Albert River (Queensland)
Encyclopedia
The Albert River is a river in South East Queensland
, Australia
. Its catchment lies within the Gold Coast
and Beaudesert
shires and covers an area of 782 square kilometres. The river provides drinking water for the town of Beaudesert
.
The river has two main tributaries which begin in the Lamington National Park
. Downstream the river joins the Logan River
12 km from its mouth at Eagleby
before entering Moreton Bay
. The Albert River is considered to be a sub catchment of Logan River. It is bounded by the McPherson Range
to the south, the Beechmont Range in the east and the Jinbroken Range and Birnam Range to the west.
Floods have been recorded on the Albert River in 1925, 1947, 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1989.
rejected a proposal to build Wolfdene Dam on the Albert River. Later, a dam near Glendower Homestead was once planned in a Queensland Government water strategy report from 1990. The option was discarded after it was revealed the site was to costly to build a dam for the amount of water it would have provided.
Residential and industry development and land clearing in the catchment have deteriorated the water quality of the Albert River, particularly in its lower reaches. Key environmental issues that face the catchment are:
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Its catchment lies within the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
and Beaudesert
Beaudesert
Beaudesert could refer to:*Beaudesert, Queensland, a town in Australia*Electoral district of Beaudesert, an Australian electroral district, which includes the town of Beaudesert, Queensland*Beaudesert, Warwickshire, a village in Warwickshire, England...
shires and covers an area of 782 square kilometres. The river provides drinking water for the town of Beaudesert
Beaudesert, Queensland
Beaudesert is a town located on the Mount Lindesay Highway, some 64 km south of Brisbane. It is possibly named after Beau Desert Park, the property of Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey in Staffordshire, England...
.
The river has two main tributaries which begin in the Lamington National Park
Lamington National Park
Lamington is a national park in Queensland, Australia, lying on the Lamington Plateau of the McPherson Range on the Queensland/New South Wales border...
. Downstream the river joins the Logan River
Logan River
The Logan River is a river in South East Queensland. The catchment is dominated by urban and agricultural land use. Near the river mouth are mangrove forests and a number of aquaculture farms.-History:...
12 km from its mouth at Eagleby
Eagleby, Queensland
Eagleby is a suburb of Logan City in Queensland, Australia located on the southern bank of the Logan River at the juncture with the Albert which forms the southern and eastern boundary. Eagleby is northeast of Beenleigh, and was originally a suburb of Beenleigh....
before entering Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
. The Albert River is considered to be a sub catchment of Logan River. It is bounded by the McPherson Range
McPherson Range
The McPherson Range is an extensive mountain range, a spur of the Great Dividing Range, heading in an easterly direction from near Wallangarra to the Pacific Ocean coastline. It forms part of the Scenic Rim on the border between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. Further west of the...
to the south, the Beechmont Range in the east and the Jinbroken Range and Birnam Range to the west.
Floods have been recorded on the Albert River in 1925, 1947, 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1989.
Tributaries
Tributaries of the Albert River include the Albert River Left Branch, Albert River Right Branch, Canungra Creek, Cainbable Creek and Bidaddaba Creek.Proposed dam
In 1989, the Goss GovernmentWayne Goss
Wayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.-Early life:He was born at Mundubbera, Queensland and educated at Inala High School and the University of Queensland...
rejected a proposal to build Wolfdene Dam on the Albert River. Later, a dam near Glendower Homestead was once planned in a Queensland Government water strategy report from 1990. The option was discarded after it was revealed the site was to costly to build a dam for the amount of water it would have provided.
Environmental concerns
The water quality of the Albert river remains in relatively good condition until it merges with the Logan River where the quality declines.Residential and industry development and land clearing in the catchment have deteriorated the water quality of the Albert River, particularly in its lower reaches. Key environmental issues that face the catchment are:
- Rapid population increase and development;
- Altered flow patterns of the Creek causing active erosion;
- Deteriorating water quality;
- Increased noise and vehicle movements;
- Waste disposal;
- Invasion of bushland by exotic plants and animals;
- Management of the extractive industries; and
- Day-to-day behaviour of residents and workers of the catchment.
See also
- Coomera River
- List of rivers of Australia