Whicher Range
Encyclopedia
Whicher Range is a range in the South West region of Western Australia
The range as an average elevation of 170 metres (558 ft) above sea level.
Bounded by the Swan Coastal Plain
to the West and the South, the Darling Scarp
to the North and the Blackwood Plateau to the East, the range is located approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) South of Busselton. The range has the form of a crescent shaped scarp.
Composed of lateritic
Mesozoic
sediments the range marks the Southern and Western edge of the Yilgarn Block.
The most critically endangered species that inhabits the Whicher range is Petrophile latericola also known as Laterite petrophile
, Ironstone Petrophile or the Ironstone Pixie Mop which has a range of approximately 4.1 square kilometres (2 sq mi) within the range.
Another threatened species that inhabits the range is Grevillea elongata or the Ironstone grevillea
which is found mostly in one single community known as Southern Ironstone, this species is under continuous threat from weeds such as Watsonia.
and the Vasse River
both rise in the range and then flow north before finally discharging into the Vasse-Wonnerup Estuary
near Busselton
. The Margaret River
and its tributary Margaret River North also rise from the Whicher Range and then flow west before discharging into the Indian Ocean
.
Large gas reserves are known to exist under the range. Discovered over 30 years ago , the field is estimated at being over 4 trillion cubic feet in size.
However, working out means of extracting the gas proved difficult for an earlier company Amity Oil in 2004
In 2011, the player for the gas resource included Westralian Gas and Power, which endorses hydraulic fracturing
or fracking to release the gas The Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Norman Moore has also made public comments regarding legislation in relation to fracking Also at the same time Whicher Range Energy Pty Ltd is in the process of drilling on the location
The range and the rivers that originate in its area under review for potential dam sites and water allocation
It has also had a proposal for a National Park due to its natural features
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
The range as an average elevation of 170 metres (558 ft) above sea level.
Bounded by the Swan Coastal Plain
Swan Coastal Plain
The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geological and biological zone, one of Western Australia's...
to the West and the South, the Darling Scarp
Darling Scarp
The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia...
to the North and the Blackwood Plateau to the East, the range is located approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) South of Busselton. The range has the form of a crescent shaped scarp.
Composed of lateritic
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
sediments the range marks the Southern and Western edge of the Yilgarn Block.
Ecological fragility
It is also the location of endemic rare flora and this had been identified in the 1970's It has also been surveyed more recently in 2008, showing that further interest in the range's floristic uniqueness deserved more studyThe most critically endangered species that inhabits the Whicher range is Petrophile latericola also known as Laterite petrophile
Petrophile
Petrophile is a genus of evergreen shrubs, in the protea family Proteaceae, which are endemic to Australia. Commonly known as Conebushes, they typically have prickly, divided foliage and produce prominently-displayed pink, yellow or cream flowers followed by grey, conical fruits...
, Ironstone Petrophile or the Ironstone Pixie Mop which has a range of approximately 4.1 square kilometres (2 sq mi) within the range.
Another threatened species that inhabits the range is Grevillea elongata or the Ironstone grevillea
Grevillea
Grevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the protea family Proteaceae, native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Sulawesi. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Greville. The species range from prostrate shrubs less than 0.5 m tall to trees...
which is found mostly in one single community known as Southern Ironstone, this species is under continuous threat from weeds such as Watsonia.
Issues
Despite its unique environmental features of rare flora and residual native vegetation it is under pressure as a water and gas supply location The Abba RiverAbba River
The Abba River is a river in the South West of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise in the Whicher Range in the Millbrook State Forest then flow in a northerly direction...
and the Vasse River
Vasse River
The Vasse River is a river in the South West of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise in the Whicher Range below Chapman Hill and flows in the northerly direction until discharging into the Vasse Estuary near Busselton and then the Indian Ocean via Wonnerup Inlet and Geographe Bay.The...
both rise in the range and then flow north before finally discharging into the Vasse-Wonnerup Estuary
Vasse-Wonnerup Estuary
The Vasse-Wonnerup Estuary is an estuary in the South West region of Western Australia close to the town of Busselton. The estuary is listed with DIWA. It was also recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on 7 June 1990 when an area of 1115 ha was...
near Busselton
Busselton, Western Australia
-Growth and development:According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the Shire had a permanent resident population of 25,950 in 2004 with the town of Busselton accounting for 67% or 17,400 of the total. The Shire's permanent population is expected to continue to increase significantly to...
. The Margaret River
Margaret River
Margaret River is a river in southwest Western Australia. Although small and unremarkable, it is the eponym of the iconic town and tourist region of Margaret River, famous for its surfing, caves and wine....
and its tributary Margaret River North also rise from the Whicher Range and then flow west before discharging into the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
Large gas reserves are known to exist under the range. Discovered over 30 years ago , the field is estimated at being over 4 trillion cubic feet in size.
However, working out means of extracting the gas proved difficult for an earlier company Amity Oil in 2004
In 2011, the player for the gas resource included Westralian Gas and Power, which endorses hydraulic fracturing
Hydraulic fracturing
Considerable controversy surrounds the current implementation of hydraulic fracturing technology in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of utilizing pressurized water, or some other liquid, to fracture rock layers and release petroleum, natural gas, or other...
or fracking to release the gas The Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Norman Moore has also made public comments regarding legislation in relation to fracking Also at the same time Whicher Range Energy Pty Ltd is in the process of drilling on the location
The range and the rivers that originate in its area under review for potential dam sites and water allocation
It has also had a proposal for a National Park due to its natural features