Broad Sound
Encyclopedia
Broad Sound is a large bay on the east coast of Australia
, in the state of Queensland
675 km northwest of the state capital, Brisbane
. It is about 50 km long and 20 km across at its widest point. The Torilla Peninsula forms the eastern side of the bay; Shoalwater Bay
is on the other side of the peninsula.
, in HMS Endeavour
, sighted the bay in May 1770, naming it for its size. The next European navigator in the area was Matthew Flinders
in HMS Investigator in 1802.
The town of St Lawrence
was established mid-way between Rockhampton and Mackay on St Lawrence Creek and developed as a port for the export of cattle from the hinterland, with a large meatworks built close by in 1893. The processing and export of meat and cattle continued until 1919 when rail links were built elsewhere, making the port redundant. By 2006 the population of St Lawrence had dropped to 125, out of a population of the Broad Sound area of 268.
s exposed at low tide and backed by extensive areas of mangrove
s. The head of the bay has the greatest tidal range on Australia’s east coast - around 9 m. The coastline is punctuated by the mangrove-lined estuaries of several rivers and creeks, including Herbert and St Lawrence Creeks and the Styx River
. Behind the mangroves is a hinterland of low, rounded hills covered by a mix of grassland and low eucalypt
woodland
or forest
. The climate is subtropical with a dry winter.
as an Important Bird Area
. It supports globally important populations of the Straw-necked Ibis
(with up to 15,000 individual birds), Australian Bustard
, Latham’s Snipe, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
and Mangrove Honeyeater
.
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...
, in the state of 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...
675 km northwest of the state capital, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. It is about 50 km long and 20 km across at its widest point. The Torilla Peninsula forms the eastern side of the bay; Shoalwater Bay
Shoalwater Bay
Shoalwater Bay is a large bay on the central coast of Queensland, Australia, located 100 km north of the coastal town of Yeppoon and 628 km north-north-west of the state capital, Brisbane. Since 1966, the land surrounding Shoalwater Bay has been under the ownership of the Australian Defence Force,...
is on the other side of the peninsula.
History
British explorer James CookJames Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
, in HMS Endeavour
HMS Endeavour
HMS Endeavour may refer to one of the following ships:In the Royal Navy:, a 36-gun ship purchased in 1652 and sold in 1656, a 4-gun bomb vessel purchased in 1694 and sold in 1696, a fire ship purchased in 1694 and sold in 1696, a storeship hoy purchased in 1694 and sold in 1705, a storeship...
, sighted the bay in May 1770, naming it for its size. The next European navigator in the area was Matthew Flinders
Matthew Flinders
Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...
in HMS Investigator in 1802.
The town of St Lawrence
St Lawrence, Queensland
St Lawrence is a small town in Queensland, Australia, located north of Brisbane and off the Bruce Highway. It is part of the Isaac Regional Council local government area. At the 2006 census, St Lawrence and the surrounding area had a population of 195....
was established mid-way between Rockhampton and Mackay on St Lawrence Creek and developed as a port for the export of cattle from the hinterland, with a large meatworks built close by in 1893. The processing and export of meat and cattle continued until 1919 when rail links were built elsewhere, making the port redundant. By 2006 the population of St Lawrence had dropped to 125, out of a population of the Broad Sound area of 268.
Description
The bay has a low-lying coastline with wide mudflatMudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s exposed at low tide and backed by extensive areas of mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s. The head of the bay has the greatest tidal range on Australia’s east coast - around 9 m. The coastline is punctuated by the mangrove-lined estuaries of several rivers and creeks, including Herbert and St Lawrence Creeks and the Styx River
Styx River (Queensland)
The Styx River is a short river in Queensland. It enters the Broad Sound south of the Port of St Lawrence. The river is crossed by both the Bruce Highway and North Coast railway line....
. Behind the mangroves is a hinterland of low, rounded hills covered by a mix of grassland and low eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
or 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...
. The climate is subtropical with a dry winter.
Birds
The extensive tracts of mangroves and mudflats, comprising some 1200 km2 in the southern part of the bay, have been classified by BirdLife InternationalBirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
. It supports globally important populations of the Straw-necked Ibis
Straw-necked Ibis
The Straw-necked Ibis is a bird of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. It can be found throughout Australia, New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. Adults have distinctive straw-like feathers on their neck....
(with up to 15,000 individual birds), Australian Bustard
Australian Bustard
The Australian Bustard, Ardeotis australis, is a large ground bird of grassland, woodland and open agricultural country across northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is also commonly referred to in Central Australia as the Bush Turkey, particularly by Aboriginal people.The male is up to ...
, Latham’s Snipe, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata is a small wader.- Taxonomy :More recently, a review of new data has indicated that this bird should perhaps better be placed into the genus Philomachus- as P...
and Mangrove Honeyeater
Mangrove Honeyeater
The Mangrove Honeyeater is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. The species was once considered to be conspecific with the Varied Honeyeater, but it is now treated as a separate species...
.