Pioneer River, Queensland
Encyclopedia
The Pioneer River is a river system in Queensland
, Australia
that flows through the city of Mackay
. 120 km in length, the river rises in the Pinnacle Ranges near Epsom, 63 km south-west of Mackay. The river flows in a northerly direction into the Pioneer Valley, one of Australia's richest sugar cane areas. At Mirani
, the river swings around to the east before flowing into the Pacific Ocean
at Mackay.
The catchment covers an area of 1500 km². Upper parts of the catchment are too steep for agriculture and remain covered by rainforests and open woodlands. In 2002, a Queensland Government
report found that the local sugar industry had allowed five pesticides to enter the river, exceeding acceptable standards.
The longest tributary of the Pioneer River is Cattle Creek with the other major tributary being Blacks Creek. The river is too shallow for navigation, drying sandbanks encountered only a few kilometres upstream of the river mouth. During king tide
s the Pioneer River may experience a tidal range of up to 6.4 metres.
The river has a number of water storage facilities built along its course including Teemburra Dam
, Dumbleton Weir, Mirani Weir and Marian Weir. It is crossed by the Bruce Highway
and the North Coast railway line
in Mackay.
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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...
that flows through the city of Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
. 120 km in length, the river rises in the Pinnacle Ranges near Epsom, 63 km south-west of Mackay. The river flows in a northerly direction into the Pioneer Valley, one of Australia's richest sugar cane areas. At Mirani
Mirani, Queensland
Mirani is a town in the state of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Mirani had a population of 813.-External links:*...
, the river swings around to the east before flowing into 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...
at Mackay.
The catchment covers an area of 1500 km². Upper parts of the catchment are too steep for agriculture and remain covered by rainforests and open woodlands. In 2002, a Queensland Government
Government of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
report found that the local sugar industry had allowed five pesticides to enter the river, exceeding acceptable standards.
The longest tributary of the Pioneer River is Cattle Creek with the other major tributary being Blacks Creek. The river is too shallow for navigation, drying sandbanks encountered only a few kilometres upstream of the river mouth. During king tide
King tide
King tide is the popular name for an especially high tide. The phrase is used mostly in Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific nations.In the lunar month, the highest tides occur roughly every 14 days, at the new and full moons, when the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun are in line...
s the Pioneer River may experience a tidal range of up to 6.4 metres.
The river has a number of water storage facilities built along its course including Teemburra Dam
Teemburra Dam
Teemburra Dam was constructed in 1997 for town water storage and irrigation purposes. It is located approximately 50 km west of Mackay, Queensland. It has a surface area of 1,040 hectares, an average depth of 14.2 meters and holds 147,500 ML....
, Dumbleton Weir, Mirani Weir and Marian Weir. It is crossed by the Bruce Highway
Bruce Highway
The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is a part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1...
and the North Coast railway line
North Coast railway line, Queensland
The North Coast railway line is a narrow gauge railway line in Queensland, Australia. It runs from Brisbane, along the Queensland coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The line is electrified between Brisbane and Rockhampton...
in Mackay.