Wednesday July 17th to Sunday, July 28th, 2024 - Shh - Keep This Volcanic Valley A Secret

 

Wollumbin at Sunset From Airplane near Gold Coast Airport

Looming at 3,800 feet, and just 18 miles from the ocean, Wollumbin, this ever present mountain, dominates one of the loveliest valleys in Australia that I have ever seen. The Tweed River, which runs through it, marks the border between New South Wales and Queensland along its last 10 miles. 

Panoramic View of Tweed Valley - Wollumbin at the Left.

Because my mother's family came from nearby Murwillumbah, and my sister Toni lives here, I have visited this valley on many occasions. The beauty of its lustrous pastures and lush vegetation continues to take my breath away each time.

Wollumbin From the Tweed Regional Art Gallery

Wollumbin used to be called Mount Warning, the name given by Captain Cook as he sailed past in May 1770 in the hope it would warn future sailors of treacherous reefs offshore. Its imposing presence evokes, in my mind, an old man lying on his back, nose pointed in the air. The current Aboriginal name was adopted in 2009. From the Bundjalung language, the word means 'fighting chief of the mountains', due to the way it dominates the surrounding landscape.  (It might also mean 'cloud catcher' - I like the old man better!)

I have climbed it twice, a four hour return trip requiring an early morning start  It is the nemesis of one of my family members who did not care for the steep climb near the top which was only aided by a heavy metal chain which one hung onto for dear life! That person will be happy to know they will never have to face the challenge again, as the peak is no longer open for climbing. It was closed during Covid and subsequently remained closed due to it being a sacred Aboriginal site.

Wollumbin from Murwillumbah Youth Hostel Association

I think you get the idea now that Wollumbin is visible for many miles - As far north at Queensland and as far south as Byron Bay. It is the core of a volcano that erupted 23 million years ago during the Miocene, as the Gondwanaland tectonic plate passed over a 'hot spot' deep below the earth's crust. The blast must have been pretty impressive, as it created a crater about 25 miles across. The entire region sits in the esulting volcanic caldera.

View From my Ewing Lane Kitchen Window

Even if one is not fortunate enough to reside in view of Wollumbin, the edges of the circular caldera surround the region and there are mountains to be seen from all over. As you might imagine, I didn't mind doing the dishes with this stunning view to the north. Commonly referenced as 'The Border Ranges' - it marks the border between New South Wales and Queensland. Two of these northern ranges are the Lamington and Sprinbrook plateaux. If one looks west, one sees the McPherson and Tweed ranges and the Nightcap Range is to the west. All form the edge of he huge caldera circling this valley.

Sugar Cane Fields Looking Toward Condong Mill

The fertile basalt soils, the flat flood plains surrounding the river and sub-tropical climate have created good conditions for sugar cane farming, which is the dominant industry here, followed by cattle/dairy farming, tropical fruits and tourism. The vapor from the Condong Sugar Mill was ever present, as it was harvesting time. Unlike the continuous emissions from the paper mills in Fernandina Beach, I was told the 'smoke' is all water vapor. 

A Sugar Cane Burn Nearby 

Prior to harvesting, the cane fields are burned to make it easier to process the sugar by removing stalks and leaves. In the past it also served to chase snakes and rats off the fields, to protect workers, but these days harvesting is done by machine, so that is less important. This fire was not far from where I was staying - it was raging one moment and then all of a sudden it was completely spent. The next morning revealed a perfectly rectangular brown patch where the green field had been the previous day. I have no idea how the farmers control the burn so precisely - they only burn on nights of no wind and I guess they have enough of a gap between fields to stop it jumping. 

Harvested Cane Field, South Murwillumbah

The next morning the sound of the harvesters could be heard and by the end of the day, the field probably looked like this one! Fortunately we did not get any 'black snow' from the burn.

Last Glimpse of Condong Mill

It seems that the days of burning cane might be coming to an end. Instead of being  burned in the fields and releasing lots of carbon into the atmosphere, there are efforts to utilize the unusable cane to generate energy for the valley. Here is a news article that tells more about this plan.

https://www.smh.com.au/environment/how-sweet-it-is-green-power-from-mill-20070331-gdpt9n.html

The 'Flood Pole' at Tumbulgum

Another, less fortunate, aspect of the nice flat land that is good for growing sugar, is the reality that they are actually the flood plains of the Tweed River. If you can magnify the writing on this pole above, from Tumbulgum, it provides a historical record of the floods they have experienced in recent years. The highest years noted on the pole show where the water would be at the the 1% or 1:100 year floods - which were recorded in 1954 and 2017. The very top of the pole marks where a .2% or 1:500 year flood would have reached. You will note there is no date there.

My sister, Toni, Points to Marker Showing Unprecedented Flood Levels on Tumbulgum Post Office Door

The reason nothing is marked on the flood pole is that the February 2022 flood waters were even higher than the 1:500 levels would be. The water peaked at 16 feet,  2.5 feet higher than the previous record from 2017, so they will have to build a new pole to show it - and come up with a new statistic! The Post Office was across the street, and the flood waters reached almost to the top of the door lintel, as you can see in the photo above.

It was, of course, a devastating event which continues to affect the area. There are many videos on YouTube depicting the drama of those days. This video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vKq3lpZYk8 shows some footage of Tumbulgum as a famous local surfer, Mick Fanning, helped to get the local pharmacist to Murwillumbah from Tweed Heads on a jet ski. My sister, Toni, was working at the evacuation center in Murwillumbah at the time. She said the rescuers landed at the rowing club and borrowed a 'ute' (pick up truck) to bring both the pharmacist and supplies to the evacuation center. Toni says "everyone was gobsmacked and all the young blokes at the centre suddenly jumped to their feet and ran up and down stairs carting supplies inside. The women were swooning, including me....Skye was able to open the chemist shop and distribute critical medicine to people who needed it. This was the highlight at the evacuation centre that day".

Building for Floods, South Murwillumbah

When building in the low lying areas, people design houses that are elevated, so that the flood waters can flow under the living level. In the past, this was mostly effective, but flood levels have been higher in recent years. The 2022 flooding extended way beyond the Tweed Valley - covering the entire Northern Rivers of New South Wales and Southern Queensland, so this style of construction is fairly typical throughout the region. In many of the stores when I asked, they said they just moved everything from the ground, store level, to upstairs and did fine.

The TFH Fencing Tells the Story - Government Buy Back in South Murwillumbah

However, many were not so lucky. Owners of this newly built house who thought they had planned properly have chosen to walk away with the help of a government 'Resilient Homes Program' which is buying back houses on a voluntary basis.  Their beautiful property is now fenced and empty along with many others in the neighborhood. The government program will also provide money to raise houses even higher, or retrofit for flood resiliency. As I walked through South Murwillumbah, I wondered how life would feel for those who choose to stay - I imagine loss of neighbors would make it a much less enjoyable place to live.

'House On A Hill' Near Tweed Regional Art Gallery, Murwillumbah

For those who live on hills, the hazards are not as great - but being prepared for days without any way to get on or off their property is wise. In some ways it must be like hurricanes without the wind.

Cabarita Beach

Oh, my - there I was telling you how wonderful this area is, and then spent all that time going on about the downsides of living here! So now back to the good stuff........like a visit to Cabarita Beach - just 18 miles from Murwillumbah. Unlike our Florida beaches which are basically one continuous stretch of sand, the beaches here are tucked between rocky headlands. The vegetation n this area is dominated by pandanus trees. I loved the canopy lane-type paths that revealed the gorgeous blue ocean beyond. I was also thrilled that, like Fernandina Beach, they still offer free parking, though it seems similar battles between residents and council might end that in the future.

A Stunning Place to Walk a Dog - Cabarita Beach

Toni and I climbed the boardwalk to the headland - the 'birds-eye view' was fabulous. The vast expanse of uncrowded beach looking south was very inviting. Of course it's winter here and it was a week day - no doubt it gets more crowded in summer. 

Humpback Whale Breaching off Norries Headland - Cabarita

The headland provided a wonderful view over the ocean - great for whale watching at this time of year as the great Humpback Whales migrate north. My lens was just long enough to pick up some of the details - very thrilling. Whenever there was a good breach, one heard a gasp from the gathered watchers. Chasing the gasp with the lens was often too late! 

Pectoral Fin Slap - Humpbacks off Norries Headland - Cabarita

Another behavior I saw in the whales was the pectoral slap. It, too is pretty dramatic. The only consistent explanation that I found on Google is the probability that it is a mating behavior. 

Surf's Up, Cabarita Beach

The height of the headland also allowed me to witness other animal behaviors, from the old.............

Surf's Up, Cabarita Beach

..........to the young! Some may say this is a mating behavior, too, but I think it's just because it's fun, especially on a beautiful day like this one!

Morning Mist Looking North From Ewing Lane, Murwillumbah

When I started this blog entry, I imagined that by the end of it, you would want to tell all your friends about this beautiful valley so that they might add it to their travel list, Clearly, I'm hoping that won't happen, because I also told you about the hazards that go along with living here. 

Frangipani Tree Overlooking Tweed River, Murwillumbah

I have spent time here during intermittent visits since childhood, visiting my aunt, uncle and sister. This frangipani tree reminds me of the one at my aunt's house where, as children, we used to string the beautiful waxy petals into leis that we hung around our necks. When I se this view I rejoice and in my heart feel it is one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. So, shh - don't mention it to anyone!