Elizabeth Springs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elizabeth Springs |
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"Elizabeth Springs, looking north", artwork by George French Angas, 1859
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| Location | Diamantina Lakes, Shire of Diamantina, Queensland, Australia |
| Official name: Great Artesian Basin Springs: Elizabeth | |
| Type | Listed place (Natural) |
| Designated | 4 August 2009 |
| Reference no. | 105821 |
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Elizabeth Springs is a special place in Diamantina Lakes, Queensland, Australia. It is a group of natural springs that are part of the huge Great Artesian Basin (GAB). These springs are very important because they provide fresh water in a dry area. Elizabeth Springs was added to the Australian National Heritage List on August 4, 2009. This means it is a nationally important natural site.
Contents
History of Elizabeth Springs
Early Use of the Springs
Aboriginal people have used the springs of the Great Artesian Basin for a very long time. These springs are important in their stories and beliefs. They were, and still are, a vital source of fresh water for animals and people in the dry Outback.
When the first European settlers came to inland Australia, they also needed fresh water. They brought sheep and cattle to the vast plains. But they soon learned that droughts were common and water was hard to find. Rivers often dried up, and dams were not always reliable.
Discovering Artesian Water
In 1878, Europeans found artesian groundwater in the GAB. This happened when they drilled a shallow hole near Bourke in New South Wales. Water flowed out on its own! Soon, many more holes were drilled.
In 1887, the first artesian water in Queensland was found near Cunnamulla. This was a big deal, especially during droughts.
Growth of Bores and Industries
The number of bores (holes drilled into the ground for water) grew quickly. By 1915, over 1,500 flowing artesian bores had been drilled. This reliable water supply helped the sheep and cattle industries grow.
People dug thousands of kilometres of "bore drains." These are small, open channels that carry water from the bores to different parts of properties. This allowed livestock to live on the huge plains.
Water for Today
Water from the GAB is still super important for towns and farms in the Outback. It's often the only water source for homes and animals. It also helps with farming, mining, and tourism. Managing this water carefully is key so future generations can also use it.
What are Elizabeth Springs?
Elizabeth Springs covers about 101 hectares (about 250 acres). It's a small but mighty part of the Great Artesian Basin.
The Great Artesian Basin
The Great Artesian Basin is one of the biggest artesian water systems in the world. It covers about 22% of the Australian continent. Artesian springs are natural places where water from the GAB flows to the surface. They are often found in groups called "supergroups."
There are two main types of springs:
- Recharge springs: These are mostly found where the GAB gets refilled with rainwater.
- Discharge springs: These release water that has traveled a long way through the GAB. Elizabeth Springs is a discharge spring.
Some water in the GAB has been moving through the ground for up to a million years! It moves very slowly, less than one metre to about five metres per year.
Mound Springs and Their Formation
Artesian springs are also known as "mound springs." This is because the mineral-rich water often leaves behind deposits like calcium carbonate as it evaporates. Over time, these deposits can build up, forming small mounds around the spring. These mounds can look a bit like tiny volcanoes.
Many Queensland GAB springs, like Elizabeth Springs, form "softer" mounds. These are usually only a few centimetres to a few metres high.
Scientists can tell how old these springs are by studying the deposits around them. Some GAB springs have been active for more than 740,000 years! This shows how long these springs have been important to the landscape.
Elizabeth Springs: A Special Place
Elizabeth Springs is part of the Springvale River supergroup. It's about 300 kilometres south-southeast of Mount Isa. The main group of springs at Elizabeth Springs covers an area of about 400 by 500 metres. It has low mounds and areas where water flows out.
The areas around the springs are full of plants, including a special one called the salt pipewort (Eriocaulon carsonii subsp. carsonii). This plant is a nationally threatened species.
Why are GAB Springs Important for Life?
GAB artesian springs are like oases in dry Australia. They are one of the few places with permanent fresh water. This has allowed many types of fish, bugs, and plants to survive here as inland Australia became drier over millions of years.
These springs are "evolutionary refuges." This means they are safe places where species can continue to live even as their original homes become too dry. Because these springs are isolated, the animals and plants living there have often evolved into new species found nowhere else. This is called "endemism."
Elizabeth Springs is a great example of this. It has:
- One unique snail species: Jardinella isolata.
- One unique fish species: the Elizabeth Springs goby (Chlamydogobius micropterus).
- Four unique GAB artesian spring plant species.
- Five "relict" plant species. These are plants that survived from a time when inland Australia was much wetter.
Many other unique invertebrates (like tiny bugs) might also live there. Plus, the area around the springs is home to frogs, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Condition of Elizabeth Springs
Threats to the Springs
Surveys show that many active GAB artesian springs are being damaged. The main threats are:
- Draw-down: This means the water pressure at the spring is reduced. This happens when too much groundwater is taken out, often by uncapped bores (holes that let water flow freely) or old, inefficient drains.
- Trampling by stock: Animals like cattle can damage the delicate spring areas. Their hooves can change the soil and destroy the small habitats where special plants and animals live. Sometimes, springs are even dug out to make it easier for stock to drink, which also harms the habitat.
Protecting Elizabeth Springs
In 2004, there was evidence of cattle grazing and trampling at Elizabeth Springs. However, after fencing was put up, the condition of the springs has greatly improved. This has helped protect the unique plants and animals living there.
The special species in GAB artesian springs are very sensitive to changes in water flow or conditions. Many depend on very shallow water, just a few millimetres deep. So, any change can be very harmful.
The spread of the introduced mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) is also a threat to native freshwater species in GAB springs. Luckily, this fish has not been reported at Elizabeth Springs.
The GAB Sustainability Initiative (GABSI)
The GAB Sustainability Initiative (GABSI) is a program funded by the government and bore owners. Its goal is to protect the water pressure in the Great Artesian Basin and reduce water waste. They do this by fixing uncontrolled bores and replacing old bore drains with pipes, tanks, and troughs. This helps save water, though much water is still wasted by older systems.
Why Elizabeth Springs is Heritage Listed
Elizabeth Springs is one of many important artesian springs in the Great Artesian Basin. These springs have been the main natural source of permanent water in most of Australia's dry areas for the last 1.8 million years. They provide vital homes for animals and are a unique part of the Australian landscape.
Because these springs are far apart, the animals and plants in each one have evolved into distinct species. This means many species found in these springs are found nowhere else in the world.
Elizabeth Springs is important because it has species that are genetically unique from other GAB springs. This includes its own special freshwater snail and fish. It also has four of the eleven known GAB spring wetland plants that are found only in these springs. Plus, it has five plant species that are not found within 500 kilometres of the springs, showing that this area was once much wetter.
Elizabeth Springs is also the only remaining relatively untouched GAB spring with living plants and animals in far western Queensland. Over 74% of GAB springs in Queensland are no longer flowing, and all GAB artesian springs in New South Wales are either extinct or badly damaged. This makes Elizabeth Springs even more special.
Elizabeth Springs was added to the Australian National Heritage List on August 4, 2009, because it meets several important criteria:
Criterion A: Events and Processes
Elizabeth Springs is a key example of how species evolve and survive in isolated "refuge" areas. It shows how species have become unique in the GAB springs. It contains:
- One unique artesian spring snail: Jardinella isolata.
- An unique fish species: the Elizabeth Springs goby (Chlamydogobius micropterus).
- Four of the 11 known GAB spring wetland plants that are found only in these springs.
- The threatened saltmarsh pipewort (Eriocaulon carsonii subsp. carsonii), a plant that survived from tropical Australia and is mostly found in GAB springs.
- Three other GAB spring-only plants: Eragrostis fenshamii, Fimbristylis sp., and Myriophyllum artesium.
- Five other "relict" plant species not found nearby: Isotoma fluviatilis, Pennisetum alopecuroides, Plantago gaudichaudii, Schoenus falcatus, and Utricularia caerulea.
Criterion B: Rarity
Active artesian springs in the GAB are very rare. Each one covers a tiny area within the huge basin. As mentioned, over 74% of GAB springs in Queensland are no longer flowing. All GAB artesian springs in New South Wales are either extinct or badly damaged. Elizabeth Springs is considered one of the most important GAB artesian springs because it is isolated, still mostly untouched, and many other springs have disappeared.
Criterion D: Principal Characteristics of a Class of Places
The GAB is the world's largest artesian basin. Its springs are the main source of permanent fresh water in Australia's dry areas. This makes them a unique part of the arid landscape. They provide vital homes for many animals. Elizabeth Springs is an excellent example of the unique species found in these springs. It has its own unique freshwater snail and fish. It is the only remaining relatively untouched GAB spring with living plants and animals in far Western Queensland. It holds a group of species that are genetically different from those in other GAB springs.
