Factsheet 11 – What is so unique about Porcupine Gorge? Quirky fact : Sedimentary rocks Australian Curriculum Links are the second major Year Subject Curriculum Links rock group. They are 5 Geography ACHGK030 cool rocks, meaning Science ACSSU043, ACSSU094 they form at the 7 Geography ACHGK038 earth’s surface, Science ACSSU112 mostly under water. 8 Geography ACHGK048, ACHGK049, ACHGK050, They usually consist ACHGK052 of layers or strata. Science ACSSU153 Background Information Often known as the ‘Little Grand Canyon’, Porcupine Gorge National Park lies within the Savannah plains and extends for more than 25 kms along Porcupine Creek surrounded by open woodland and grassland. The creek cuts a meandering path through a deep canyon that reveals sedimentary rock strata spanning hundreds of millions of years. A thin, hard, basalt cap, the product of geologically recent lava flows, has protected much of the older underlying rock, but where this capping has been worn away, the scouring action of waterborne particles has excavated a deep chasm into the softer sandstone. The culprit, Porcupine Creek, reduces to a string of clear pools in winter and becomes a torrential cascade during the wet season (summer). In the wider section of the gorge, the eroding action of the creek has also created the Pyramid, a monolith of multicoloured sandstone rising from the floor of the gorge. Wind and water have coloured and sculpted the sandstone to form fluted channels, boulders, potholes and shallow caves. Permanent deep pools, each with its resident turtles, are lined with casuarinas (sheoaks) and melaleucas (paperbarks), while various eucalypts and acacias including the rare pink gidgee precariously root in the cliffs above. The gorge and surrounding area is rich with cultural history. Three traditional Aboriginal groups, the Gutjal, Jirandali and Mitjumba continue their traditional connections to Country within the park. The Tattoos, just a few kilometres up the road, is the site of Aboriginal and European carvings as well as spectacular rock formations. The gorge is home to currawongs, parrots and the occasional soaring bird of prey. Closer observation reveals a wide variety of birds including the black duck, red-winged parrot, black bittern and numerous honeyeaters. The gorge becomes a focal point for many animals in the dry season while others, such as the wallaroo, rock wallaby and rufus bettong, are Porcupine Gorge National Park permanent residents. 72 Outback Queensland Education Handbook | Australian Curriculum Factsheets Inquiry Questions Subject Years Questions ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Geography 5 How do plants and animals that live at Porcupine Department of National Parks, Recreation, Gorge cope with fire and floods? Sport and Racing www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/porcupine- 7/8 What process formed the gorge? gorge/index.html What do different people groups Tourism and Events Queensland www.queenslandholidays.com.au/ value about these landscapes? destinations/outback/things-to-see-and-do/ Science 5/6 What are the links between this environment porcupine-gorge-national-park/index.cfm and the feature of things that live here? Flinders Shire Council www.flinders.qld.gov.au 7/8 How does scientific understanding help people to manage the Diamantina’s REFERENCES environment and resources? Flinders Discovery Centre – Porcupine Gorge National Park Information Brochure About.com: geology Points of Interest www.geology.about.com/cs/basics_ Porcupine Gorge, via Hughenden roxmin/a/aa011804b.htm Towering cliffs of coloured sandstone, pockets of vine forest Department of Environment and Heritage and deep permanent waterholes along Porcupine Creek contrast Protection wetlandinfo.ehp.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts- strikingly with the Savannah plains surrounding Porcupine Gorge. maps/national-park-porcupine-gorge/ Kennedy Developmental Road (73 kms north of Hughenden) FURTHER INFORMATION via Hughenden QLD 4821 Flinders Discovery Centre Cost: Entry to the park is free, however fees apply for camping 37 Gray Street, Hughenden QLD 4821 Phone: (07) 4741 2970 Hours: Open 24 hours per day Email: [email protected] Contact: Information, access and maps available at www.epa.qld.gov.au/ www.flinders.qld.gov.au parks_and_forests/find_a_park_or_forest/ White Mountains National Park, via Hughenden Moorrinya National Park, via Hughenden m a i v e r e 52 B r 58 n BLACKBRAES u BURKE & WILLS r R i v NATIONAL d JUNCTION e r 380 e PARK k TOWNSVILLE i n QUEENSLAND 200 AGGABUNDI R i r v 246 e UNPOWDER e r v 200 i R F l i n d e r s 134 KAJABBI r y PORCUPINE WHITE BALFE’S u r c GORGE MOUNTAINS CREEK 26 n 235 CHARTERS o NATIONAL NATIONAL l R i v e r TOWERS PARK 158 C PARK 44 90 JULIA HOMESTEAD QUAMBY CREEK 50 PENTLAND 43 134 MAXWELTON RICHMOND CLONCURRY 44 46 HUGHENDEN LAKE DALRYMPLE NELIA 50 TORRENS CREEK 43 PRAIRIE 119 77 112 106 112 150 64 110 STAMFORD 144 MOORRINYA McKINLAY NATIONAL DUCHESS 76 PARK 60 67 Townsville 84 360 S KYNUNA CORFIELD u r 205 t t v e Mt Isa COMBO 248 e r R i r 209 WATERHOLE e A Rockhampton v Longreach CONSERVATION i MORANB R PARK 83 FOREST 229 DEN o Charleville 164 74 d BRISBANE NATIONAL n WINTON PARK a y 146 MIDDLETON l e r MUTTABURRA B Outback Queensland Education Handbook | Australian Curriculum Factsheets 73.