Pimpama River

The Pimpama River is a perennial river in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. Its catchment lies within the Gold Coast local government area and covers an area of 171 square kilometres (66 sq mi).^[3]

Course and features

The Pimpama River rises in the Darlington Range on the north-western slopes of Wongawallan Mountain, west of Willow Vale in the Gold Coast hinterland. The river flows generally north-easterly, joined by two minor tributaries before emptying into Tipplers Passage where it is joined by the North Branch of the Coomera River in the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park and south of Woogoompah Island. From here the river forms its confluence with the Broadwater, part of the southern Moreton Bay and enters the Coral Sea either south or north of South Stradbroke Island.

The catchment area of the Pimpama River is bounded by the Logan and Albert rivers catchment to the north, the Coomera River catchment to the south and the Broadwater in the east.^[2] The name of the river was the source for the naming of nearby Pimpama. The Pacific Motorway crosses the river between Kingsholme and Ormeau. The Gold Coast railway line crosses to the east between Pimpama and Ormeau.

A conservation area is located on the southern bank of the river at its junction with Moreton Bay, bordering the Southern Moreton Bay Island National Park and the Ramsar wetland site.^[4] The Pimpama River wetlands has mangroves, saltmarshs and marine flats providing protected breeding grounds for marine species including four frog species and the vulnerable false water rat (Xeromys myoides). The wetlands are an important conservation area for a recorded 184 species of native plants, 134 vertebrate fauna species including 13 species of mammals, 108 species of birds and nine species of reptiles.^[5]

History

Like most other coastal rivers in the region, the river was used to transport timber cut during the 18th century. The fertile delta area of the river centered on Jacobs Well was home to a thriving arrowroot crop. Growing sugarcane has become the area's main land use.

A bridge was first constructed over the Pimpama River between late 1871 and early 1872 by John Thomas Brigg.^[6][7]

In 2015, the remains of Tiahleigh Palmer were found in the river.^[8]

See also

1. ^ "Map of Pimpama River, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
2. ^ ^{a b} Groth, D.; Hunter, E. (28 January 2010). "Pimpama River Catchment & Stormwater Management Plan". Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
3. ^ "Pimpama/Coomera Rivers Catchment and Estuary". HealthyWaterways. 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
4. ^ "Australia's Ramsar Sites". Department of the Environment, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
5. ^ "Pimpama River Conservation Area". Gold Coast Parks. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
6. ^ "Signs of Progress". The Queenslander. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 18 May 1872. p. 3. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
7. ^ "Official Notifications". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 9 October 1871. p. 2. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
8. ^ "Timeline: The discovery of Tiahleigh Palmer's body and investigation into her suspected murder". ABC. 7 December 2015. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

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