Early Days in North Queensland Part 12

The granites of Queensland vary very much in their crystalline texture, pa.s.sing from true granites into porphyry and quartz porphyry.

TRAPPEAN.

Much stress has been laid on the value of certain intrusive trap rocks as specially influencing the production of auriferous veinstones in Queensland.

The petrology of these may be divided into four type cla.s.ses:--1.

Pyritous porphyrites and porphyries. 2. Pyritous diroites and diabases.

3. Chrome iron serpentines. 4. Pyritous felsites.

VOLCANIC.

Whilst the older trappean rocks have apparently had so much influence on the disturbance and fracture of the sedimentary strata older than the Carboniferous, and by a secondary process have evidently been centres of mineralising action, the volcanic seem to have played the most important part in determining the elevation and present physical outline of north-eastern Queensland. The main outbursts of lava have taken place along the Dividing Range which separates the eastern and western waters, and therefore on the line of the highest elevation of the country. The more northern volcanic areas, are probably contemporaneous with the upper volcanic series of Victorian geologists, so extensively developed in the western districts of that colony. These have issued from well-defined craters still in existence, and are probably of Pliocene Tertiary age.

The southern areas, viz., Peak and Darling Downs, etc., are older, agreeing with the lower volcanic of Victoria, which have been ejected through fissures, and have in no case a very extensive flow beyond the lines of fracture through which they issued. These may be referred to the Miocene Tertiary epoch. The rock ma.s.ses forming both the upper and lower volcanic are basic in character, and may be all termed or grouped under the general term "dolorites."

The volcanic soils of Queensland are those best adapted for the grazier and agriculturist.

To epitomise:--With the exception of the McKinlay Ranges, a line drawn parallel to the eastern coast, at a distance of 250 miles, would include all the palaeozoic, metamorphic, granitic, trappean, and volcanic rocks represented in the colony, both coal groups lying within the same area.

The mesozoic and cainozoic systems occupy the surface area to the westward. The volcanic rocks follow the line of greatest elevation on the main watershed at alt.i.tudes from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above sea level. The chief granitic ma.s.s extends from Broad Sound to Cape York, with an occasional capping of "Desert Sandstone." Westward from the Dividing Range, "Desert Sandstone" and the cretaceous and oolitic groups alternate one with the other to the extreme limit of the colony.

AREA OF FORMATIONS.

Estimating the entire extent of the colony at 600,000 square miles, a rough approximation to the areas occupied by the different geological formations is as follows:--

Square Miles.

Valueless land, "Desert Sandstone" 150,000

Scrubby and thickly timbered inferior pastoral, { Carbonaceous } but valuable as containing { Mesozoic and } 24,000 coal, iron ore, &c. { Palaeozoic }

Fair pastoral, and valuable { Devonian } for its a.s.sociated minerals { Silurian } 60,000 and metals { Metamorphic }

Fair pastoral Granitic 114,000

Good pastoral { Cretaceous } { and Oolitic } 200,000

First-cla.s.s pastoral and { Alluvial } agricultural { Volcanic } 52,000 { Trappean } ------- 600,000

Looking at the matter from an economical point of view, we find that one-fourth of the Colony of Queensland is valueless, whereas three-fourths furnish good pastoral land. Of this latter 60,000 square miles contain extensive and very valuable mines of gold, with numerous outcrops of copper and lead ores, to which may be added rich deposits of tin ore; 24,000 square miles are capable of producing illimitable supplies of coal and iron; 52,000 square miles are, as far as soil is concerned, best adapted for the agriculturist and squatter. In conclusion, it may be a.s.serted that there is here a wealth of material resource which compares favourably with that of any other Australian colony.

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.

North Queensland owes one of its chief claims to distinction to its numerous ports and harbours. In fact, the whole coast from Lady Elliott Island northwards to Cape York is one large harbour; protected as it is from the ocean swell by the Great Barrier Reef, a natural breakwater, extending for nearly a thousand miles, with a depth from ten to twenty fathoms, and a distance from the main land which varies from twenty to fifty miles. The sea outside is profoundly deep, and a few islets are found on the line of reef, also a few s.h.i.+p ca.n.a.ls through the Barrier Reef. "The Great Barrier Reef of Australia; its products and potentialities," by W. Saville Kent, F.L.S., is a splendid work, and beautifully ill.u.s.trated. This work shows the reef to be full of marine wonders and is intensely interesting; its various forms of life and marine vegetation would fill volumes. The Great Barrier Coral Reef of Australia, the marvellous extent of which was first made known by Captain Cook, is one of the wonders of the universe. Its linear measurement is no less than 1,250 miles, extending from 9-1/2 deg. of south lat.i.tude to Lady Elliott's Island, the most southern true coral islet in the chain or system. Its whole area lies within the territorial jurisdiction of Queensland, and the greater portion in North Queensland of which it forms one of the most valuable possessions. Raw material to the value of over 100,000 annually is obtained from the reefs and waters for exportation. The distance from the main land to the outer edge or boundary of this gigantic reef varies from ten or twelve miles to thirty. It is mostly formed of a chain of detached reefs and coral islets, many submerged or partially exposed at low water, with several openings, a few of which offer secure pa.s.sage for large vessels.

CHAPTER XIII.

SOME LITERARY REMAINS.

The late Mr. Palmer had some skill as a versifier, although the exigencies of his arduous life in the pioneering days would not permit of his adding the extra finish to the lines which, more often than not, were as he himself phrased it, "strung together as the result of sleepless hours pa.s.sed during the nights while camping out on a large cattle run in the west." A few of his efforts are here preserved:--

THE GIDYA TREE.

(Acacia h.o.m.oeophylla.)

Where roll the great plains to the west, Near a homestead pleasant to see, With far-stretching limbs and spreading crest, Grows a grand old acacia tree.

Nor winter winds, nor sun's fierce heat Can change its staunch solidity, For many a century's storms have beat On this great, grey, gidya tree.

At early morn, their joyous lay, The butcher-birds sing in melody.

And merrily pa.s.s the hours away, All under the gidya tree.

The grey doves in its shade rejoice, From eyes of kites they're free, And call their loves in plaintive voice, From under the gidya tree.

In scarlet bloom, the mistletoe swings, From its branches droopingly; And all around its odour flings, Right under the gidya tree.

The milk-plant twines its length along, As if 'twould hidden be; Creeping its way 'mong the leaves so strong, Of this ancient gidya tree.

The panting cattle gladly come, And sheltered fain would be, From burning heat of noonday sun, Camped under the gidya tree.

Like the shade from a great rock cast O'er the land so soothing lay; All Nature seeks some rest at last, Far under the gidya tree.

When life is o'er and troubles past, How sweet that rest will be, For weary ones who come at last, Safe under the gidya tree.

"Nunc dimittis," my work is done, And soon from care set free; That peace I wish will soon be won, Deep under the gidya tree.

MY OLD STOCK HORSE.

(Norman.)

"Norman," a large bay horse, bred on Con.o.bie about 1870, broken in three or four years after, and worked on till twenty-four or twenty-five years old as a stock horse, and then nearly as good and safe to ride as ever.

A surer, better stock horse was never ridden, and always ridden by the writer.

I have a friend--I've proved him so By many a task and token; I've ridden him long and found him true, Since first that he was broken.

For twenty years we both have been In storm and sunny weather, And many a thousand miles we've seen, Just he and I together.

From Cooktown's breezy seaborn site, By Palmer's golden river; Where Mitch.e.l.l's waters clear and bright, Roll on their course for ever.

Across the Lynd and Gilbert's sands, And many a rocky river; Through trackless desert, forest lands, We've journeyed oft together.

Then on the great grey plains so vast, Where the sun's rays dance and quiver, Through scorching heat and south-east blast, We've toiled on Flinders River.

Through tangled scrubs and broken ground, We have often had to scramble; To wheel the cunning brumbie's round, From where they love to ramble.