Bunya Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Bunya Mountains are a distinctive set of peaks forming an isolated section of the Great Dividing Range
in southern Queensland
. The mountain range
forms the northern edge of the Darling Downs near Bell
and Dalby
. The mountains are south of Kingaroy and just to the south west of Nanango. The range is the remains of a shield volcano
which was built from
numerous basalt
lava
flows about 23-24 million years ago.
catchment, while those facing the south west belong to the Condamine River
catchment.
Parts of the forest were once logged for various timbers including red cedar
, bunya pine
and hoop pine. However, most of the peaks are completely uncleared and covered in forest
as the range was too steep for early timber
clearers. The mountains are home to the largest natural Bunya pine forest in the world.
and Central Queensland
to north east New South Wales. The gatherings occurred during the seasons when the bountiful nuts of the bunya pine ripened, from December through to March, and especially during 'bumper crops' every three years. These were evidently the largest and widest-attended Indigenous gatherings in Australia. Climbers would use a strong vine around their waist and the tree, which can be up to 1.5 m in width and up to 50 m tall, to reach the nuts. Members of the guest tribes were not allowed to climb or collect nuts from the tree. Apart from feasting on bunya nuts, participants engaged in a variety of inter-tribal activities: games and sports, ceremony, trade, knowledge exchange, the arrangement of marriages and the settling of disputes. 1902 was the final known gathering on the range.
Much of the area is protected as the Bunya Mountains National Park
, the state's second oldest National Park, being established in 1908. There are many picnic
spots, walking tracks, lookouts and a few camping
grounds on the range, as well as a variety of cottage and group accommodation facilities for families, friends, and school camp groups. Along the walking tracks, which lead to lookouts that offer views of the surrounding countryside, flora such as ferns and staghorn
s, as well as the unique Bunya Pine, can be seen. Waterfalls add to the scenic beauty.
In the small patches of cleared land that are used by tourists, colourful birds such as King Parrots and Rosella
s can be seen. Fauna such as Wallabies
, Scrub Turkeys, Koalas, Echidna
s and Possum
s may be seen. The unique Bunya Pine is known for its Bunya nuts which were a favoured food of local Aborigines
.
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
in southern 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...
. The mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
forms the northern edge of the Darling Downs near Bell
Bell, Queensland
Bell is a village in the western foothills of the Bunya Mountains of Queensland, Australia, north of Dalby. At the 2006 census, Bell had a population of 297.....
and Dalby
Dalby, Queensland
Dalby is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, and is located approximately west of the state capital, Brisbane, at the junction of the Warrego, Moonie and Bunya Highways. Dalby is the administrative centre of the Western Downs Region and the centre of Australia's richest...
. The mountains are south of Kingaroy and just to the south west of Nanango. The range is the remains of a shield volcano
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
which was built from
numerous basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
flows about 23-24 million years ago.
Landforms
The range rises to an average elevation of 975 m; however the two tallest mountains on the range, Mount Kiangarow and Mount Mowbullan, rise to over 1,100 m. Slopes facing the north east are part of the Burnett RiverBurnett River
The Burnett River is a river in central Queensland, Australia that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the city of Bundaberg. The Burnett River region is largely given over to growing sugar cane....
catchment, while those facing the south west belong to the Condamine River
Condamine River
The Condamine River, part of the Murray-Darling Basin, drains the northern portion of the Darling Downs, an area of sub-coastal southern Queensland, Australia...
catchment.
Vegetation
The mountains are covered with ancient conifer rainforest that co-exists with a number of other unique natural features - 'balds' which are open grasslands including some that contain rare grass species, vine, and sclerophyll forests.Parts of the forest were once logged for various timbers including red cedar
Toona ciliata
Australian Red Cedar , Toona ciliata is a forest tree in the family Meliaceae which grows throughout southern Asia from Afghanistan to Papua New Guinea and Australia. In Australia its natural habitat is now extensively cleared subtropical rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland...
, bunya pine
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii, the Bunya Pine, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the genus Araucaria, family Araucariaceae. It is native to south-east Queensland with two small disjunct populations in northern Queensland's World Heritage listed Wet Tropics, and many fine old specimens planted in New...
and hoop pine. However, most of the peaks are completely uncleared and covered in forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
as the range was too steep for early timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
clearers. The mountains are home to the largest natural Bunya pine forest in the world.
Indigenous significance
The Bunya Mountains and neighbouring areas were the focus of major gatherings of Indigenous Australians from South EastSouth East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
and Central Queensland
Central Queensland
Central Queensland is an ambiguous geographical division of Queensland that centres on the eastern coast, around the Tropic of Capricorn. Its major regional centre is Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast and the area extends west to the Central Highlands at Emerald, north to the Mackay Regional...
to north east New South Wales. The gatherings occurred during the seasons when the bountiful nuts of the bunya pine ripened, from December through to March, and especially during 'bumper crops' every three years. These were evidently the largest and widest-attended Indigenous gatherings in Australia. Climbers would use a strong vine around their waist and the tree, which can be up to 1.5 m in width and up to 50 m tall, to reach the nuts. Members of the guest tribes were not allowed to climb or collect nuts from the tree. Apart from feasting on bunya nuts, participants engaged in a variety of inter-tribal activities: games and sports, ceremony, trade, knowledge exchange, the arrangement of marriages and the settling of disputes. 1902 was the final known gathering on the range.
Tourism
Bunya Mountains National Park
Bunya Mountains is a national park in Queensland, Australia. The park includes much of the mountain range called the Bunya Mountains. The mountains are covered by the most westerly forests in southern Queensland and the largest area of bunya pines remaining in the world...
, the state's second oldest National Park, being established in 1908. There are many picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
spots, walking tracks, lookouts and a few camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
grounds on the range, as well as a variety of cottage and group accommodation facilities for families, friends, and school camp groups. Along the walking tracks, which lead to lookouts that offer views of the surrounding countryside, flora such as ferns and staghorn
Staghorn
Staghorn may refer to:*The horn of a stag*Staghorn coral, a branching coral*Rhus typhina, a shrub commonly called Staghorn sumac*Lycopodium clavatum, a moss commonly called Staghorn moss*Platycerium, a fern commonly called Staghorn fern...
s, as well as the unique Bunya Pine, can be seen. Waterfalls add to the scenic beauty.
Rosella
A rosella is one of five to eight species of colorful Australian parrots in the genus Platycercus. Platycercus means "broad-tailed" or "flat-tailed", reflecting a feature common to the rosellas and other members of the broad-tailed parrot tribe...
s can be seen. Fauna such as Wallabies
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
, Scrub Turkeys, Koalas, Echidna
Echidna
Echidnas , also known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family Tachyglossidae in the monotreme order of egg-laying mammals. There are four extant species, which, together with the platypus, are the only surviving members of that order and are the only extant mammals that lay eggs...
s and Possum
Possum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
s may be seen. The unique Bunya Pine is known for its Bunya nuts which were a favoured food of local Aborigines
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
.
See also
External links
- Video: The Bunya Mountains - a digital story created by Matthew Day as part of a partnership project between Riverfestival, the State Library of Queensland and Education Queensland. Held by the State library of Queenland (4 minutes; Windows Media player, RealPlayer)
- Bunya Watch - what is really happening to the Bunya Mountains area.