Kimberley Warm Springs
Encyclopedia
Kimberley Warm Springs are a geothermal feature and semi-developed visitor site located within the town of Kimberley, north west Tasmania
.
The Springs
are located within the Kimberley Warm Springs Reserve managed by Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania
. The reserve features a constructed pool, approximately 13m by 20m wide and 1.2m in depth, a sheltered barbecue area, parking and public toilets. Access to the site is from Warm Springs Road off Morrison Street. The site is well signposted within the town.
Water from the springs remains at a constant temperature of 24-25°C. The water's chemical composition suggests it gains its heat from hotter sub-surface materials. The dissolved solids content is fairly low and contains mainly bicarbonate
and calcium
ion
s.
The clearance of shading vegetation has led to excessive algal growth which is periodically removed as it covers the naturally sandy bottom of the spring.
The spring represents the only one of its kind in the region of north west of Tasmania
. The spring is home to an endemic snail and an algae (Pithophora
spp.) not previously recorded south of Sydney
.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
The Springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
are located within the Kimberley Warm Springs Reserve managed by Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service is the Tasmanian Government body responsible for the care and administration of Tasmania's National Parks and wildlife.-History:...
. The reserve features a constructed pool, approximately 13m by 20m wide and 1.2m in depth, a sheltered barbecue area, parking and public toilets. Access to the site is from Warm Springs Road off Morrison Street. The site is well signposted within the town.
Water from the springs remains at a constant temperature of 24-25°C. The water's chemical composition suggests it gains its heat from hotter sub-surface materials. The dissolved solids content is fairly low and contains mainly bicarbonate
Bicarbonate
In inorganic chemistry, bicarbonate is an intermediate form in the deprotonation of carbonic acid...
and calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
ion
Ion
An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. The name was given by physicist Michael Faraday for the substances that allow a current to pass between electrodes in a...
s.
The clearance of shading vegetation has led to excessive algal growth which is periodically removed as it covers the naturally sandy bottom of the spring.
The spring represents the only one of its kind in the region of north west of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. The spring is home to an endemic snail and an algae (Pithophora
Pithophora
In taxonomy, Pithophora is a genus of algae, specifically of the Cladophoraceae.-Scientific databases:* * *...
spp.) not previously recorded south of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.