activities change the shape of the landscape and can modify water flow patterns.

Main image. The vegetated slopes of the upper Black River - provided by Townsville City Council.

*Broad Vegetation Groups derived from Regional Ecosystems. Regional Ecosystems are vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil.

**Smaller areas of regrowth are not shown in this mapping. This dataset was prepared to support certain category C additions to the Regulated Vegetation Management Map under the Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016. This dataset is described as: The 2013 areas of non-remnant native woody vegetation that have not been cleared between 1988 and 2014 that are homogenous for at least 0.5 hectare and occur in clumps of at least 2 hectares in coastal regions and 5 hectares elsewhere.

***This application takes time to load.

Modified features—infrastructure, dams, weirs and bores

Buildings and important infrastructure such as roads, railways and creek crossings create barriers and impermeable surfaces that redirect water through single points or culverts, leading to channelling of water in some parts of the catchment. This increases the rate of flow and the potential for erosion. Modifications to channels, such as straightening and diversions, can also increase flow rates.*

Road bridge over the Black River - provided by John Gunn.

Dams and weirs also modify natural water flow patterns, by holding water that would otherwise flow straight into the stream network. The catchment has many rural water storages (farm dams) and there are two weirs on upper Sleep Log Creek.

Weir in Sleeper Log Creek - provided by Townsville City Council.

Paluma Dam is located on Swamp Creek in the adjacent Upper Burdekin catchment. Water is released from the dam into Crystal Creek via a two kilometre pipe in a natural gully (inter-basin transfer), and onto northern Townsville via an intake tower on Crystal Creek Weir (Intake Road) and pipelines that run parallel to the highway to the Northern (Paluma) Water Treatment Plant.

Water pipeline from Crystal Creek to the Northern Water Treatment Plant - provided by John Gunn.

There are also many bores**, which extract water for industry, livestock and domestic uses and can influence groundwater. The catchment also includes most of the Black River Underground Water Area***.

Infrastructure, dams and weirs can affect fish passage through the catchment.

Main image. Road and railway crossing of Rollingstone Creek - provided by John Gunn.

*Townsville City Council provides access to asset infrastructure, contours, planning scheme zoning, overlay maps including storm tide, etc. - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

**Taken from database storing registered water bore data from private water bores and Queensland Government groundwater investigation and monitoring bores.

***The Black River Underground Water Area is a groundwater managed area under the Water Regulation 2016 (Water Act 2000) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

Modified features—sediment

Increases in the volume and speed of runoff, and disturbed vegetation through activities such as construction or grazing, can increase erosion in the landscape and the stream channels. This can result in sediment being carried downstream and reduced water quality. The construction stage of a development typically generates more sediment in runoff than more mature stages of a development.

The suspended sediment of most risk to the GBR is the fine fraction. Fine sediment:

• contains most of the nitrogen and phosphorus content (and other potential contaminants such as metals),
• travels widely in flood plumes rather than all depositing near the river mouth, and
• substantially reduces light when in suspension.

Furthermore, the impacts of suspended sediment contributes to the cumulative impacts of other stressors (e.g. freshwater flood plumes, elevated nutrients, impacts from cyclones, increasing sea surface temperatures) to increase the overall impact on organisms of the GBR.

Water quality

Water quality is influenced by diffuse runoff and point source inputs. Runoff is from a variety of land uses, including rural, residential, industrial and commercial areas.

Diffuse runoff includes on-site sewage facilities (e.g. septic tanks) and stormwater discharges, particularly from low permeability surfaces common in urban areas. The concentration of potential contaminants in the stormwater discharge depends on the land use of the area. Many rural areas and more densely populated rural-residential areas use on-site sewage facilities.

Point source inputs include the Toomulla Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). The STP is a small package plant with a near-estuarine wetland complex (lagoon) relying on evaporation to convert wastewater (sewage) to biosolids.

Information regarding monitoring sites (gauging stations*) and catchment load monitoring** can be found in the reference section at the end of this map journal.

Main image. Boat ramp on lower mangrove-lined Rollingstone Creek - provided by John Gunn.

*Water Monitoring Information Portal (Queensland Government 2017) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

**Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Modelling Program (Queensland Government, 2017); Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022. Queensland Government (2018) ; Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan - Report cards (Queensland Government (2017) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.

Water Flow

Water flows across the landscape into the Black River and other waterways (click for animation)*.

The remaining water either sinks into the ground where it supports a variety of terrestrial and groundwater dependent ecosystems or is used for other purposes.

The smaller channels and gullies eventually flatten out to form larger waterways that flow through lower lying land. They pass through unconsolidated areas which store and release water, prolonging the time streams flow.

Main image. Flow in Bluewater Creek - provided by John Gunn.

*Please note this application takes time to load.

The main areas

A 'catchment' is an area with a natural boundary (for example ridges, hills or mountains) where all surface water drains to a common channel to form rivers or creeks.*

The Black catchment is listed as a single catchment but consists of several distinct areas which have similar characteristics:

1. Alice River (the Alice River and German, Frederick, Scrubby and Canal creeks)
2. Black River(the Black River, Log, Palm Tree and Allick creeks, and Dead Man Gully)
3. Deep Creek (Deep Creek)
4. Bluewater and Two Mile creeks (Bluewater, Two Mile, Healy, Althaus, Deep, Healy and Pine creeks)
5. Sleeper Log Creek (Sleeper Log and Christmas creeks)
6. Leichhardt, Cassowary and Saltwater creeks (Leichhardt, Cassowary, Camp Oven and Saltwater creeks)
7. Rollingstone, Station, Wild Boar and Surveyor creeks (Rollingstone, Station, Wild Boar, Surveyor and Pyott creeks)
8. Hencamp, Scrubby and Ollera creeks (Hencamp, Scrubby,Ollera and Clerk creeks)
9. Crystal and Lorna creeks (Crystal, Lorna, Dolby, Gold, Double Barrel, Ethel,Cloudy, Saddle, Little Crystaland Bullocky Tomscreeks and Nolans Gully)

Main image. The upper Black River - provided by John Gunn.

*Definition sourced from the City of Gold Coast website - see links at the end of this map journal.

Alice River

• The Alice River flows from a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with colluvium on the slopes and alluvium on the lower lying land
• Fast flow off the hard geologies with abundant groundwater in the lower system; part of the Black River Underground Water Area
• Land use is mostly grazing on native pastures, with conservation and natural areas, other farming and residential areas
• Protected areas include the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (conservation park and general use)
• Large areas of contains wetlands*, with riverine wetlands along some channels
• Black throated finch habitat associated with Canal Creek suggests permanent waterholes

Bridge crossing on the Alice River - provided by Townsville City Council.

Eucalypts are common along the Alice River - provided by Townsville City Council.

*Areas mapped as ’contains wetlands’ typically include many small wetlands, which are too small to map individually.

Black River

• The Black River flows from a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with alluvium and colluvium on the lower lying land, several rocky outcrops, and sand ridges with marine deposits along the coast
• Fast flow off the hard geologies with abundant groundwater in the lower system; part of the Black River Underground Water Area
• Land use is mostly grazing on native pastures, with conservation and natural areas, forestry (Clemant State Forest), other farming, industry (large nickel refinery) and large residential areas
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and the adjacent GBR WHA, GBRMP (general use), Cleveland Bay FHA and Cleveland Bay—Magnetic Island Dugong Protection Area
• Sand extraction from the channel has altered hydrology in some areas, particularly following heavy rainfall in January 1998
• Large areas of contains wetlands*, with riverine, lacustrine, palustrine and estuarine wetlands
• The river mouth has changed locations over time with extensive anabranching and paleochannels on lower lying land
• Beach ridges have been built-up by waves as sea level changes; provide refuge (e.g. birds), hold near-permanent water in swales and are hydrologically important to the Great Barrier Reef

Sandy channel of the Black River - provided by Townsville City Council.

Looking upstream along the Black River - provided by Townsville City Council.

Main image. The Black River - provided by John Gunn.

*Areas mapped as ’contains wetlands’ typically include many small wetlands, which are too small to map individually.

Deep Creek

• Deep Creek is a smaller coastal catchment with granite and felsite in the headwaters, colluvium on the slope, alluvium and rocky outcrops on the lower lying land, and marine deposits at the mouth
• Fast flow off the hard geologies with abundant groundwater in the lower system
• Land use is mostly grazing on native pastures, with forestry (Clemant State Forest), conservation and natural areas, farming, industry (mining and Black River Key Resource Area), aquaculture and residential areas
• Protected areas include the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (general use)
• Large areas of contains wetlands*, with riverine, lacustrine, palustrine and estuarine wetlands

*Areas mapped as ’contains wetlands’ typically include many small wetlands, which are too small to map individually.

Bluewater and Two Mile creeks

• The Bluewater and Two Mile creeks area has a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with mostly alluvium and some colluvium on the lower lying land
• There are sand deposits along the coast with more extensive dunes associated with Two Mile Creek
• Fast flow off the hard geologies with springs in the headwaters and abundant groundwater in the lower system, including paleochannels with a large delta, many ribbon aquifers and offshore freshwater discharge areas (wonkey holes)
• Land use is mostly conservation and natural areas, grazing on native pastures, forestry (Clemant State Forest), farming and residential areas
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and Wet Tropics WHA, together with the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (general use)
• Small areas of riverine, lacustrine, palustrine and estuarine wetlands
• Upper parts of the main channel have blue-coloured water associated with fine clay particles (kaolinite mineral) suspended in water, which absorb out the red end of the spectrum
• Two Mile Creek is a small coastal catchment connected to the broader Bluewater Creek floodplain, with a spring at the top of the system (no true headwaters)

Bluewater Creek, flowing to Bluewater Beach and Halifax Bay - provided by Townsville City Council.

Bluewater Creek mouth - provided by Townsviile City Council.

Main image. Bluewater Creek - provided by John Gunn.

Sleeper Log Creek

• Sleeper Log Creek flows from a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with alluvium on the lower lying land, and sand ridges with marine deposits along the coast
• Land use is mostly grazing on native pastures, and conservation and natural areas, together with residential areas and large abandoned aquaculture facility
• There are two weirs on upper Sleeper Log Creek, one associated with an old tin mine
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and Wet Tropics WHA, together with the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (general use)
• Relatively large lacustrine and estuarine wetlands, together with riverine and palustrine wetlands
• Parts of the main channel have blue-coloured water associated with fine clay particles (kaolinite mineral) suspended in water
• Popular for hiking, camping and kayaking

Tributary of Sleeper Log Creek - provided by Townsville City Council.

Fast flowing water in Sleeper Log Creek - provided by Townsville City Council

Main image. Sleeper Log Creek - provided by Townsville City Council.

Leichhardt, Cassowary and Saltwater creeks

• The Leichhardt, Cassowary and Saltwater creeks area has a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with alluvium on the lower lying land, and sand ridges with marine deposits along the coast
• Land use is mostly conservation and natural areas, and forestry (Clemant State Forest), together with grazing on native pastures, farming (mangoes), abandoned aquaculture and residential areas
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and Wet Tropics WHA, together with the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (general use)
• Areas of riverine, palustrine and estuarine wetlands, including wetlands in swales, and perched palustrine wetlands in small depressions in the granite headwaters
• Lower delta with changing flow paths over time
• Toomula STP is a small package plant (evaporation) near-estuarine wetland complex associated with Saltwater Creek
• The coastline features cliffs and rocky outcrops
• Change in vegetation at this point in the landscape with grevilleas to the north, and grass trees and Melaleuca viridiflorato the south

Rollingstone, Station, Wild Boar and Surveyor creeks

• The Rollingstone, Station, Wild Boar and Surveyor creeks area has a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with alluvium on the lower lying land, and sand ridges with marine deposits along the coast
• Land use is mostly conservation and natural areas, together with forestry (Clemant State Forest), grazing on native pastures, farming (sugar cane, pineapple, lychees and other fruits), quarries and residential areas
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and Wet Tropics WHA, together with the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (general use)
• Areas of riverine, palustrine, lacustrine and estuarine wetlands, including protected wetland area
• Vine thickets and flying fox colony
• Popular recreationally, including camping and boating and fishing with a boat ramp that provides access to offshore waters

Rollingstone Creek, showing Rollingstone Beach, Halifax Bay and the Palm Islands - provided by Townsville City Council.

Melaleuca on the bank of Rollingstone Creek - provided by Townsville City Council.

Main image. Rollingstone Creek - provided by John Gunn.

Hencamp, Scrubby and Ollera creeks

• The Hencamp, Scrubby and Ollera creeks area has a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with alluvium on the lower lying land, and sand ridges with marine deposits along the coast
• The headwaters are relatively close to the coast (wet tropics landscape)
• Land use is mostly conservation and natural areas, together with grazing on native pastures, farming (sugar cane, pineapple, lychees and other fruits) and residential areas
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and Wet Tropics WHA, together with the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (general use)
• Relatively large palustrine and estuarine wetlands, together with riverine and lacustrine wetlands
• Lower Scrubby Creek is backed up behind the dunes and holds groundwater (not surface water), limited headwaters and ephemeral system otherwise
• Ollera Creek has a relatively large floodplain with lots of meanders and the channel changing path in the macrochannel over time (anastomising) with vegetation in the macrochannel, littoral rainforest, surface expressions of water, and waterholes popular for recreation

Road crossing of Ollera Creek - provided by Townsville City Council.

Partially exposed creek bed in Ollera Creek channel - provided by Townsville City Council.

Main image. Upper Ollera Creek - provided by John Gunn.

Crystal and Lorna Creeks

• The Crystal and Lorna creeks area has a western escarpment of granite and felsite, with alluvium on the lower lying land, and sand ridges with marine deposits along the coast
• Land use is mostly conservation and natural areas, together with grazing on native pastures, farming (sugar cane, pineapple and other fruits) and residential areas
• Protected areas include Paluma Range National Park and Wet Tropics WHA, together with the adjacent GBR WHA and GBRMP (general use with habitat protection and marine national park zone offshore)
• Areas of riverine, palustrine and estuarine wetlands, adjoining the large Halifax Bay wetland complex
• Crystal Creek is a permanent system due to the inter-basin transfer from the Paluma Dam with waterfalls and rock slides (wet tropics landscape)
• Crystal Creek has good water quality and high biodiversity including fish, frogs, gecko, littoral rainforest
• Increased water availability has increased aquatic weed growth
• The Paluma mineralised granites are complex and include lots of metals (copper, lead, zinc, tin, arsenic, antimony) with a historic tin mine at Kangaroo Hills

Looking up Crystal Creek toward the Paluma Range, showing farming on the bank - provided by Townsville City Council.

Mouth of Crystal Creek with irrigated tree fruits on the bank - provided by Townsville City Council.

Main image. Crystal Creek - provided by John Gunn.

Conclusion

The Black catchment shows how natural and modified features within the landscape impact on how water flows. These issues need to be managed to ensure that the significant natural (and social) values of the catchment are protected, and to minimise impacts on the multitude of values within the catchment and downstream in the GBR, while providing for residential, water supply, farming and other important land uses of the catchment.

Knowing how the catchment functions is also important for future planning, including climate resilience. With this knowledge, we can make better decisions about how we manage this vital area.

Main image. Pied oyster catcher, Bluewater Beach - provided by John Gunn.

Acknowledgments

Developed by the Queensland Wetlands Program in the Department of Environment and Science in partnership with the Dry Tropics Partnership for Healthy Waters and other local partners:

Townsville City Council

Conservation Volunteers Australia

C and R Consulting

Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare Incorporated

Earth Environmental

Energy Queensland

Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

James Cook University

Landcare

NQ Dry Tropics

Office of the Great Barrier Reef

This resource should be cited as: Walking the Landscape – Black Catchment Story v1.0 (2018), presentation, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland.

Images provided by: John Gunn (Earth Environmental), Alana Lorimer and Townsville City Council.

The Queensland Wetlands Program supports projects and activities that result in long-term benefits to the sustainable management, wise use and protection of wetlands in Queensland. The tools developed by the Program help wetlands landholders, managers and decision makers in government and industry.

Contact wetlands@des.qld.gov.au or visit https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au

Disclaimer

This map journal has been prepared with all due diligence and care, based on the best available information at the time of publication. The department holds no responsibility for any errors or omissions within the document. Any decisions made by other parties based on this document are solely the responsibility of those parties. Information contained in this education module is from a number of sources and, as such, does not necessarily represent government or departmental policy.

Data source, links and extra information

Software Used

ArcGIS for Desktop | ArcGIS Online | Story Map Journal| Story Map Series |

Some of the information used to put together this Map Journal can be viewed on the QLD Globe.

Queensland Globe allows you to view and explore Queensland spatial data and imagery. You can also download a cadastral SmartMap or purchase and download a current titles search.

More information about the layers used can be found here: Source Data Table

Flooding Information

Townsville City Council

Other References

City of Gold Coast (2021) About water catchments. [webpage] Accessed 25 August 2021

Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (2010) Australian Land Use Management Classification [webpage] Accessed 6 December 2018

Queensland Government (2016) Declared Fish Habitat Area Plans [webpage] Accessed 6 December 2018

Queensland Government (2016) Water Regulation 2016, Current as at 1 July 2018 [webpage] Accessed 6 December 2018

Queensland Government (2017) Key Resource Areas in Queensland [webpage] Accessed 6 December 2018

Queensland Government (2018) Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Modelling Program [webpage] Accessed 6 December 2018

Queensland Government (2018) Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022, State of Queensland, Brisbane

Queensland Government (2018) Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan - Report Cards [webpage] Accessed 6 December 2018

Queensland Government (2018) Water Quality Information Portal [webpage] Accessed 6 December 2018

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Last updated: 25 August 2021