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“waterway frontages” or riparian zones of main rivers and tributaries. Access to in-channel
pools and lagoons has allowed for the continuous stocking of cattle near waterbodies
throughout the year (Tothill, Nix et al. 1985). Many of the alluvial gullies along riparian zones
in the Mitchell-Alice catchment were initiated after European settlement, during the period
from the 1880s onwards when cattle numbers increased significantly (Shellberg, Brooks et
al. 2010; Shellberg 2011). Gully initiation points were located at relatively steep river banks
or within un-channelled floodplain-hollows, where cattle impacts such as overgrazing and soil
disturbance were the greatest. Other feral animals such as pigs also tend to concentrate in
riparian zones and wetland areas, causing considerable damage to soils and native
vegetation (Doupe, Schaffer et al. 2009; Doupe, Mitchell et al. 2010; Mitchell 2010; Pettit,
Jardine et al. 2012).
Road development across the Mitchell-Alice catchment increased dramatically after the
1950s and was associated with opening of land for cattle grazing (Strang 2001) , mining
(Strang 2004) and tourism development (Strang 1996)(Figure 56). The first road to Oriners
was created in the 1950s by following Indigenous tracks, horse trails and stock routes
(Figure 67). Today in the entire Mitchell catchment, there are at least 10,500 kms of unpaved
dirt roads and 800 km of paved road as references (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
2008; Rustomji, Shellberg et al. 2010) and figures (Figure 56) demonstrate. There are also
thousands of additional kilometres of unmapped dirt tracks in the catchment.
Mining development and associated infrastructure is also significant in the Mitchell
catchment. There are at least 3142 abandoned mines (predominantly in the upper half of the
catchment), 24 larger operating mines and at least 708 additional mining claims (Figure 56)
and (McDonald and Dawson 2004; Queensland Department of Employment Economic
Development and Innovation (QDEEDI) 2010; Rustomji, Shellberg et al. 2010). The pollution
impacts from these mines can be significant environmentally and culturally (Bartareau, Barry
et al. 1998; Strang 2004). In the Alice catchment, locally significant areas of alluvial and hard
rock mining have occurred in the past, with 16 abandoned mines and 1 active mine (see
Figure 48 map of abandoned mine locations; McDonald and Dawson 2004; QDEEDI 2010;
Rustomji et al. 2010). However, relative to the rest of the Mitchell catchment, mining in the
Alice catchment has been relatively minor in the past (Figure 56; QDEEDI 2010). Despite
this, interest in and exploration for future hard rock mining areas has expanded in recent
years in the headwaters of the Alice River catchment, especially the upper catchments of
Crosbie and Eight Mile Creeks near Dixie and Wulpan Stations.
Known mining exploration at Oriners Station is limited to a moderate effort in 1992 by BHP in
searching for heavy minerals (rutile, leucoxene, ilmenite, zircon) in sands of the Bulimba
Formation (Darby 1993). Their exploration consisted of a drilling program on Oriners Station
south of Eight Mile Creek and north of the Alice River. After collecting 27 shallow samples
from reconnaissance surveys, they later drilled 38 holes (800m total; average depth 21m)
along numerous transects and hillslope catenas. No major signs of economical heavy
mineral deposits were found, but they did find locally increased heavy mineral grades in
lateritic zones. Drilling revealed 2 to 4 meters (max 6 m) of residual sand on top of the
Bulimba formation. The Bulimba formation was found to be moderately to strongly indurated
(cemented) sandstone, conglomerate, and sandy clay layers of fluvial (alluvial) origin (Darby
1993). Exploration efforts on Oriners cessed due to poor economic prospects.
Working Knowledge at Oriners Station, Cape York
147