- Upstreampaddle
Transcription
- Upstreampaddle
Untitled Document file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Doc...ndex%20page/magazine%20june%2028%20apr/cover01.html (1 of 2)4/28/2007 3:15:12 PM Untitled Document file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Documen...work/peters%20work/magazine/cover/winter%20index01.html5/30/2007 10:00:28 AM Untitled Document Her Majesty's Queensland Navy Queensland used to have its own navy of two gunboats and a torpedo boat. In the last half of the 19th century, the newly sovereign state of Queensland (statehood 1859), became concerned about a possible Russian invasion from Russian Far East territories. The state took defensive measures that included the gunboats, and a battery of fixed guns at Lytton, next to the Brisbane River. The vessels were known as Her Majesty's Queensland Ships. HMQS Gayundah and Paluma were sister class ships of 120 foot length ( 36 metres ), 360 tons, built in England in the 1880's by Armstrong Mitchell and Co. The ships carried a 12 pounder, one 6 inch naval gun, one 4.7 inch gun, and two machine guns. As the steam powered ship normally carried coal supplies for a journey of around 1100 kilometres, the ship was sailed under canvas for much of its trip from England to Australia. HMQS Gayundah was incorporated into the Commonwealth Naval Forces after Federation, and worked on coastal patrol in Queensland waters during World War I. Retired in 1918, and sold in 1921, she spent the next 30 years as a gravel barge on the Brisbane River. HMAS GAYUNDAH steaming Botanical Gardens reach, Brisbane River. Image courtesy Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The photograph forms part of the RAN Historical Collection held by the Sea Power Centre - Australia. Today the rusting remains of the Gayundah can be seen at Woody Point, Redcliffe, Brisbane. At the southern tip of the peninsula, where Lilla Street turns north and becomes Gayundah Esplanade, it is possible to look over the green iron railings at the ship below. Placed as a breakwater on the point in 1958, Gayundah shares the foreshores with three other smaller boats, and the remains of a barge. The other craft have crumbled away so that only a couple of centimetres of rusty iron show above the sand, but the graceful bow lines of the Gayundah are still visible. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Doc...es/gayundah02/images%20web/qld%20navypage%2001.html (1 of 2)2/28/2007 12:50:51 PM 3 Untitled Document Her Majesty's Queensland Navy looking from midships to bow view of bow and chain hawse pipe view from Lilla Street, Woody Point, Redcliffe HMQS Gayundah Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Doc...es/gayundah02/images%20web/qld%20navypage%2002.html (1 of 2)2/28/2007 12:50:51 PM 4 Untitled Document The wreck of the Platypus, Peel Island East of The Bluffs, and just offshore from the concrete causeway on the south east corner of Peel Island, Moreton Bay is a rusty old wreck that still emerges a couple of metres from the water at high tide. This is the wreck of the "Platypus", a bucket dredge that in the early years of last century dredged out shipping channels in ports along the Queensland coast. The main shipping channel at Townsville is called the Platypus Channel after her work there.She was built in 1883 by William Simons & Co Ltd at Renfrew (Clyde, Scotland) for the Queensland Government. Gross tonnage 818. Lbd 189 x 38.7 x 14.2 ft.. Sunk to form a breakwater for the jetty off Peel Island, Moreton Bay in 1926. Location map - Platypus and Peel Island Left photo - wreck at left, remains of causeway at right Above - Platypus, Peel Island 1975. Photograph courtesy Queensland Maritime Museum Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Documents...peters%20work/peters%20work/magazine/platypus/page01.html3/12/2007 8:21:12 PM 5 Untitled Document Platypus in dry dock, South Bank 1910 - photograph courtesy Queensland Maritime Museum Platypus dredge at work - unknown location. Photograph Queensland State Library neg. no. 30109 Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docum...rs%20work/peters%20work/magazine/platypus/page02.html (1 of 2)3/12/2007 8:21:12 PM 6 Untitled Document the Bremer River Ipswich The riverine history of Ipswich has almost totally vanished. The canoeist today will find no trace of the commercial wharves that lined the banks of the City reach. Some photographic records remain of the vessels that plied the waters between Brisbane and Ipswich. A City Council marker in the new RiverHeart Parklands says that a few sandstone rocks in a garden bed are all that remains of a wharf retaining wall. Further downstream the wharves and coal loading machinery of the Rylance, Haighmoor, Westfalen, New Hope and Thomas Coal companies have mostly vanished. Crowds no longer gather to swim at popular swimming holes, pleasure cruises no longer seek the serenity of a pretty but forgotten backwater. Commercial shipping on the Bremer River dates back to the earliest days of the convict colony. In 1827 the Commandant Captain Logan established a convict camp at Limestone Station to supply quicklime and sheep for the convict settlement at Brisbane. Convicts burnt the limestone to make the quicklime mortar, and then sent it downriver to be used in stone buildings in Brisbane. The first paddle steamer on the river, the PS Experiment, in June 1846, made the run from Brisbane to Ipswich in over seven hours, running upstream with the tide to Moggill, then along the Bremer River to the small town. Flat bottomed boats continued to carry cargo upcountry, and wool clip back downriver until the Brisbane to Ipswich railway line was completed in 1875. The first railway line opened in Queensland ran west from Ipswich to Granchester (1865), and then to Toowomba (1867). The rails and construction materials were carried upcountry on the Bremer River. Ipswich even had its own Customs House. Wharves and warehouses lined the river on the town reach. Steamers such as the IPSWICH (150 feet, timber) and the EMU (170 feet, iron) were double headed, with a rudder at each end, to avoid the necessity for turning the vessel. The steamers burnt Queensland coal mined at Ipswich. The river was continually dredged to deepen it, and rocky bars were blasted. Although the opening of the rail link saw a decrease in the importance of the river traffic, the Bremer remained an important river passage. Boardwalk at old wharves site, Ipswich. Rail bridge (1915) in background Paddle Steamer Ipswich photograph John Oxley State Library Queensland neg. no Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Document...peters%20work/peters%20work/magazine/ipswich/page01.html5/28/2007 7:53:02 AM 7 Untitled Document Steamships at Brisbane continued to load Ipswich coal bunkers at the Kangaroo Point coal wharves, (just downstream of the drydock at South Bank) until the mid 20th century. Coal was also shipped downriver on barges pushed by tug boats for the Brisbane Power and Gas Stations. The Riverside Coal Transport Company, formed in 1926, initially used the stripped Government steam yacht LUCINDA as a barge. In later years, Riverside Coal transported coal from Tivoli, carrying 400 000 tonnes a year in the late 1960s and 200 000 tonnes a year in the 1980s. The remnants of these coal loading systems can be seen on the river 2.5 kilometres upstream from the Warrego Highway bridges. Warrego Highway bridges with guard rails to protect bridge supports from river traffic Coal loading gantry, 250m downstream of Tivoli Barge Loader New Hope Tivoli Barge Loader - disused Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...rs%20work/peters%20work/magazine/ipswich/page02.html (1 of 2)5/28/2007 7:53:02 AM 8 Untitled Document the Bremer River Ipswich Bremer River coal transport ARGYLE being pushed by tugboat Bremer River coal transport CANEEBIE photographs courtesy Queensland Maritime Museum Coal barge tugboat HUSTLER LUCINDA as Queensland Government Yacht Paddlesteamer photographs courtesy Queensland Maritime Museum LUCINDA as coal barge 1927 with self unloader system (telescopic to fit under Victoria Bridge) able to unload 500 ton-per-hour) LUCINDA on Bishop Island (mouth of Brisbane River) 1963 photographs courtesy Queensland Maritime Museum . Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...rs%20work/peters%20work/magazine/ipswich/page03.html (1 of 2)5/28/2007 7:53:02 AM 9 Untitled Document The William Collins owned steam powered punt, ESSEX, 79 tonnes, built at Brisbane 1880, carried freight on the Bremer, such as bagged sugar for the Ipswich Livermore Soft Drink firm, until 1926. The water weed hyacinth was a problem on the river in the twenties, growing thick enough to halt river traffic.The ESSEX worked as a barge carrying logs from Urang and Bogimbah Creeks on Fraser Island to mills at Maryborough up to 1940. Today the ESSEX lies abandoned on the bank at the mouth of Urang Creek, Fraser Island. Below - Steamer ESSEX (William Collins and Co.) unloading at City reach, Ipswich. Photograph courtesy of and copyright to Robyn Buchanan. Below - ESSEX or sister ship ECLIPSE pushing through water hyacinth on the Bremer Photograph courtesy of and copyright to Robyn Buchanan. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...rs%20work/peters%20work/magazine/ipswich/page04.html (1 of 2)5/28/2007 7:53:03 AM 10 Untitled Document Water Hyacinth Photograph State Library of Queensland neg. no. 15870 Paddlers in 2007 on the Brisbane River have found that the water weed Hyacinth can be a show stopper as it can form an impenetrable barrier to progress. Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a declared plant pest. This Brazilian floating water weed with dark green rounded leaves, and light purple flowers, was originally introduced to Brisbane in the early 1900's as an aquatic ornamental plant. It was released into ponds and lagoons throughout Queensland. The photograph above of the Brisbane River is dated 1910. River traffic on the Bremer River at Ipswich was blocked at times by hyacinth. The plant can grow over a metre above the surface of the river, and can support the weight of an adult. The Brisbane River was blocked by hyacinth in 1973, but the 1974 floods cleared the river. Hyacinth weed raft drifting downstream, Brisbane River 2007 Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Documents/my%20pictures/weed/page02.html4/29/2007 2:43:16 PM Hyacinth, Savages Crossing, Brisbane River April 2007 11 Untitled Document Water Hyacinth Hyacinth weed, bank to bank, two kilometres downstream from Savage's Crossing April 2007 Heavy water hyacinth infestations reduce the infiltration of sunlight necessary for native plant growth in creek and riverbeds. Heavy weed cover also prevents the exchange of air, which normally occurs on an open water surface. As the weed dies and decomposes, oxygen is removed from the water causing water pollution and stagnation. This stagnation affects water quality and may result in the death of aquatic animals. (: Land Protection, Queensland Government Natural Resources and Waterwww.nrm.qld.gov.au/factsheets/pdf/pest/pp6.pdf) The amount of hyacinth in the Brisbane River has built up due to the lack of flood waters to flush out the river. Low flow rates can also mean that the vegetation grounds more often when floating downstream, and becomes anchored. The mat of vegetation downstream from Savage's Crossing on the Brisbane River extends from bank to bank, for several hundred metres. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Documents/my%20pictures/weed/page01.html4/29/2007 2:43:16 PM Duckweed and Red Water Fern native Australian vegetation April 2007 12 Untitled Document Sun Khosi – River of Gold Here are the details of a privately organised Nepal White Water Kayak/Rafting Trip, 15th – 25 th October 2007, that I saw mentioned in the email newsletter W.A. Paddling News (copyright © Robyn Khorshid, 2007 Canoeing in Western Australia http://www. iinet.net.au/~rokhor/canoe ). I emailed the person, and this is the reply that came back. I should say that I have never rafted or canoed in Nepal, and that these details are for your information only. There is a web page link to the trip organiser, Equator, over the page, and you may find these pages a good starting off point for something of your own. Martin writes: I have organised a few white water kayaking trips for paddling friends over the years and we often end up with a multi-national group, as friends ask friends, and then they pass it on to their friends. I currently have 8 or 9 people interested in the trip and a few may-be’s. There is some spare capacity hence the advert. The age range currently is mid 30’s to mid 60’s, so this is not an extreme trip for gung-ho paddlers. The current group is a mix of kayakers and rafters - so non kayaking partners are welcome as well. I‘ve paddled quite a few rivers in Nepal over the years but always left the Sun Khosi for another year. It’s possibly the mellowest/easiest of the big multi day trips. You may be aware that the Sun Khosi is a classic of Nepal and to quote the guide book ..........'one of the ten best white water rafting trips in the world. Big rapids, warm water, beautiful scenery and great camping make this a classic multi day river trip. A great trip for intermediate and advanced kayakers. At its best in medium to high flows'. It’s mainly big volume grade 3 / 4- (minus), with one rapid Hakapur down as grade 5- (minus). This is walkable if you don’t fancy it on the day. But then so much depends on the water levels and how late the monsoon rains lasted - as they can have changed the river significantly from the year before. The river runs at a monster 2400 cumecs in August but then drops down to 800 in October and then down again to 400 in November. Hence the time to paddle is mid-late October or early November. Then the level is dropping, the air is clean and clear and so are the beaches. In October it starts at around 100 cumecs at Sukhute Beach where we start, and then builds to around 500 cumes (15,000cfs) as you go down stream. A key thing about the river is that it starts easy and gradually builds up to the ‘jungle corridor’, so you get a chance to ‘warm-up’ and get used to the volume. A good roll and competence on grade 4 will ensure you enjoy the trip. If you want more information try 'White Water Nepal', the guide book by Peter Knowles. Get the second edition ISBN 09519413-3-X I got the first edition back in the early 90's and it was inspirational and lead to another four trips to Nepal and other places in the Himalayas! Sun Khosi, means River of Gold or, alternatively means the orange colored water in the monsoon when it is thick with alluvial silt. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...rk/peters%20work/magazine/sun%20kosi/web/page01.html (1 of 2)3/3/2007 10:36:38 PM 13 Untitled Document Sun Khosi – River of Gold Equator is the company who will do the trip logistics for us – possibly the best in Nepal, and with a world wide reputation. They provide the camping gear, food, gear rafts, river guides, cook boys, and kayaks etc etc, So kayakers get to paddle with empty boats and play as we go! You just need your personal paddling gear. For more information look at the Equator website. www.equatorexpeditionsnepal.com www.equatorexpeditions.com www.nepalgate.com The programme, its costs and what’s included are below. There is also the possibility of a down hill mountain bike ride to the put-in for any one interested. You can save a bit by taking the gear bus, (overnight and very bumpy) back to Kathmandu instead of flying from Biratnagar. Note that you can do the trip in a 2 week break, - flying out to Nepal on the Saturday or Sunday returning two weeks later. If you have the time you may want to do some other rivers while you are over there - Equator can provide the kayak and you can either join a raft trip on another river, or do your own thing on local transport – very easy and cheap. Or you can go trekking, or head on into Tibet. Again, Equator can help, or it’s just as easy to do your own thing. If you need any more information please contact me on 9525 9280 or email me at madburg@westnet.com.au Sun Khosi Programme Costing for Sun Khosi Mon 15 Oct – Day 1 Arrive Kathmandu. Hotel at Kathmandu 6 people US $ 700 per person 7 to 12 person = US $ 650 per person 13 and above = US $ 600 per person Tues 16 Oct – Day 2 Bus to Sukhute Beach Warm up paddle on Upper Sun Khosi or Balephi Khosi Sukhute Beach camp A deposit of US$175 will be required to book a place The balance to be paid in Kathmandu Cost Includes Wed 17 Oct – Day 3 Start Sun Khosi trip from Sukhute Beach - probably after lunch. Thurs 18 – 24 Oct – Day 4 to Day 10 On the Sun Kosi - kayak, raft and play. Thurs 25 Oct – Day 11 Paddle out to Chatra Bus to Biratnagar Fly back to Kathmandu Hotel Fri 26 Oct – Day 12 Free in Kathmandu for what ever takes your fancy! Hotel Sat 27 Oct Bye Bye!! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. B & B accommodation on Twin sharing in Standard hotel in Kathmandu Full board at Sukhute Beach Full board on the river Kayak hire Raft support Transfer to and from the airport Transport in Nepal (e.g. internal flight back to Kathmandu from Biratnagar) Flight ticket from Biratnagar/Kathmandu Upstreampaddle takes no responsibilty for urging you to go and have a great time. Equator offer other rafting and trekking trips, eg Tamur River & Kanchenjunga Trek 12 DAYS. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Document...20work/peters%20work/magazine/sun%20kosi/web/page02.html3/3/2007 10:36:39 PM 14 Untitled Document Sun Khosi – River of Gold Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Document...20work/peters%20work/magazine/sun%20kosi/web/page03.html3/3/2007 10:36:39 PM 15 Untitled Document Lighthouse of Tragedy Author: Stuart Buchanan Publisher: Coral Coast Publications First published 1999. 243 pages, text, drawings, colour, and black and white photographs. Subtitled: The Story of Bustard Head Lighthouse. Queensland's First Coast Light. The author worked as a lightkeeper along the Queensland coast from Torres Strait to Cape Moreton, including five years at Bustard Head. In 1770 Captain Cook named Bustard Head after a bird that the officers of the Endeavour dined on, shot at Round Hill Creek twenty kilometres to the south. Cook made his second landfall in Australia, and the first in Queensland, at Round Hill Head. The story of Bustard Head Lighthouse begins not long after the establishment of Queensland as a separate state. Cottage 2007 Lighthouse 2007 Bustard Head and Jenny Lind Creek Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Doc...ds%20lighthouse/book%20review%20bh%20page%201c.html (1 of 2)2/11/2007 3:14:52 PM 16 Untitled Document Book review: Lighthouse of Tragedy Author: Stuart Buchanan Publisher: Coral Coast Publications First operational in 1868, the lighthouse was a necessary coastal navigation aid for shipping. The lighthouse was built of prefabricated cast iron panels ordered from lighthouse manufacturers in England. The lens for the lighthouse weighed five tonnes. The first lighthouse superintendent stayed in the position thirty four years. Other staff included a Lightkeeper and an assistant Lightkeeper. With wives and families, the station had enough children to warrant a school teacher being posted there. Early cottages built of weatherboard. From 1882 to 1917, there were twenty different school teachers. Few stayed more than a year, the isolation was too keenly felt. This book tells a tale that is full of shipwreck, murder, abduction, suicide, and drownings. It is the quintessential history of the life of the Lighthouse keeper, which was synonymous with a life of isolation and austerity in the days before radio, electricity and refrigeration. Rural Queensland does not have much of a past, a past that you can see. The climate is not kind to wooden houses. Note that in earlier times the lighthouse had external stairs to the first floor. Fire, storm, and white ant level older houses. And what those agents doesn’t knock down, the drive to modernize does. We are fortunate to have some photographs of earlier times, and in some rare places, we even have an undisturbed remnant of an era gone by. In 2007 a caretaker lives on site, but the lighthouse is automatic, and unmanned. The amphibious vehicle that delivered supplies to the station in the past, today brings tourists along the beach from 1770. If you are going that way, read the book first, and when you see the names on the tombstones in the little graveyard on the headland, you may feel you know those people. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Doc...ds%20lighthouse/book%20review%20bh%20page%202b.html (1 of 2)2/11/2007 3:14:52 PM 17 Fiji Southern Queensland and northern New South Wales paddlers will know that white water rapids are few and far between, available only after good heavy rain, and then involving hours of driving. Three and a half hours flying time from Brisbane out into the Pacific Ocean lies Viti Levu, the largest of over 300 islands of the Fijian Group. As well as coconut palm fringed beaches, uninhabited coral islands, crystal clear lagoons and coral reefs, there are high mountains covered with lush rainforest. The Upper Navua gorge rafting trip starts in the wilderness near the entrance to the Upper Navua Conservation Area. On a journey of 22 kilometres, the rafts winds its way through gorges up to 30 meters deep, and 4 meters wide in places, where countless waterfalls drop from the sheer sides to the river. Explore class II - III whitewater aboard inflatable kayaks and whitewater rafts, experiencing some of Fiji's most spectacular terrain by floating in relative comfort along two of the country's premier liquid pathways, the Upper Navua Gorge and Wainikoroiluva. If you would like to explore one of Fiji's wild rivers, for Reservations and Contact Information: Rivers Fiji P.O. Box 307 Pacific Harbour, Fiji Islands Phone: 3450-147 Fax: 3450-148 E-Mail: info@riversfiji.com website: www.riversfiji.com Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Documen...k/magazine/fiji%20rafting/web%20page/rivers_fiji01.html (1 of 2)3/8/2007 1:00:58 PM 18 Fiji Visitors who arrive in the Fiji Islands with sun, sea, and sand on their mind may not be aware of what some islanders call “The Real Fiji”: miles of lush, mountainous rainforest in the island’s interior, where waterfalls plummet down sheer cliffs, swirling mists shroud mountain peaks, and highlands villagers still live much like they have for centuries. Viti Levu’s highlands had remained relatively unexplored by outsiders, due to limited access into the jungle and lack of tourism infrastructure to support any visitors. But when the founders of Rivers Fiji descended two spectacularly hidden highlands rivers in 1996 – the Upper Navua in the Serua province and the Wainikoroiluva in the Namosi Valley – two things became clear to them. First, these rivers were far too unique and beautiful not to be shared with others; second, increasing awareness of these places must be done carefully in order to sustain their most valuable quality – absolute unspoiled beauty. So began Rivers Fiji, a small ecotourismfocused company operating low-impact river trips on the ‘Luva River and, later, the Upper Navua Gorge. Rivers Fiji started running trips on the ‘Luva River in 1998, introducing sustainable, ecologically sound tourism to the Namosi highlands. The villagers who lived along the river in the Namosi Valley welcomed Rivers Fiji to their home, helped them get to know the area, and nominated a few of their young men to be the company’s first river guides. Nine years later, Rivers Fiji is still introducing this majestic place to visitors, while striving to ensure that any effect their presence has on the local culture is a positive one. A trip on the ‘Luva River includes a scenic drive over the mountains and into the Namosi Valley, a visit to the village of Nakavika, an inflatable kayak descent of the playful, Class II rapids of the ‘Luva, and a punt boat ride down the converging Lower Navua River. Along the way, guests enjoy a series of lovely, verdant canyons filled with clear pools, exotic birds, lush jungle plants, and cascading waterfalls. Initiating river trips on the Upper Navua Gorge proved to be a bit more difficult. This breathtaking river canyon is well protected by a stretch of difficult whitewater, thick rainforest and a very steep canyon. But when Upper Navua trips began to run regularly in 2000, they came with another significant victory. Not only was Rivers Fiji able to operate trips on the calm, Class II section of the gorge, providing a river trip that is unique in all the world, they were also able to secure environmental protection of this magnificent canyon by establishing the UNCA (Upper Navua Conservation Area), Fiji’s first government-supported “lease for conservation” area. The UNCA was created by agreements among Rivers Fiji, landowning families along the river, the Native Land Trust Board, and logging companies that had previously been given rights to the land. Rivers Fiji was eventually able to lease approximately 16-km of land along both sides of the river, ensuring that tourism dollars will protect the area for years to come and that the rainforest will be spared from excessive logging. Today’s visitors to Viti Levu can easily explore the ‘Luva River and the Upper Navua Gorge with Rivers Fiji. In fact, as more people discover these exceptional places, the word is spreading and rafting or kayaking trips are becoming a “must-do” in Fiji. In 2002, the Upper Navua Gorge was chosen to stage a portion of the “Eco-Challenge” expedition race. It also attracted the attention of IMAX filmmakers, who shot footage here for their production, Coral Reef Adventures. Many TV and other filmmakers have followed since. Most recently, Rivers Fiji in association with several government and non-government organizations comprising Fiji’s National Wetlands Committee, have successfully worked to have the UNCA accepted into the international convention of RAMSAR, a global treaty to protect wetlands, giving the area international acclaim. www.riversfiji.com Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Documen.../magazine/fiji%20rafting/web%20page/rivers_fiji02b.html (1 of 2)3/8/2007 1:00:59 PM 19 Untitled Document Book review: Cruising The Coral Coast Author: Alan Lucas Publisher: Alan Lucas Cruising Guides New 8th edition (2003) of this essential guide to all Queensland ports and anchorages. 348 pages, fully illustrated. This classic book is a sailing guide to the Queensland Coast. Originally published in 1968 as a cruising guide to the coral reefed coast from Lady Elliot Island off 1770 up to Thursday Island, it now covers all major Queensland ports and anchorages from the Queensland New South Wales border up to the first clearance port of Daru in New Guinea. It has good information that cannot be derived from marine charts alone. Most valuable to sea kayakers are the small black and white photographs of the profiles of notable navigation markers such as headlands, islands, mountains, and approaches to breakwater entrances to harbours. All images and drawings reproducd with permission. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Doc...0reviews/alan%20lucas/Coral%20Coast%20page%201.html (1 of 2)2/15/2007 11:34:37 AM 20 Untitled Document Book review: Cruising The Coral Coast Author: Alan Lucas Publisher: Alan Lucas Cruising Guides Publication date: 2003 Profile of Quoin Island, Gladstone Harbour, South-East approach shown The book is complimented by well drawn maps, that include soundings. There is also useful information on tide flow speeds, and bar crossings. Local knowledge is the best source of information on where and when to paddle, and Alan Lucas has sailed in these waters. The 8th edition can be updated to the latest 2007 version with a pdf download from Alan Lucas Cruising Guides at: http://www.alanlucascruisingguides.com/ Hinchinbrook Channel The book chronicles some of the history of far north development, how some national parks became privately owned resort islands, and recounts stories of a few of the beachcombers living on coral islands covered with rainforest. You may not need to know what mangrove creek to lie up in during a cyclone, but this book has useful information on the scattering of cays and islands from Cairns to the Cape that cannot be found elsewhere. Highly recommended for route planning and sea kayak camping. Author Alan Lucas' boat Renee Tighe at Cooktown anchorage Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Doc...0reviews/alan%20lucas/Coral%20Coast%20page%202.html (1 of 2)2/15/2007 11:34:37 AM 21 Untitled Document Fraser Island paddle - August 2006 trip report geewhy1 River Heads - day one Tin Mill ruins campsite (McKenzie'sWharf) Fraser Island - day one low tide Kingfisher Bay (Woody Island in distance) - day two Lunch break at Little Woody Island - day two Beach at Coongul Creek - day two Breakfast at Coongul creek - day three Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...s/my%20pictures/fraser%20folding%20story/page01.html (1 of 2)4/15/2007 10:51:21 AM 22 Untitled Document Fraser Island paddle - August 2006 trip report geewhy1 Lunch break Woralie Creek - day 3 Bowarady Creek sunset = day 3 Wathumba - day 4 Bowarady Ccreek campsite - day 4 Sandspit in the middle of Hervey Bay - crossing to Urangan - day 5 Crossing to Datum Point Woody Island - day 5 Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...s/my%20pictures/fraser%20folding%20story/page02.html (1 of 2)4/15/2007 10:51:22 AM 23 Untitled Document Fraser Island paddle - August 2006 trip report geewhy1 Fraser Island, 3 hours north of Brisbane, Queensland, and east of Maryborough, is the largest sand island in the world. Aalmost all National Park, and is a World Heritage listed area, famous for its rainforest growing in sand, and many elevated perched lakes, some with crystal clear water, some a clear tea coloured brown. The island has a resident population of dingoes that after years of being fed by tourists, or finding people's campsites to be a source of food, now are a low level threat to be treated with caution. Adults should be safe but children cannot be left unsupervised. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...s/my%20pictures/fraser%20folding%20story/page03.html (1 of 2)4/15/2007 10:51:22 AM 24 Untitled Document Fraser Island paddle - August 2006 trip report geewhy1 depart River Heads, return Urangan Harbour Paddling a Feathercraft K1 Expedition model folding kayak. Dimensions : 5m x 63cm. Weight = 23 kgs. Payload = 175 kgs capacity. Day 1. Assembled kayak at River Heads (Photo “River Heads”), crossed passage on outgoing tide to the Mill Ruins (McKenzies Wharf) – distance about 8kms. Paddling time 1 to 1.5 hours. Camped alone although signs this camp site is regularly used by 4wd campers. (Photo “Tin Mill ruins” ) Kept food in plastic boxes – hoisted up a tree, away from critters. Woke once during early part of the night to find a dingo just outside my tent. He was not scared of torchlight, so I got out of tent and chased him off. Day 2. Paddled to Kingfisher Resort (about 2 kms north of Mill Ruins). Anchored kayak to buoy on incoming tide. (Photo “Low tide – Kingfisher”) Walked about the resort facility for an hour or more, then paddled across passage, past Duck and Picnic Islands, to Little Woody Island (distance approx 10 kms.) Stopped on southern point and had lunch in small rocky bay.(Photo “ Lunchbreak Little Woody Island”) Then paddled along west side of Little Woody Island, down the main channel on a bearing to Moon Point. This took 1.5 to 2 hrs with the outgoing tide (distance approx 12 kms). Plenty of sea turtles along the way in channel. Around Moon Point, kept paddling until found a suitable campsite near Coongul Creek. (Further distance of about 5 kms.) Camped overnight (not designated camp site). (Photo “Beach at Coongul Creek”) Had another dingo visit the camp during night but without incident. Day 3. Rose early and had breakfast on beach (Photo “Breakfast at Coongul Creek”). Paddled north along western shore, caught heaps of tailor on trolling lure (all were released). Stopped at Woralie Creek for lunch break (Photo “Lunchbreak Day 3 Woralie Creek”) Was able to access Woralie Creek by walking kayak upstream on the high tide. (Paddling distance approx 7 kms). After lunch, continued north to Bowarady Creek campsite (distance approx 4 kms). Set up camp in designated campsite. Walked beach and had dinner on beach at sunset (Photo “Bowarady Creek sunset”) Camped alone - had signs of a dingo having visited the camp during the night when I awoke. Day 4. Early start and paddled north to Wathumba (distance about 15 kms). Humpback whales were active about 2-3 kms out into Platypus Bay. Had lunch on beach near Wathumba Creek. (Photo “Wathumba”) Paddled out to bay in chase of whales but only managed to get within about 500 metrws as they were on the move. Then paddled back to Bowarady Creek and camped in same site overnight. (Return distance about 15 kms). Day 5. Early start - paddled back to Moon Point (approx 15 kms) then crossed passage onto the exposed sandspit (distance approx 5 kms) stopped on spit for a late lunch. (Photo “Sandspit on crossing etc”) If you look closely at this photo – there is a small speck in the sky at a distance – this was an ultralight aircraft that kept passing overhead.) Then paddled across main channel to Datum Point on the north end of Woody Island (distance approx 3 kms) Photo “Crossing to Datum Point”.Then continued past Round Island and across main channel into Urangan Harbour (distance approx 5 kms). Total distance for trip was about 110 kms over the 5 day’s of paddling. many thanks to George (geewhy1) for sharing his marvellous photographs and paddle notes with the readers of Upstreampaddle Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu.../my%20pictures/fraser%20folding%20story/page043.html (1 of 2)4/15/2007 10:51:22 AM 25 Untitled Document file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...20pictures/cab%20pics/aa%20saves/eska%20page02a.html (1 of 2)4/17/2007 11:41:56 AM Untitled Document file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...20pictures/cab%20pics/aa%20saves/eska%20page03a.html (1 of 2)4/17/2007 11:41:56 AM Untitled Document file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...20pictures/cab%20pics/aa%20saves/eska%20page01a.html (1 of 2)4/17/2007 11:41:56 AM mag template 3 col The Mary River is not found only at Maryborough. It is the major river system in southern Queensland, rising in the Conondale Ranges of the Sunshine coast hinterlands, and passes through Kenilworth, Gympie, Tiaro and Maryborough before flowing into the Great Sandy Strait between Fraser Island and the mainland. Sizable tributaries include Obi Obi Creek (Baroon Pocket Dam), Yabba Creek (Borumba Dam), Kandanga Creek, Amamoor Creek, Six Mile Creek, Wide Bay Creek, and Tinana Creek. The river is 307 kilometres long. Its catchment area is 9595 square kilometers. National Parks in the catchment area total 20 square kilometers. State forests total 3383 square kilometers. Grazing is said to account for another 5380 square kilometers. (rainforest) to a sand clogged watercourse fighting for its life between eroded banks held by thinly scattered trees.” (2) The change in the Mary from a series of deep pools to a shallow flow over sand beds appears to have occurred due to clearance of vegatation for agriculuture after World War I. After World War II. landowners used heavy machinery to clear vegetation from river flats to open country up for grazing. Clearing for Forestry plantations on steep slopes in the Conondale District, and a series of heavy floods in the fifties moved unsecured sediment into the streams and river. With that kind of distance, the Mary has great possibilities for canoeists. What kind of shape is the river in, what kind of country does it run through, and what is its future? European pastoralists moved into the headwaters of the Mary River by the late 1840’s. As the river was settled, timber was cut from forests, dragged to the river, and floated downstream in flood times. “The men waited until a flood came and floated the logs down the Mary River, and they followed the logs in boats to prevent jamming and to see the logs did not end up in backwaters. At Tiaro the logs were made into rafts and floated to Maryborough” (1) Poor riparian vegetation upstream from Kenilworth bridge After gold was discovered at Gympie in 1867 the upper reaches of the river were worked for gold. The last one hundred and fifty years have seen much of the river flats cleared for grazing and agriculture. sandy river bed downstream from Walker Road bridge A local historian S. Tutt said “the river changed beyond comprehension of those who knew it even 50 years ago. It has changed from a deep clean stream guarded by shaded scrub The change in the river was accompanied by the disappearance of the Mary River Cod. The ideal cod habitat was comprised of deep, shaded, slow flowing pools with plenty of snags and logpiles. The use of explosives to stun and catch cod by some fishermen, was not as damaging as the loss of habitat. Extensive siltation and in filling of pools has occurred in parts of the Mary River system, particularly along the main river channel. Erosion of cleared farmland and stream banks has deposited large amounts of sand into stream channels, and the poor state of riparian vegetation in many areas contributes to continuing bank erosion during even relatively small flow events. Grazing and disturbance of banks by cattle is common, and inhibits the natural regeneration of native vegetation. (3) A Department of Natural Resources and Water survey found that the riparian vegetation within the catchment was rated very poor for 40% of the stream length and poor for 23%, attributed to the narrow width of the remaining vegetation. A mean of 22% of the vegetation consisted of exotic species, which were mainly grasses, herbs and vines. The exotic species most frequently recorded were Lantana, Rhodes grass, and Cat’s Claw. The most common riparian vegetation recorded in the catchment was Eucalyptus dominant communities, followed by rainforest. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...peters%20work/magazine/mary/june%20mary/page0ne.html (1 of 2)3/17/2007 1:12:21 PM 29 Mary River Maryborough Catchment Tinana Barrage Mary Barrage Fraser Island Toddington Weir Munna Creek Tallegalla Weir Tiaro Mary River Tinana Creek Kilkivan Gympie Cedar Pocket Dam Wide Bay Creek Traveston Crossing Amamoor Creek Six Mile Creek Kandanga Creek Lake McDonald Imbil Weir Borumba Dam City, Town Kenilworth Future Dam Site Dams, Weirs 0 kilometres Yabba Creek Mary River 20 Obi Obi Creek Maleny Baroon Pocket Dam mag template 3 col Aquatic vegetation across the catchment is rated as poor. The majority of the banks of water systems in the catchment are stable, with the main factor affecting bank stability said to be stock (cattle). Minimization of grazing in stream environs and the riparian zone is essential for the maintenance and improvement of the catchment’s present condition and for rehabilitation of degraded areas. (4) there is prime agricultural land near the river. The Mary has a habit of flooding periodically, with major floods in 1994 and 1999. In 1999 the river rose to a record height of 21.9 metres at Gympie. That kind of runoff is attractive to government looking to secure water for a thirsty south-east, with the added promise of flood control. The Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee is a community and government representative body that plans and overseas works and programs for rehabilitation of the river. These include education and awareness, improving Land Management Practices, and supporting Landcare. The MRCCC newsletter CodLine is found at their website under PUBLICATIONS. The Mary River and tributaries Rehabilitation Plan is worth reading. Their PROJECTS folder has information on cod habitat, and the Obi Obi Creek Large Woody Debris Habitat Restoration Project. (8). As a responsible canoeist you can make sure you do not contribute to degradation of the riparian (river bank) and river environment. good riparian vegetation, Pickering Bridge, Moy Pocket Road In April 2006 the Queensland Government announced that it would build a dam on the Mary River at Traveston Crossing 16 kilometres south of Gympie. Stage One construction is to begin mid 2009 with completion in 2011. A projected Stage Three (maximum height) is to be completed by 2035. (5) The proposed dam site can be found at 26° 20' latitude, 152° 42' longitude on Google Earth.™ A Department of Natural Resources map of the Traveston Dam may be accessed from a site referenced in the footnotes at the end of this article. (6) show respect for property and people who work and live along the river do not damage vegetation, or the bank when launching or retrieving your canoe stay off eroding and slumping banks do not seek to drive vehicles right to the waters edge, snags and river obstructions are necessary for fish habitat take all your garbage home, and plan for sound sanitation leave pets at home While the current dry seasons are the immediate reason for the Traveston Dam, it is the ongoing increase in population of the Sunshine Coast communities and Brisbane that requires more water. Baroon Pocket Dam was built in 1988. A 1993 Department of Primary Industries report lists Amamoor Creek in the lower Mary, and Conondale, and Cambroon in the upper Mary River catchment as possible dam sites. (7) Given the long term demands for water from the Sunshine Coast, and Brisbane (pipelines to the Stanley River above Somerset Dam easily constructed, according to the report) there is every possibility that further dams will be constructed on the Mary. As such it would become like the Brisbane River, flowing only when releases are made for agricultural use and domestic consumption, and consisting of waters backed up behind a series of dams. Unlike the Brisbane Valley, there are several good sized communities in the Mary Valley, and forest on the riverbank, Moy Pocket Road bridge Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...peters%20work/magazine/mary/june%20mary/pageteo.html (1 of 2)3/17/2007 1:15:12 PM 31 mag template 3 col Rainfall for the Mary River is patchy and unreliable, but when the headwaters experience very heavy rainfall, the amount of water that comes down the Mary is phenomenol. The river in the upper catchment south of Gympie has several river features called pockets, where the river forms a loop several kilometres long, and ends up back near the start of the loop. At Moy Pocket north of Kenilworth, in 1992, the river rose up out of its banks and cut across the loop. What had been a pocket of prime river flat land was left with a sand and gravel coating over a metre deep in places.The cities on the Mary regularly experience flooding. Gympie and Maryborough had major flooding in 1992, and a record 21.9 metre flood in Gympie in 1999. These involve immense property damage, disruption to the community, erosion along the river banks, and siltation of the Hervey Bay marine environment. Photograph courtesy of Maroochy Libraries' Heritage Library Above: land slippage Kenilworth Bridge 1925 Footnotes 1 From Spear and Musket 1879-1979 Caboolture Centenary (1979) Corporate Author: Caboolture (Qld. : Shire). Council Caboolture Queensland 1979 2 Tutt, S. 1994 Trees went, sand came: Days Gone By. Sunshine Coast Sunday Magazine, February 27, p.14. quoted at http://www.wb2020.qld.gov.au/icm/mrccc/Rehabplan.pdf October 25 2006 5 http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/water/water_infrastructure/dams_seq.html 6 ttp://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/water/water_infrastructure/pdf/mary/traveston_dam.pdf 7http://www.scec.org.au/future_dam_options_in_the_mary_river_catchment.php 8 http://www.wb2020.qld.gov.au/icm/mrccc/ 3 Simpson, R. (1994) The Mary River cod research recovery plan / prepared for Endangered Species Program Environment Australia by Robert Simpson and Peter Jackson, Queensland Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries Group http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publications?id=1378 25 October 2006 4 http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/science/state_of_rivers/mary.html 25 October 2006 32 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...rs%20work/magazine/mary/june%20mary/page%20four.html (1 of 2)3/17/2007 1:18:52 PM mag template 3 col Japan 2004 Trip report check Jeff Allen's page for the full report. A book "KARMA WATERS," about the journey will be on sale through the Sea Kayaking Cornwall site in the future. “Hokkaido is to the Japanese, what Alaska is to Americans. The Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido and much of their artwork resembles that of Native American Indians. The waters around Hokkaido are rich in Salmon and the mountains full of wildlife with many bears, both black and brown, especially along the Shirotoko Peninsular. Shirotoko is an Ainu word that translates to ‘The end of the Earth’, and it has scenery to match this bold statement, a seventy kilometre stretch of land, topped by a string of five volcanoes. Jeff Allen South Georgiaboobook Jeff Allen is a BCU Level 4 Coach (sea) who works in Cornwall, UK, as a sea kayak instructor. Jeff and partner Simon Osborne run Sea Kayaking Cornwall in the UK, offering sea kayaking instruction, and expeditions to the Scilly Isles, Scottish Islands, Greek Islands and Slovenia White Water. We slowed our pace to take in the amazing scenery and to watch the bears taking salmon from the river mouths whilst eagles flew overhead. Because there had been so many typhoons this season, a lot of bears had been forced down from the mountains in search of food.” In 2005 Jeff completed the first circumnavigation of South Georgia by a British team along with Peter Bray, Nigel Dennis and Hadas Feldman. Hadas Feldman is a senior kayak instructor, and an extreme kayak expeditioner. The first woman to circumnavigate Japan, she has paddled along the remote coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, and was a member of the expedition circum-navigating the island of South Georgia, in a world record breaking time of 13 days. In 2004 Jeff travelled to Japan and with Hadas Feldman made a full circumnavigation of the four main islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku, a distance over 6500 kilometres. file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...ork/magazine/japan/Jeff%20Allen%20Japan%2018apr.html (1 of 2)4/18/2007 11:25:27 AM Untitled Document Fraser Island and Z Special Unit In 1942, at the height of World war II, when Australia was locked in a war with Imperial Japanese Forces, a special operations unit was formed to gather military intelligence, carry out covert operations, and train resistance fighters from nations that were occupied by Japanese forces. This unit was known as Z Special Unit, and the details of its operations are still not well known today. The unit operated in secrecy, with sub units being sepatated on a Cell system, so that if one unit was compromised, others would not be threatened. Training and operational schools were set up at different locations in Australia, including Refuge Bay (Broken Bay NSW), The House on the Hill (Cairns Qld), Garden Island (WA) and Fraser Commando School, Fraser Island (Qld). The most famous of Z Unit's operations was Operation Jaywick in 1943, where a combined force of Australian, New Zealand and British Army and navy personnel took a captured Japanese fishing boat from Darwin to near Singapore. Travelling at night, Commandos in three teams of two, paddled folding kayaks called Folboats, island hopping their way closer to Singapore, the teams hiding concealed on small islands during the day. Nothing much of the Fraser Island Commando School is left today, but the sea kayaker visiting Fraser Island can still find some remnants. Mackenzie's Wharf location is 25° 24’ 25” S, 153° 00’ 46” E. The camp is located on the high ground a little north behind Mackenzie's Wharf on the west coast of Fraser. Mackenzie Lake lies 6.5 kilometres away on a track. The wharf is derelict, lying about ten kilometres due east of the small town of River Heads across the Great Sandy Strait. Kingfisher Bay resort lies a couple of kilometres to the north, and a National Parks walk called The Commando Trail leads to the site. British S Class submarine and Folboat. Image: Royal Navy Submarine Museum Commandos were trained in using the Folboats, signals, using explosives and limpet mines, (magnetic charges to be placed on ships hulls) navigation, and foreign languages. A former Commando recalled that on parade were ten different nationaliies, including Timorese, New Caledonians, and Chinese from IndoChina (Vietnam). The trainees honed their skills in the sheltered waters between Fraser Island and the mainland. They paddled up to Duck Island and Woody Island and bivouaced, finding time to catch fresh fish and gather oysters. The two seat Folboat was approximately 16 feet long and was made up of plywood frames notched around the edges to accommodate ½" wooden dowels or bamboo rods fitted with brass joining sleeves. When the frame was assembled, a skin of several layers of rubberized canvas was stretched over it, making a watertight and seaworthy kayak. At night, a black silk sail could be used. The low silhouette and quietness of the boat allowed commandos to travel undetected. The School operated in secrecy, and was supposedly unknown to the townspeople living in Maryborough. No leave was permitted in town. As the Commando became proficient in the use of their craft,, they would undertake training raids against targets in Maryborough. The town lies over thirty kilometres away, more than twenty kilometres upstream from the mouth of the Mary River. Paddling the folboats, the Commandos would make a nightime voyage across the Great Sandy Strait from Mackenzie's Wharf and go upriver. The first night they would make a reconnaisance, then lie up during the daytime in mangrove swamps downstream. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...zine/z%20force%20fraser%20island/web/z%20unit01.html (1 of 2)4/26/2007 9:01:30 AM 34 Untitled Document Fraser Island and Z Special Unit The second night, the Commandos would lay dummy charges, or leave chalk marks on targets such as the power station, railways and locomotives, and the Walkers Shipyards. A former Commando recalled that after a railway worker investigating a noise late at night was left tied up in the grass, the school had to notify authorities ashore when a raid was on. The trainees also made raids on the Maheno, a passenger ship that had been beached in a storm on the east coast in 1935. The 400 foot, 5323 ton ship was still in good shape, but the Commandos did not use dummy charges, and blew holes in the hull. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also flew bombing missions on the Maheno. Maheno launched 1905 Image:http://www.clydebuiltships.co.uk Photo supplied by Peter Stewart, from builder's souvenir book Maheno 2004. Photo: Joern Brauns Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...zine/z%20force%20fraser%20island/web/z%20unit02.html (1 of 2)4/26/2007 9:01:30 AM 35 Untitled Document Fraser Island and Z Special Unit Trainees from Fraser Commando School (FCS) went on to serve in many overseas actions. While British submarines could unload an assembled folboat through the forward hatch, the US submarines could not, and the folboat would be assembled in the dark on the deck. Other teams were launched from American PT boats. Commandos saw action in Borneo, the Celebes, islands in the South China Sea, Guadalcanal, Philippines and Solomon Islands. By 1945 the School was a sizeable little village, with power and water pumping plant, a cinema, post office, library, hospital, lecture rooms, mess and canteens, and accomodation for 100 students. Thanks to Joseph (Henry) Fawkes, Penrith, NSW, who was at FCS for his recollections of Folboat training and service life on Fraser during World War 2. In 1919 Hepburn McKenzie, a large New South Wales timber merchant company, built a sawmill at White Cliffs on the Fraser west coast, and constructed a tramline from the mill to Lake Mackenzie, with two branch lines spreading out from the lake. The tramlines were steel railed, and the log bogies were pulled by a steam engine. Timber getters had been operating on Fraser from the late 1860's. Due to lack of profitability, Mackenzie's mill was auctioned off in 1926, and the tramway and wharf sold to the Queensland Forestry Board. The Forestry Department sold the rails from McKenzie's tramway in 1935 and the locomotive in 1941. As the black and white photograph of the wharf shows, the structure was quite large. In 1943, when the Commando School was established, the wharf was still in good condition. Army barges from Urangan would discharge passengers and stores at the wharf. In 2007 only the uprights and some crossbeams are still evident, with most of the decking gone. McKenzies Wharf, Fraser Island. Source - Christiansen Collection, Hervey Bay Library, Queensland.ID qhbp00101 Tramway, loco, and loaded log wagons on Mackenzie's Wharf in mid 1920's Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...zine/z%20force%20fraser%20island/web/z%20unit04.html (1 of 2)4/26/2007 9:01:30 AM 36 Untitled Document Fraser Island and Z Special Unit The sea kayaker who visits Mackenzie's Wharf in 2007 will find the satinay wood log structure in fair condition for something that was built ninety years ago, and has withstood a working life, time and tides. The original wharf swept out in a curve from the beach, less than half of which remains. The timber piles nearest to the water have been subject to the most deterioration from marine borers, and some logs are no thicker than your wrist. The wharf sits where a very small creek meets the sea between two high steep dune ridges. The track up to the Fraser Commando School can be found on the northern side of the creek. Find the start and from there follow the signposts. two hundred metres up the track from the beach the track branches; straight ahead to the remnants of Mackenzie's Mill, and then on to Lake Mackenzie (8 kilometres return), or turn left for 270 metres back around the hill seen in the photograph below, to the Commando School site. Alternatively, approach from the north along the track from Kingfisher Bay Resort some three kilometres way. The school lies on a lower section of dune to the north, abutting the coast. Lying on the beach front is a large rusty iron boiler tank, said to have been used by School trainees for practice in fixing magntic ship mines. A notice board on the track recounts the story of the Commando School, its graduates, and the role of the Folboat.. Little sign remains of the buildings. There are some building stumps, some concrete walls and foundations, and the rusted out remains of logging trucks. A concrete relief map that shows local terrain, (photograph next page), was used as a training aid. It is surrounded by a low metal pipe railing, and it is easy to miss its significance, as the she-oak pine needles carpet it thickly. Mackenzie's Wharf is one on the prettiest places on the west coast. A wide beach, water so clear it seems you are suspended in the air above a sandy bottom, high sand ridges above, and the grand old timber wharf itself. Mackenzie's Wharf 2007 - access track to School starts at the tree line as measured one third along the wharf from right. School lies behind low dune far left. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...zine/z%20force%20fraser%20island/web/z%20unit09.html (1 of 2)4/26/2007 9:01:31 AM 37 Untitled Document Fraser Island and Z Special Unit Notice Board Concrete relief map of local terrain Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...zine/z%20force%20fraser%20island/web/z%20unit06.html (1 of 2)4/26/2007 9:01:31 AM 38 Untitled Document Fraser Island and Z Special Unit McKenzie's Wharf 2007 Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...zine/z%20force%20fraser%20island/web/z%20unit07.html (1 of 2)4/26/2007 9:01:31 AM 39 Cherry venture The Cherry Venture ..... removed (not rusted) away In July 1973 the 1600 tonne ship, Cherry Venture, on her way from Auckland New Zealand to Brisbane, encountered cyclonic winds and waves offshore from Wide Bay. Due to the ship being without a cargo, and subsequentally riding high in the water, the propellor could not get enough constant purchase as a 40 foot swell passed under her keel. After a couple of days she finished up on Teewah beach south of Double Island Point, and there she stayed despite salvage attempts over the next two years. The ship's stranding in 1973 coincided with the explosion in 4wd ownership in Queensland and Australia, and as the wreck was on the road up the beach from North Shore at Noosa on the way to Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island, it became quite famous and was a part of local culture and business for the next 33 years. Tour operators had an attraction, and a stop for a cold drink and an ice cream at the site was a staple of a weekend's 4wdriving. Cherry Venture on Teewah beach two days after going ashore Image courtesy of J. McPherson Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Document...ork/peters%20work/magazine/cherry%20venture/cv%2001.html4/25/2007 2:55:17 PM 40 Cherry venture The Cherry Venture ..... removed (not rusted) away In February 2007, work commenced on the removal of the rusty remains. The hull plates and decking had collapsed in on itself some years before, and asbestos from the engine room was considered to be a health hazard warranting a clean up and removal. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service declared that the risk from the remains made it a public liability rather than an asset. A sign will be the only sign of the ships sojourn when the cleanup is completed early March. The propellor of the Cherry Venture, photograph below, (diameter 3.7 m, weight 4.5 tonnes, stainless steel) may be seen in Rainbow Beach township. Cherry Venture 2002. Photograph courtesy of the Environmental Protection, Agency, Queensland Cherry Venture 2006. Photograph courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency, Queensland Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docum.../peters%20work/magazine/cherry%20venture/page02a.html (1 of 2)4/25/2007 2:55:17 PM 41 UQCanoe Club a kayaking community for beginner and experienced paddlers (people outside of UQ are welcome too!) flat water training white water sea kayaking canoe polo http://www.uqcanoeclub.net Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 42 Untitled Document Water Scout Fellowship C/-57 Wetherby St., Geebung, Q 4034 Ph 3265-4982, Fax: 3865-3681 or 0408 989 182 Email: waterfellowship@hotmail.com Press Release On the weekend of the 19th and 20th May 2007, a small group of keen paddlers from the Queensland Branch Water Activities Scout Fellowship explored the Noosa River. On the Saturday they paddled a short distance to the Doonella Lake which is shallow lake with clear waters between Noosaville and Tewantin. This hidden gem was full of life, from water birds to the marine life; swans, pelicans, wood ducks, cormorants as well as some lesser known species. The paddlers found fish, frogs, small rays plus a variety of marine creatures although the creatures were too fast for them to clearly identify. This was a pleasant way to spend 2 hour paddling in relatively safe waters and was an ideal location for young families, or inexperienced paddlers. There are several entry points along the river in Noosaville as well as several operators who hire a variety of water crafts. On the Sunday, the group ventured further up the Noosa River to Lake Cooroibah which is the first of the two large lakes on the Noosa River. This lake is also very shallow, however there is a channel marked with beacons for other water craft wanting to travel further up the river. The lake is about 2 kms across and is subject to winds that will blow up some very good waves. Caution should be used by smaller craft. The return trip from Noosaville was about 15 kms and a very pleasant morning or 4 hour paddle allowing for plenty of stops to check out the wildlife. The only hazards were the water skiers and the cross-river ferry. If you haven’t encountered a cross-river ferry before, it is wise to cross astern of the ferry for two reasons; firstly it has right of way if it is marked on the map, and secondly, when the ferry is going forwards, it pulls up its twin cables that stretch across the river. There were plenty of places that were suitable to go ashore if you need to stretch your legs, but no fresh water. Make sure you pack your camera and plenty of drinking water. The Water Scout Fellowship is on the lookout for new members who have an interest in water activities, meeting new friends and providing a service to the community at least once a year. Membership is open to anyone over the age of 18 years and is not limited to only those who are or have been members of the Scout movement. If you would like more information on the Water Scout Fellowship please check out their website www.waterscoutfellowship.scoutsqld.com.au or they can contacted by email on waterfellowship@hotmail.com or if you would like to speak to one of the members please call Lynette Kingston on 3265-4982. Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Document...eters%20work/peters%20work/magazine/uq%20ad/water01.html5/29/2007 8:02:40 AM 43 Untitled Document Water Scout Fellowship C/-57 Wetherby St., Geebung, Q 4034 Ph 3265-4982, Fax: 3865-3681 or 0408 989 182 Email: waterfellowship@hotmail.com above - Lake Doonella paddlers above - black swans and pelicans Upstreampaddle Winter 2007 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/alma/My%20Docu...s%20work/peters%20work/magazine/uq%20ad/water02.html (1 of 2)5/29/2007 8:02:40 AM 44