Queen River
| Queen River | |
| River | |
 | |
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| State | Tasmania |
| City | Queenstown |
| Source | Mount Lyell |
| - location | Queenstown, Tasmanian West Coast, Tasmania, AUS |
| Mouth | King River |
The Queen River is a river that flows through Queenstown Tasmania, to the west of the West Coast Range in particular Mount Lyell and Mount Owen.
River valley
The river valley is low-lying and narrow, and the subsequent fogs are notable in their effect, some created by smelter fumes in earlier years [1][2][3]
Flooding
In April 1906, a significant flooding occurred in Queenstown and the southern part of the town [4]
Tailings
For over 80 years the main carrier of Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company mining residue, and the local sewage. It is estimated that 100 million tonnes of tailings were disposed of into the Queen River. This in turn flowed into the lower part of the King River, and then into a delta at the mouth of the river where it met Macquarie Harbour.
Following the Mount Lyell Remediation and Research and Demonstration Program construction of tailings dams, and general reduction of waste into this river, it is now rusty in colour rather than silvery grey as it was previously.
It passes under and adjacent to the revitalised railway now known as the West Coast Wilderness Railway
South of Queenstown on the edge of the river is the early settlement of Lynchford where a gold mine and other mining activity supported a small community in the early days of the railway.
Notes
- ↑ "FOG AT QUEENSTOWN.". Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899) (Tas.: National Library of Australia). 28 June 1899. p. 6. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "A DENSE FOG.". Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954) (Launceston, Tas.: National Library of Australia). 7 July 1905. p. 6 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "QUEENSTOWN.". Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas. : 1890 - 1922) (Tas.: National Library of Australia). 22 June 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "HEAVY FLOODS IN TASMANIA.". The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 19 April 1906. p. 5. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
References
- Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). The Peaks of Lyell (6th ed.). Hobart: St. David's Park Publishing. ISBN 0-7246-2265-9.
- Davies, P.; Mitchell, N.; Barmuta, L. (1996). The impact of historical mining operations at Mount Lyell on the water quality and biological health of the King and Queen River catchments, western Tasmania. Mount Lyell Remediation Research and Demonstration Program. (Canberra: Supervising Scientist Report 118, Supervising Scientist). ISBN 0-642-24317-4.
- McQuade, C. V.; Johnston, J. F.; Innes, S. M. Review of historical literature and data on the sources and quality of effluent from the Mount Lyell lease site. Mount Lyell Remediation Research and Demonstration Program (Canberra: Supervising Scientist Report 104, Supervising Scientist). ISBN 0-642-24303-4.
- Rae, Lou (2001). The Abt Railway and Railways of the Lyell region. Sandy Bay: Lou Rae. ISBN 0-9592098-7-5.
- Whitham, Charles (2003). Western Tasmania - A land of riches and beauty (Reprint 2003 ed.). Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.
- 2003 edition - Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.
- 1949 edition - Hobart: Davies Brothers. OCLC 48825404; ASIN B000FMPZ80
- 1924 edition - Queenstown: Mount Lyell Tourist Association. OCLC 35070001; ASIN B0008BM4XC
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates: 42°09′S 145°32′E / 42.150°S 145.533°E