Ross River, Queensland
Encyclopedia
The Ross River is a river
located in northern Queensland
, Australia
. The river flows from Lake Ross
, through the city of Townsville, across the flat coastal plain and into the Coral Sea
of the Pacific Ocean
. It is the major waterway flowing through Townsville and the city's main source of drinking water
.
into the city. The Ross River flows across the Townsville suburbs of Aitkenvale
, Annandale
, Condon
, Kelso
, Mundingburra
, Murray and Rasmussen
. The mouth of the river is located just south east of Townsville and is currently being developed into a marina
precinct. Flow rates in the river are controlled by the Ross River Dam
, the largest dam in the catchment. There are seven crossings over the river and three weir
s exist along the river.
to Rooney's Bridge, Railway Estate
which are interlinked by more than 30 km of shared use pathways. The parkway is used for recreation by many people who exercise or play in the parkland or along the network of paths, but was also designed to provide a safe network of paths to link the Townsville central business district
to outlying suburbs. The parkway was developed over a series of years with funding from the Townsville City Council and Queensland Government and linked a series of existing parks, paths and bridges together. Notable facilities in the Ross River Parkway include Riverway
, Tony Ireland Stadium
, Riverside Lodge, Rossiter Park, The Palmetum
, Aplin's Weir Rotary Park, Bicentennial Park and Black, Gleeson's and Aplin's Weirs.
shaped face on the downstream side, a sloped face on the upstream face and stone pitched abutments. The weir's name is derived from the name of Black School which abutted Ross River near the location of weir when it was constructed. Following damage to the weir due to flooding, the weir underwent major renovations in 1934. These renovations included the addition of a second pump well, the addition of further buttresses and the underpinning of the original structure. It took until 1936 to fill the reservoir behind the weir, but only provided a few years water supply. During World War II
the large influxes of population as a result of Townsville's heavy military presence necessitated the provision of more water. In 1940 a galvanized iron wall was erected atop Black Weir to provide additional storage capacity to supplement the town's water supply. This continued for many years in order to provide additional water which could be pumped from the weir.
and Douglas
. It was the first built of three weirs in the Ross River. Built downstream of Gleeson's Farm, its namesake, the weir was completed in 1908 as part of the damming process to secure and stabilise water supply for local residents. This weir could potentially store 410 million liters of water. However, water was not pumped from the reservoir above Gleeson's Weir until approximately 1923 due to the necessity to release water to downstream aquifers.
. The original stop weir consisted of a curtain of sheet steel which was driven into the sand to the clay bed. This stop weir protruded approximately 1.2 meters above the sand level, with a concrete overflow section and also prevented water, released from the upstream Gleeson's Weir, which had previously percolated downstream, from doing so.
In October 1943 the construction of a permanent concrete weir at this location began. This was completed and began use in January 1944 and became known as Aplin's Weir. The weir consisted of a hollow buttress weir with sloped walls on both sides of the weir and concrete abutments. The downstream slope of Aplin's Weir has in recent years deteriorated and much of the concrete slope has collapsed exposing the buttresses. In the late 1990s a bridge connecting the suburbs of Mundingburra and Annandale
was built, using the footings of Aplin's Weir for support.
The area of water stored between Gleeson's Weir and Aplin's Weir is primarily used for recreational activities with a number of Rowing Clubs and a Canoe Club using the river. This section of the river is also used for local rowing regattas.
Every year the Townsville Open Water Association holds the Liz Birch memorial King and Queen of the river swim. This is a 2.7 km swim that starts at Aplins weir and proceeds to the barton bridge and back to Rossiter park pontoon. The oldest person to undertake this swim is 79 year old Thelma Burke.
is a serious, though generally not life threatening, tropical disease caused by infection by the Ross River Virus
, a mosquito
-borne alphavirus. In 1959, a Aedes vigilax mosquito sampled from the banks of the Ross River was used to isolate the virus. The virus and fever were named after Ross River. However, Ross River Fever is not isolated to the Ross River and surrounding areas. There have been major outbreaks of the disease in all Australian states through mosquito-borne infection with Ross River Virus.
s. Above the Aplin's Weir is a fresh water environment and below the weir there is a salt water environment.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
located in northern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, 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...
. The river flows from Lake Ross
Ross River Dam
The Ross River Dam is located at the end of Riverway Drive in the city of Townsville, Australia, and is the major water supply for the region. It was constructed by Leighton Holdings in 1971 for the purposes of flood mitigation and water storage...
, through the city of Townsville, across the flat coastal plain and into the Coral Sea
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands...
of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. It is the major waterway flowing through Townsville and the city's main source of drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
.
Geography
The river flows from the Hervey Range, northward and bends east around Mount StuartMount Stuart, Queensland
.Mount Stuart is located in Queensland, Australia, overlooking Townsville with an elevation of 584 metres.It was named for Clarendon Stuart , from 1859 Townsville's first district surveyor....
into the city. The Ross River flows across the Townsville suburbs of Aitkenvale
Aitkenvale, Queensland
Aitkenvale is a suburb of Townsville, North Queensland, Australia. It is named after Thomas Aitken, the original grantee of Portion 38, Parish of Coonambelah. He began subdividing the property during the 1880s, putting 440 quarter-acre residential allotments on the market in 1885...
, Annandale
Annandale, Queensland
Annandale is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It borders the southern side of Ross River. It is the biggest suburb of Townsville and thus the most populated in the city...
, Condon
Condon, Queensland
Condon is a suburb in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Condon is part of the Upper Ross District and is the first of three suburbs along Riverway Drive. Condon's first residential development was in 1968; it was named after the Condon family who had settled on the Ross River and had a dairy...
, Kelso
Kelso, Queensland
Kelso is a suburb in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia, the last of three suburbs along Riverway Drive. Kelso is the only suburb on Riverway Drive that has homes backing onto the Ross River.-History:...
, Mundingburra
Mundingburra, Queensland
Mundingburra is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is predominantly a residential suburb that is situated on the bank of the Ross River, adjacent to the suburb of Annandale...
, Murray and Rasmussen
Rasmussen, Queensland
Rasmussen is a suburb in the City of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. It is the second suburb on Riverway Drive and is between the suburbs of Condon and Kelso; like all the suburbs in the Upper Ross and Riverway area it is named after early settlers....
. The mouth of the river is located just south east of Townsville and is currently being developed into a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
precinct. Flow rates in the river are controlled by the Ross River Dam
Ross River Dam
The Ross River Dam is located at the end of Riverway Drive in the city of Townsville, Australia, and is the major water supply for the region. It was constructed by Leighton Holdings in 1971 for the purposes of flood mitigation and water storage...
, the largest dam in the catchment. There are seven crossings over the river and three weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
s exist along the river.
Ross River Parkway
The Ross River Parkway is a series of parks, community facilities and pedestrian bridges which stretch from Twin Cities Bridge, DouglasDouglas, Queensland
Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia south of the Ross River and west of the city centre.Though mainly residential, it does contain James Cook University and the Townsville Hospital...
to Rooney's Bridge, Railway Estate
Railway Estate, Queensland
Railway Estate is a suburb in the city of Townsville, Queensland. It is a residential suburb close to the Townsville CBD and Port of Townsville, and is one of the oldest residential communities in the city.-External links:*...
which are interlinked by more than 30 km of shared use pathways. The parkway is used for recreation by many people who exercise or play in the parkland or along the network of paths, but was also designed to provide a safe network of paths to link the Townsville central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
to outlying suburbs. The parkway was developed over a series of years with funding from the Townsville City Council and Queensland Government and linked a series of existing parks, paths and bridges together. Notable facilities in the Ross River Parkway include Riverway
Riverway, Townsville
Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006. It stretches along of the Ross River, with areas at Pioneer Park, Loam Island, Apex Park and Ross Park at the Ross River Dam. The areas of Riverway that have been completed are Pioneer...
, Tony Ireland Stadium
Tony Ireland Stadium
The Tony Ireland Stadium is an international standard AFL and cricket stadium in Thuringowa Central, Townsville, Australia. The stadium is a part of the Riverway sporting and cultural complex.-Facilities:...
, Riverside Lodge, Rossiter Park, The Palmetum
The Palmetum, Townsville
The Palmetum is one of three botanical gardens of Townsville, Queensland. The Palmetum are located in the suburb of Annandale, near the Ross River, James Cook University and the Townsville Hospital.-Gardens:...
, Aplin's Weir Rotary Park, Bicentennial Park and Black, Gleeson's and Aplin's Weirs.
Black Weir
Black Weir, formerly Black School Weir, is the most upstream weir of those on Ross River. Built in the early 1930s, Black Weir is a hollow buttress weir with an ogeeOgee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
shaped face on the downstream side, a sloped face on the upstream face and stone pitched abutments. The weir's name is derived from the name of Black School which abutted Ross River near the location of weir when it was constructed. Following damage to the weir due to flooding, the weir underwent major renovations in 1934. These renovations included the addition of a second pump well, the addition of further buttresses and the underpinning of the original structure. It took until 1936 to fill the reservoir behind the weir, but only provided a few years water supply. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the large influxes of population as a result of Townsville's heavy military presence necessitated the provision of more water. In 1940 a galvanized iron wall was erected atop Black Weir to provide additional storage capacity to supplement the town's water supply. This continued for many years in order to provide additional water which could be pumped from the weir.
Gleeson's Weir
Gleeson's Weir crosses the Ross River between the Townsville suburbs of CranbrookCranbrook, Queensland
Cranbrook is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It one of many suburbs located within the Geographical Centre of the Urban area of Townsville, though it is located 8 km South-West of the Townsville CBD. It is close to the Aitkenvale Business District.-External links:*...
and Douglas
Douglas, Queensland
Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia south of the Ross River and west of the city centre.Though mainly residential, it does contain James Cook University and the Townsville Hospital...
. It was the first built of three weirs in the Ross River. Built downstream of Gleeson's Farm, its namesake, the weir was completed in 1908 as part of the damming process to secure and stabilise water supply for local residents. This weir could potentially store 410 million liters of water. However, water was not pumped from the reservoir above Gleeson's Weir until approximately 1923 due to the necessity to release water to downstream aquifers.
Aplin's Weir
Aplin's Weir started out as small stop weir, built in 1927 to prevent incursion of salt water into the water supplies pumped from the upstream Top River wells, located at the end of Thompson Street, MundingburraMundingburra, Queensland
Mundingburra is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is predominantly a residential suburb that is situated on the bank of the Ross River, adjacent to the suburb of Annandale...
. The original stop weir consisted of a curtain of sheet steel which was driven into the sand to the clay bed. This stop weir protruded approximately 1.2 meters above the sand level, with a concrete overflow section and also prevented water, released from the upstream Gleeson's Weir, which had previously percolated downstream, from doing so.
In October 1943 the construction of a permanent concrete weir at this location began. This was completed and began use in January 1944 and became known as Aplin's Weir. The weir consisted of a hollow buttress weir with sloped walls on both sides of the weir and concrete abutments. The downstream slope of Aplin's Weir has in recent years deteriorated and much of the concrete slope has collapsed exposing the buttresses. In the late 1990s a bridge connecting the suburbs of Mundingburra and Annandale
Annandale, Queensland
Annandale is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It borders the southern side of Ross River. It is the biggest suburb of Townsville and thus the most populated in the city...
was built, using the footings of Aplin's Weir for support.
The area of water stored between Gleeson's Weir and Aplin's Weir is primarily used for recreational activities with a number of Rowing Clubs and a Canoe Club using the river. This section of the river is also used for local rowing regattas.
Every year the Townsville Open Water Association holds the Liz Birch memorial King and Queen of the river swim. This is a 2.7 km swim that starts at Aplins weir and proceeds to the barton bridge and back to Rossiter park pontoon. The oldest person to undertake this swim is 79 year old Thelma Burke.
Ross River Fever
Ross River FeverRoss River Fever
Ross River Fever is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by infection with the Ross River virus. The illness is typically characterised by an influenza-like illness and polyarthritis...
is a serious, though generally not life threatening, tropical disease caused by infection by the Ross River Virus
Ross River virus
Ross River virus is a small encapsulated single-strand RNA alphavirus endemic to Australia, Papua New Guinea and other islands in the South Pacific. It is responsible for a type of mosquito-borne non-lethal but debilitating tropical disease known as Ross River fever, previously termed "epidemic...
, a mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
-borne alphavirus. In 1959, a Aedes vigilax mosquito sampled from the banks of the Ross River was used to isolate the virus. The virus and fever were named after Ross River. However, Ross River Fever is not isolated to the Ross River and surrounding areas. There have been major outbreaks of the disease in all Australian states through mosquito-borne infection with Ross River Virus.
Ecology
The Ross River has two distinctly different ecosystemEcosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s. Above the Aplin's Weir is a fresh water environment and below the weir there is a salt water environment.