Broad Sound (Queensland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Broad Sound |
|
|---|---|
Broad Sound is a globally important site for the straw-necked ibis
|
|
 Broad Sound
Location in Australia
|
|
| Location | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Coordinates | 22°09′S 149°45′E / 22.150°S 149.750°E |
Broad Sound is a very large bay on the eastern coast of Australia. You can find it in the state of Queensland, about 675 kilometers northwest of Brisbane, the state capital. This huge bay stretches for about 50 kilometers in length and is 20 kilometers wide at its broadest part. The Torilla Peninsula creates the eastern edge of the bay. On the other side of this peninsula is another bay called Shoalwater Bay.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Who Explored Broad Sound?
A famous British explorer named James Cook first saw Broad Sound in May 1770. He was sailing on his ship, HMS Endeavour. Cook named the bay "Broad Sound" because of its large size. The next European explorer to visit the area was Matthew Flinders in 1802. He was on his ship, HMS Investigator.
The Town of St Lawrence
The town of St Lawrence was built in the Broad Sound area. It was located halfway between the towns of Rockhampton and Mackay. St Lawrence became an important port for sending out cattle from the nearby farms. A large meat processing factory was built there in 1893.
The port continued to process and export meat and cattle until 1919. At that time, new railway lines were built in other places. This made the port at St Lawrence less important. By 2006, the population of St Lawrence had become quite small, with only 125 people living there. The total population in the Broad Sound area was 268 people.
What Does Broad Sound Look Like?
The Coastline and Tides
Broad Sound has a flat coastline. When the tide goes out, you can see wide areas of mudflats. These muddy areas are covered by large sections of mangrove trees. Mangroves are special trees that grow in salty water.
The head of the bay has the biggest tidal range on Australia's east coast. This means the difference between high tide and low tide is very large, about 9 meters! The coastline also has many rivers and creeks that flow into the bay. These include Herbert Creek, St Lawrence Creek, and the Styx River.
The Land Beyond the Bay
Behind the mangroves, the land has low, rounded hills. These hills are covered with a mix of grassy areas and low eucalypt woodland or forest. The weather in this area is subtropical, which means it's warm most of the year. It also has a dry winter season.
Broad Sound's Amazing Birds
An Important Bird Area
The huge areas of mangroves and mudflats in Broad Sound are very important for birds. These areas cover about 1200 square kilometers in the southern part of the bay. Because of its importance, BirdLife International has called Broad Sound an Important Bird Area.
Home to Many Birds
Broad Sound is home to many different kinds of birds. It is especially important for the straw-necked ibis. Up to 15,000 of these birds can be found here! Other important birds that live or visit Broad Sound include the Australian bustard, Latham's snipe, sharp-tailed sandpiper, and the mangrove honeyeater.
