Nerang River - Hinze dam - Upstreampaddle

Nerang River - Hinze dam
In early February 2012, while driving down the Numinbah Valley Road to Chillingham, I saw that the
gate to the western boat ramp at Hinze Dam was open. When I returned that way three days later, I had
time to stop in, and drive down to the boat ramp. First thing I noticed was that the water level was up,
and sure enough, further back towards Nerang, the dam wall park was open. This meant that the work
to raise the damwall level was finished.
I was immediately curious as to how far the water had backed up the valley, past the Pine Creek bridge.
The next weekend I drove down from Brisbane, and put a kayak into the upper dam waters. The
following pages show something of the water levels, but what is really impressive is that new higher
levels, shown in these photographs, are with the dam at 81% capacity.
The old low level Pine Creek bridge is completely underwater, and the series of rocky pools that was
upstream is now a drowned wonderland. Note that on the following page, the top photograph shows the
new bridge from downstream, and the bottom photograph is taken from upstream of the new bridge.
Compate the water levels with reference to the bridge crossbeams!
Swan Bay
below: old Pine Creek bridge-

above: Pine Creek Bridge - old dam wall level below: Pine Creek bridge new level

The distance from the old western boat ramp, (now closed, with a gate across the access road), to the
Pine Creek bridge, used to be 1.5 kilometres. It is now over six kilometres from the new western boat
ramp, up to the Pine Creek bridge. I put my small lightweight kayak in the water right under the bridge,
after carrying it through thick vegetation.
A careful look at the upstream photograph of the bridge (previous page) will reveal a group of guys
standing on the bridge. No they weren’t there to watch me, they were jumping off the bridge.
Sooooo, paddling on upstream of the bridge, I ran into a whole lot of drowned vegetation, and had to
thread my way between bottlebrush trees. A fair bit of log, captured by the tree branches, floating in the
water too. It was much the same in the middle and eastern side of the river, and blocked on the western
side. Once past this squeeze, about 600 metres upstream from the bridge it opened up again. There is
a second pinch at the 1.4 km mark, next to small rocky slabs on the bank, that can be passed on the
eastern bank edge, avoiding the bottlebrush trees.
No doubt it will all change as the dam fills. For now, the drowned trees are still living, the water
keeps getting clearer as you paddle upstream, and urban trash in the water is almost non-existent. It is
possible to go two kilometres past the bridge at that 81% dam level..
Swan Bay
below: old Pine Creek bridge-

Swan Bay
below: old Pine Creek bridge-

Traverse Kayaking
folding Sea Kayaks
Swan Bay

A folding sea kayak is being manufactured in New Zealand. The stringers are anodized aluminium
alloy, and the cross ribs of marine ply, with the possible option of HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
on request. The hull is Hypalon, and the deck is made of waterproof polyester. The deck has YKK zips
for access, and storm flapss to seal the zips.
Specifications:
LENGTH / BEAM: 520 cm / 65 cm
WEIGHT: 20 kg
COCKPIT SIZE: 71 cm / 42 cm
MAXIMUM PAYLOAD: 150 kg
BAG DIMENSIONS: 95cm / 60cm / 40cm
Swan Bay

The owner, or interested kayaker can download a Detailed Construction Drawing, and an Assembly Manual
from the webpages of the manufacturers. Assembly time, with practice, is said to be 20 - 25 minutes. If
you are new to the idea of a folding kayak, the website of Traverse Kayaking has information about how
a folding, skinned kayak has not only the advantages of being portable, but is also a more stable craft due
to its flexibility. The price, new? Cheaper than comparable hard shell fibreglass kayaks. The price, in NZ
dollars, is on the makers webpage.
Swan Bay

Swan Bay

floating lanterns
floating lanterns

Nighttime lights for travelling canoeists and kayakers are usually our LED torches, or
some flickering campfire .Sometimes you may want a different kind of light. Maybe it
is someones birthday, or maybe you just want to enhance a beautiful evening. These
floating lanterns work just as well on dry land, because the paper tower shelters the
tiny candle inside from the wind. The photograph on the previous page was taken after
the lanterns had been floating around on a lake, in light rain, for half an hour.
One lantern should take no more than a couple of minutes, and any longer time will be
only because you want to be creative with the scissors in making patterns on the paper.
The making of floating lanterns can be an excellent activity for children on holiday or
school camp, with the making and floating split in different daytime and nightime
sessions.
Anyway, enough with the waffle. The basic materials are:
dished plastic barbecue plate dinner plate size works out at 10 cents per plate
tea lights little candles that burn for two hours or so about 12 cents each
A4 paper two pieces per lantern coloured is good
scissors for cutting patterns in the paper
tape for joining paper use your duct tape which should be in your emergency kit
left: deep plastic BBQ or picnic plate
You are going to join two A4 pieces of paper with some tape, using about a 2.5cm
overlap. But first fold each piece and cut some patterns with the scissors. Then join,
and join again to make a tube from the doubled A4. That size tube will about fully use
the BBQ plate..
It will be wide enough that the tube doesn’t catch fire, and if the candle goes out, you
can get your hand in to quickly relight. Of course, if you don’t tape the tube to the
plate, you can lift the tube back off. ;)

making ‘em, and trying ‘em out indoors

Wollomombi Falls Armidale
Great canoeing rivers start like this, on the eastern escarpment edge of the New England tableland, east
of Armidale. Wollomombi Falls (walla mom bee) are located in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, 40
km due east of Armidale, New South Wales. From the very top to the very bottom the height is approx
220 metres although its biggest drop where the water “falls” is only 100 m.
The Chandler Falls are located to the right of the Wollomombi Falls when viewed from the main lookout
(seen in the photograph above, as the distant falls in the upper section of the gorge that runs lower centre
to upper right). After they join, these rivers (Wollomombi and Chandler) are known as the Chandler River
and become a tributary of the Macleay River.
The Oxley Wild Rivers National Park lies along an escarpment between the Northern Tablelands, and the
east coast. This country is characterised by deep gorges and waterfalls, extensive wilderness and dry
rainforest. The main rivers in the National Park are the: Apsley River, Macleay River, Chandler River, Tia
River, Styx River, Gara River, Yarrowitch River, Oaky River and the Kunderang Brook.
Access to this country for canoeing is limited by the steepness of the terrain. The upper river sections
contain waterfalls, and the deep valleys make for limited vehicle access. In the past it was possible to
access the Chandler River just downstream of the confluence of the Chandler and Styx Rivers, on the
4WD Carters Road. This road is now closed, and access is on the National Parks and Wildlife Service
Halls Peak Road (booking required and access fee) which is a steep track that requires a low-range
4WD. From there, canoe downstream on the Chandler River grade 2 water, past the Macleay River
confluence, the Aspley River confluence, and the last Macleay River section (grade 3) down to Georges
Creek confluence, and the meeting of the Armidale Kempsey Road.

above: Wollomombi Falls All images in this article copyright to and courtesy of Gordon Smith
below: gorge country lookANDsee A pictorial journal of life in rural Australia

The Oxley River Eungella to Old Lismore Road
The Oxley River from Tyalgum down to Eungella is usually run as grade 2 white water, deserving
the rating because of the two metre waterfall that is shot, halfway down. Below that section, the river
from the road bridge at Travis Campbell Park, Eungella, down to the culvert road crossing on the Old
Lismore Road is much quieter, and the rapids are pebble races. It still deserves a grade 2 rating, but
only because the river current sweeps into overhanging trees and bushes.
The launch point is on the north eastern side of the concrete road bridge, six and a half kilometres
along the Tyalgum Road, from Byangum, and one and a half kilometres past the school zone at
Eungella. Everests Road turns off north, and there is a 150 metre long section of parkland between
that road and the river. At the western end of the park, down near the river, not seen until close, is
a rough road down to the water. The launch point right under the bridge is a muddy hole, and it is
cleaner to put in off a very low concrete edge from old bridge works, about five metres from right
under the bridge.
The river consists of a series of long pools separated by rapids. At water levels over .7.0 m on the
BOM gauge for Eungella, you will find the river wide enough to avoid the vegetation at a few rapids,
but a walk around them is on a pleasant river gravel if you can’t.
Approach a couple of low bridges with due caution, depending on the river level. You can finish at Old
Lismore Road, or portage over the low bridge, and paddle an extra kilometre down to Byangum, and

launch bridge launch 5 m upstream from this
past the bridge on the private road to the Hare Krishna Community
looking upstream (left) and downstream right from that bridge

a couple of low bridges on the way

Old Lismore Road bridge
looking back upstream from the above bridge

above: the launch point underneath the Tyalgum Road bridge, Eungella.
A faint track runs to the water on the right hand, upstream side of the
bridge. That’s Everest Road to the upper right. The park is triangle shaped
from near the house to the river..
below: the exit point on Old Lismore Road.

above: This photograph is an explanation of the state of the river at lower
water levels. At such times, the water channel will be much narrower, and
it will run under and through low tree branches. Higher water levels give
the paddler a wider channel, and the ability to avoid the strainers.
below: road map ... use your pdf reader zoom button to see clearly

summit trail Mt Warning NSW
Mt Warning
Canoeists on many of the rivers in far north NSW will see Mt Warning in the background. The view from the
mountain summit at 1156 m. is far reaching. The lookout platform on the northern side gives a view of the
tops of multi-story buildings in Brisbane, 106 kilometres away, and the eastern platform offers a view down
to Byron Bay. A tiny white spot on the headland will confirm the view of the Byron Bay lighthouse at 44.5
kilometres distance.

Mooball Creek view NSW
Rous River view NSW
Tweed River view NSW
Clarrie Hall Dam view NSW
The trail to the summit is through rainforest, and the view
from the top is often obscured by cloud or rain. The walk
is pleasant in damp weather, as the trail crosses several
small streams, and zigzags its way up. The distance up
is 4.5 km, with the last 400 metres being a scramble up a
steep rocky face with a safety chain rail.
Expect to take from 2 to 3 hours to top out, with half an
hour less time coming down. The slow times are due to
the uneven rocky trail surface. A steep drop is often to one
side of the narrow path. There can be large crowds on the
mountain, with slow passage times up the summit chain.
There are National Park signs that count off the
kilometres in one kilometre increments. The starting one
kilometre section is a cruel never ending series of steep
steps, so don’t rush the start, and the track soon evens out.
There are some equally cruel thorn bushes right next to
the track, so pay attention to your surroundings. There
are Gympie Stinging Trees near the track in places. These
can give a severe sting requiring hospitalisation, with
residual pain for weeks.
The track off the mountain sinks into dark shadow
after 4:00 pm in the winter months, so you should have
reached the top and turned around by 2:00 pm, unless
you are prepared for the dark. Sandals are not appropriate
footwear, and you should have 2 litres of water with you.
Access to the mountain (two hours from Brisbane) is on
the Murwillumbah to Uki Road, turning off 9 kilometres
out of Murwillumbah. Late comers on sunny days will
not find a car parking space.
Mt Warning view of Clarrie Hall Dam

STONE FISH TRAPS
Fish traps in Queensland were constructed by aboriginal, South Sea islanders (sugar cane labourers from 1860
to 1900, and Europeans. The idea is that fish swim in over stone walls at high tide, and are trapped as the tide
falls. Fish traps are oval, v shaped, circular, and rectangular. These fish traps shown, below, are on Murray
(Mer) Island in Torres Strait. Rectangular in shape, they measure about 160 metres long, and 140 metres out
from the shore. A shallow sloping shoreline ensures less destructive waves.
images from Google Earth ©

An observer on the surveying voyages of HMS Fly in Torres Strait, 1842 - 1846, wrote of stone
fish traps on Darnley Island, Torres Strait ....
Sandy flats, dry at low water, stretch out two or three hundred yards (180-270m) from
the beach, covered with native weirs, for catching fish. These are walls of loose stone,
about three feet (91cm) high, formed in curves and semicircles along the sand flats,
each having a radius of one or two hundred yards (90-180m). They are completely
covered at high water, but when the tide falls, (its range being about ten feet, (3m)
many fish are left within these enclosed spaces, or, together with crabs and other sea
creatures, caught in the interstices of the stones …
There are stone fish traps at many locations along the Queensland coast, including Hinchinbrook
Island, and Hervey Bay. There is a group of five or so stone fish traps at Booral, a small village
between River Heads and Urangan, Hervey Bay.
above: Booral locality map below: Booral fish traps

There is a stone fish trap at Sandstone Point, Toorbul, on the shoreline that looks across
Pumicestone Passage to Bribie Island. From the public carpark next to the beach, off Bestmann
Road East, Sandstone Point, it is a pleasant half a kilometre walk up to the fish trap. Low tide
will allow a close inspection, and footwear is essential as oyster covered rocks abound.
The stone structure is in the intertidal zone, has a low stone wall in the shape of an arc and fits
the general description of an Aboriginal fish trap. However, a Mr James Clark, whose family
owned the land at Toorbul Point, claimed his grandfather directed South Sea Islander
labourers to build the structure for the purpose of farming oysters. Other sources (including
the local Abbey Museum, claim the structure is an aboriginal built fish trap. There is a large
aboriginal shellfish midden nearby. However, a noted recorder of aboriginal life, Andrew Petrie,
makes no mention of the fish trap although he writes of staying ten days or so in the area in the
1840’s.
above: Sandstone Point locality map below: fish trap at Sandstone Point

above: the fish trap lies 100 metres the other side of the foreshore mangrove tree
below: Sandstone Point stone fish trap

Red Beach Bribie Island

Red Beach is the strip of sand at the southern tip of Bribie Island, that
runs east west from Buckley’s Hole to Skirmish Point. There is a road,
dirt the last half a kilometre, that runs right up to the beach. I had a
look with Google to see why it is called red beach, and the answers
were very ordinary, ranging from “You can see Redcliffe across the
bay”, to “I always see Red Backed Wrens in the scrub there”, so I
thought I would offer my two cents.
During the dry years, which was the norm for about 20 years up to
2010, there was little water flowing from the freshwater swamps on
Bribie. With heavy summer rain for the last couple of years, the
lagoons and freshwater swamps have been filled, and there are freshwater streams running into the sea across
the beach sands. The water is stained a deep red by paperbark tree tannins. On Red Beach, a small stream runs
into the sea, and the red freshwater is pushed along the beach by seawater; the first couple of metres out from
the shoreline is coloured red.
Its a good reason as any for the name of a pretty beach. There are great views across Moreton Bay to Moreton
Island, and Brisbane is visible down south across Deception Bay. If you visit here, you will probably find
yourself sharing the beach with dog walkers, as this is an off leash area. On the way in you will catch a
glimpse of Buckley’s Hole Lagoon, a half kilometre long waterhole. The island is very low lying, and the car
park for Red Beach is a dry island is the middle of a freshwater swamp.
It can be a little confusing finding the road in, so I have put up a map. If you are driving down Toorbul Street,
continue into Spowers Street, turn in Gregory, and follow Tully Street to the dirt road to Red Beach. It is
signposted.

above: map with Red Beach carpark, lower right in the image. Use your pdf reader’s zoom button to see clearly.