Blackall Range

Summary

The Blackall Range is a mountain range in South East Queensland, Australia. The first European explorer in the area was Ludwig Leichhardt.[1] It was named after Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland.

Blackall
Looking west from Gympie Road, Nambour, 1910. Looking west down Gympie Road, Nambour, to lightly cleared rural land and the Blackall Ranges.
Highest point
Elevation258 m (846 ft) Edit this on Wikidata
Geography
CountryAustralia
StateQueensland
RegionSouth East Queensland
Range coordinates26°42′S 152°53′E / 26.700°S 152.883°E / -26.700; 152.883
Geology
Age of rockOligocene

The Blackall Range dominates the hinterland area of the Sunshine Coast, west of Nambour. Maleny, Mapleton, Montville and Flaxton are the main settlements located on the range. The Stanley River rises from the southern slopes. Baroon Pocket Dam is a reservoir on Obi Obi Creek which drains the north west slopes of the range.

Mary Cairncross Reserve marks the site of the first settler's house on the Blackall Range. Curramore Sanctuary, Mapleton Falls National Park and Kondalilla National Park are also located on the range. A number of lookouts on the range provide views towards the coast.[citation needed] One of these is located at Howells Knob, a mountain which rises 561 m above sea level.[2]

Timber resources in the area attracted timber-cutters in 1860s.[3] The last logging on the range occurred in 1939. The Blackall and Bunya Mountains ranges are the only two locations where the bunya pine species of tree is found naturally.[4]

Activities by community groups with the support of the Queensland Government succeeded in recognising the range with iconic status, meaning the area is given greater environmental protection.[5] In mid-2008, iconic status was confirmed, making the Blackall Range the third such declaration in Queensland after Noosa and Port Douglas.[6]

History edit

The Blackall Range is volcanic in origin and contains vast amounts of red basalt soils dating from the Jurassic period. It also takes its name from Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland.

Dalla (also known as Dalambara and Dallambara) is a language of the Upper Brisbane River catchment, notably the Conondale Range. Dalla is part of the Duungidjawu language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Somerset and Moreton Bay Regional Councils, particularly the towns of Caboolture, Kilcoy, Woodford and Moore.[7]

Roads edit

A group of roads provide access to the mountain localities and towns from various lowland places, and enable travel between the mountain communities. These roads ensure continuity of access in times of flooding or other natural disasters, and during planned maintenance activities.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Maleny". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Digital. 12 March 2008. Archived from the original on 20 April 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
  2. ^ "Guide to Maleny in Queensland". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Digital. 25 November 2008. Archived from the original on 12 November 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  3. ^ Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (2000). Heritage Trails of the Great South East. State of Queensland. p. 130. ISBN 0-7345-1008-X.
  4. ^ "Bunya Mountains Gathering". Queensland Museum. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Blackall Range push for iconic status". Archived from the original on 24 April 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
  6. ^ Alan Lander (20 June 2008). "Blackall Range achieves iconic status". Sunshine Coast News. APN News & Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  7. ^   This Wikipedia article incorporates CC-BY-4.0 licensed text from: "Indigenous languages map of Queensland". State Library of Queensland. State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 5 February 2020.

External links edit

  • Blackall Range: Nature, culture and history