Hello all

Went on bit of a tag and release outing the other day in the Fitzroy. See pic of satellite view.

The Fitzroy sure is an interesting river.

Its the second largest estuarine river system in Aus (behind the Murray).

Settled in 1850's the only method of transport to/from Brisbane until the railway in 1906 was by boat (unless u wanted to walk, ride a horse or Cobb & Co stagecoach).

Having the river navigable right up to Port Rockhampton was essential but very difficult due to silting and dredging costs.

In 1875, the Rockhampton Board started constuction of stone pitching on both banks downstream as "training walls" for about 40km. The idea being that the walls would keep the river from eroding banks and would become self-scouring in main channel.

Construction and maintenance of the walls continued for many years until the Harbour Board conceded defeat and closed the Port of Rockhampton in mid 1960-s. A new port (Port Alma) had been completed in Inkerman Ck near the mouth of the Fitzroy delta. Don't let the title "Creek" fool ya. Inkerman Creek is 400m wide at the wharf and 60ft deep at low tide due to dredging.

Inkerman Ck joins the Fitzroy R at its mouth where the width is 8 km.

pic 104 and 105 shows the type of stone walls constructed.

Pi 106 shows the stone training wall opposite the "Hole-in-the-Wall" near the town reach. Its about 350m wide at this point similar to the Roper width down near Port Roper. U can see part of the Berserker Range in the background. Also in pic 102. The backdrop is picturesque and at least u can see someting to give some perspective on where you are etc just by looking around.

With maintenance on the walls ceasing in mid 60s, the river has broken through some sections and eroded behind. In other sections (pic 104, 105 and 106) the walls are still intact.

Where the river has eroded behind the walls, trees have fallen in and the stone walls are now 20-30 metres out into the river. Some still out of the water, some visible only at low tide and some not visible at all. Pic 100 refers.

On the outside banks at bends, 20 metre buttress walls were constructed at 90 degrees to the bank to divert the current away from the banks. (Pic 98 refers).

At some creek mouths, the wall has been breached and created gaps. One such popular gap near the town reach is " The-Hole-in-the-Wall". (pic 94 refers at half tide down. Pic 107 near low tide).

These gaps and eroded walls continue right down towards the mouth and are great habitats for fish like barra, threadfin, grunter, bream and fingermark (golden snapper to NT'ers) particularly down river. Not many jacks due to dirty water from silt stirred up by big tides (up to 5 metres).

Tide in town reach is 5 hrs in and 7 hours out. More current on incoming tide than outgoing. Think that the barrage in town reach changed the tides and made for depositing of sediment from DOWN river. Reverse to what normally occurs.

Pic 096 shows a 51cm barra tagged, recorded and ready for release.

Great read mate, I'll never look at a rock wall the same again, would have been bl..dy hard work back in day without all the machinery.

_________________

Great read mate, I'll never look at a rock wall the same again, would have been bl..dy hard work back in day without all the machinery.

_________________