Fitzroy River (Queensland)
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox river The Fitzroy River (Darumbal: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}})<ref name=QPN/> is a river in Central Queensland, Australia. Its catchment covers an area of Template:Convert, making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia.<ref name=FBA/> It is also the largest river basin that discharges onto the Great Barrier Reef.<ref name="rwq">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Course and features
Formed by the confluence of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers that drain the Expedition Range and the Carnarvon Range respectively, the Fitzroy River rises near Duaringa<ref name="qlddams">Template:Cite book</ref> and flows initially north by east, then northward near the Goodedulla National Park. The river then flows in an easterly direction near the Lake Learmouth State Forest and parallel with the Bruce Highway through the settlement of Template:QLDcity, before turning south to Template:QLDcity where the river is crossed by the Bruce Highway. After flowing through Rockhampton, the river flows south by east past the Berserker Range past Humbug Point to the south of the Flat Top Range and eventually discharging into Keppel Bay in the Coral Sea near the MacKenzie Island Conservation Park.<ref name=bonzle/>
From source to mouth, the Fitzroy River is joined by thirty-six tributaries including the Mackenzie RiverTemplate:Spaced endash with its tributaries the Nogoa River, Comet River, Isaac River and its tributary Connors River; and the Dawson RiverTemplate:Spaced endash which has two tributaries, the Don River and Dee River.<ref name=bonzle/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Catchment
The catchment area of the river occupies an area of Template:Convert<ref name=FBA>Template:Cite book</ref> Within the drainage basin an area of Template:Convert is composed of estuarine wetlands and an area of Template:Convert is made up of riverine wetlands.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The catchment stretches from the Carnarvon Range in the west to the rivermouth in Keppel Bay, near Rockhampton. It is bounded to the north by the Burdekin River catchment area and to the south by the Burnett River catchment area.<ref name=FBA/>
The river has a mean annual discharge of Template:Convert. There are also several important aquifers providing groundwater extractions in the Fitzroy Basin.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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The Fitzroy River basin is one of a number that experienced extensive flooding during the 2010–11 Queensland floods. In 2013, flash flooding in the Mount Morgan and Biloela regions brought major flooding to the lower Dawson River catchment. The Don River and the Dee River also rose to new record heights. The Fitzroy River at Rockhampton rose above major flooding to Template:Convert.
Reservoirs
The Fitzroy River catchment system has many weirs and dams, used for farming, mining and domestic consumption. In the Dawson River sub-catchment, the major reservoirs from source to mouth are the Glebe Weir, the Gyranda Weir, the Theodore Weir, the Moura Weir, the Callide Dam, and the Kroombit Dam. In the Mackenzie River sub-catchment, the major reservoirs are the Comet Weir, the Fairbairn Dam, the Theresa Creek Dam, the Bedford Weir, the Bingegang Weir, and the Tartrus Weir. In the main Fitzroy River sub-catchment the only reservoirs are the Eden Bann Weir and the Fitzroy River Barrage, with the latter capable of holding Template:Convert when full,<ref name="qlddams"/> to provide potable water to Rockhampton city and surrounds.
The Fairbairn Dam on the Nogoa River and several weirs downstream on the Mackenzie River provide water for irrigating a wide range of crops including cotton, peanuts, chickpea, corn and horticulture including citrus, table grapes, melons, supplying water for coal mines and domestic use for the town of Template:QLDcity.
Rookwood Weir was completed in 2023. It is the largest weir built in the country since World War II.<ref name="rwo">Template:Cite news</ref>
History
The traditional owners of the area in the Fitzroy River catchment are the Darumbal people, notably the Baiali<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Jetimarala clans.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They called it Toonooba.
The river was given its English name by European colonial settlers and pastoralists, Charles and William Archer, on 4 May 1853 in honour of Sir Charles FitzRoy, at the time the Governor of the Colony of New South Wales,<ref name=QPN>Template:Cite QPN</ref> as Queensland did not become a separate colony until 1859. The famous boatbuilder Colin Archer was the first known individual to sail up the river, with his cutter "Ellida".
The city of Rockhampton is situated on the river, some Template:Convert from the coast. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the city was a major port, however rocky bars in the river prevented the Fitzroy from being used for navigation any further inland. As ships became larger, the lower reaches became less viable for commercial traffic, and today only pleasure craft and small commercial fishing boats use the river.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Wharves which once lined the town reach at Rockhampton have now almost all disintegrated or been removed. Port Alma, in the Fitzroy River delta is now the nearest port to Rockhampton. Predominant industries in the catchment are coal mining, grazing and cotton.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Glenmore Homestead was built at a property on the northern bank of the river Template:Convert northwest of Rockhampton. It was originally settled in 1858, is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register and operates as a tourist attraction today.<ref name="chims">Template:Cite QHR</ref>
The Fitzroy River in Rockhampton is often utilised for recreation. The Rockhampton Ski Gardens on the Fitzroy River just upstream from the Fitzroy River Barrage is used by sporting groups such as the local water skiing, dragon boat and rowing clubs.<ref>About Us, Rockhampton Water Ski Club website. Accessed 29 March 2018.</ref><ref>Sporting Clubs: Dragon Boat Template:Webarchive Kickstart CQ website. Accessed 29 March 2018.</ref><ref>Hinchcliffe, Jessica Fitzroy River to host rowing Masters, ABC Capricornia, 2 May 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2018.</ref> In 2018, a $36 million revitalisation of the Fitzroy riverbank in Rockhampton City was officially opened.<ref>Fox, Sean Revealed: Rocky's stunning riverbank revitalisation Template:Webarchive, The Morning Bulletin, 16 March 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.</ref> Rockhampton's annual Rocky River Run is also held along the Fitzroy River.<ref>Smith, Leighton Rocky River Run a rippa day out for great cause Template:Webarchive, The Morning Bulletin, 29 May 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018.</ref> The annual fishing competition, the Barra Bounty is another event held on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.<ref>Conway-Dodd, Zhanae Whopper barra second biggest in comp's 19 year history Template:Webarchive, The Morning Bulletin, 29 October 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2018.</ref> The city celebrates the Fitzroy River each year at the river's own annual festival, the Rockhampton River Festival.<ref>Major Council Events: Rockhampton River Festival 2018 Template:Webarchive, Rockhampton Regional Council website. Accessed 29 March 2018.</ref>
In 2018, the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton was incorporated into the Queen's Baton Relay prior to the 2018 Commonwealth Games. After running his leg of the relay, batonbearer Mark Knowles handed the Queen's Baton to fellow batonbearer Craig McCormack who was then rowed across the river on a dragon boat as part of the relay.<ref>Once in a lifetime: Queen's Baton brings Rocky together Template:Webarchive, The Morning Bulletin, 24 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.</ref><ref>Queen's Baton Rocks into Rocky, Gold Coast 2018 website, 23 March 2018. Accessed 29 March 2018.</ref>
The Fitzroy river will host the rowing and canoeing events at the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Wildlife
The lower reaches of the river are home to salt water crocodiles. In 2003 a crocodile measuring more than Template:Convert long was captured.Template:Citation needed The most diverse range of freshwater fish in the country are found within the Fitzroy basin.<ref name="qlddams"/> The prized Australian fish, the barramundi, breeds in the river along with sooty grunter and a separate genetic strain of golden perch.<ref name="qlddams"/>
Some Template:Convert of the river's floodplain and delta have been classified by BirdLife International as the Fitzroy Floodplain and Delta Important Bird Area (IBA). It regularly supports over 1% of the world population of the sharp-tailed sandpiper as well as having a resident breeding population of the range-restricted mangrove honeyeater.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
At the mouth of the river researchers have discovered a genetically distinct snubfin dolphins species with a population of just 70 animals. The World Wildlife Fund had concerns that a planned coal port on Balaclava Island by Xstrata could wipe out the local snubfin population.<ref name="cpcwodp">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2013 Glencore Xstrata halted its plans for the coal port due to high costs and massively reduced worldwide demand for coal. The firm cited a poor medium-term outlook for the coal industry.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Gallery
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Shipping on the Fitzroy River, Rockhampton wharves, Template:Circa -
Rockhampton in flood -
Rockhampton in flood, 2013 -
The lower reaches of the river are an important site for mangrove honeyeaters
See also
References
External links
- Map of the Fitzroy River catchment area, from Australia's Bureau of Meteorology
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