56-697: The Condamine River , part of the Balonne catchment that is part of the Murray-Darling Basin , drains the northern portion of the Darling Downs , an area of sub-coastal southern Queensland , Australia. The river is approximately 500 kilometres (310 mi) long and rises on Mount Superbus , South East Queensland 's highest peak, on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range , approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) from
112-463: A general officer with a knighthood . Born in Ireland, he was the son of a sergeant in the 45th Regiment of Foot who subsequently gained the unusual reward of promotion to officer rank as a lieutenant . Like most of the small number of former non-commissioned officers in this position, Lieutenant Darling performed only regimental administrative duties. He struggled to support his large family on
168-637: A subaltern 's pay. Ralph Darling enlisted at the age of fourteen as a private in his father's regiment, and served in the ranks for at least two years on garrison duty in the West Indies . Eventually, as an "act of charity" to the family, young Ralph was granted an officer's commission as an ensign on 15 May 1793, without having to make the usual payment . The new officer soon found opportunities to show his ability, alternating front-line activity and high-level administrative duties, and in August 1796 he
224-418: A brother-in law of Darling's first Lieutenant-Governor, William Stewart . Those same favoured people received appointments within his administration. He employed his nephew, Charles Henry Darling , as an assistant private secretary. In keeping with official policy and the governor's own disciplinarian instincts, Darling's administration certainly strengthened the punitive aspects of transportation . Perhaps
280-524: A long bill of indictment against the Governor. On 8 July 1828, Mr. Stewart, a member of the British House of Commons, rose to move for "papers connected with the case of Joseph Sudds and Patrick Thompson". The "rascally newspapers" had not been idle either, and "Miles", a correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, took up the cudgels for Mr. Wentworth. The Morning Chronicle commented severely on
336-532: A number of reasons for the methane releases, but conceded that "depressurisation of the Walloon Coal Measures during gas production could generate horizontal migration of methane gas. However, this flux of methane is likely to be small because of the shallow dip of the coal beds and the distance to gas production fields." Other reasons for variation in bubbles includes changes in water flow, or flooding changing groundwater patterns. Hydraulic fracturing
392-590: A post he held until his death. Darling died in Brighton on 2 April 1858 at the age of eighty-six, survived by his widow, three sons and four daughters. On 13 October 1817, Darling married the 19-year-old Elizabeth Dumaresq , known as Eliza (1798–1868). She was the daughter of Colonel John Dumaresq, a landowner in Shropshire . The marriage was a happy one. Of ten children, four daughters and three sons survived to adulthood. Eliza's widowed mother Ann Dumaresq
448-583: A theatre in Sydney". He even introduced a law effectively banning the performance of drama. The law stated that no form of public entertainment could take place without approval from the colonial secretary, and Darling ensured that all such applications were rejected. He did permit concerts of music to take place. His departure for England, upon the ship Hooghly , was greeted by public rejoicing, but his modern biographer has described this display as being "orchestrated by his opponents". Darling sought to ensure
504-574: Is a concrete faced earthfill structure and is known for the unique curved design of its wall. The weir is the only storage for the Chinchilla Weir Water Supply Scheme. At the official opening of the Weir in 1974, approximately 5000 people were counted through the gates. Chinchilla Weir remains a freshwater playground for locals and visitors with waterskiing, canoeing, swimming and fishing being popular activities. Parts of
560-719: Is joined by Bungil Creek at Surat followed by the Cogoon River (Muckadilla Creek) before a major junction with the Maranoa River at Lake Kajarabie above St George from where it continues southwest to Dirranbandi . Below Dirranbandi the Balonne forks into a series of anabranches with a western distributary being called the Culgoa River which, in turn, flows into the Darling River . The eastern branch of
616-512: Is not considered to be the cause as there has been no hydraulic fracturing in those fields. Natural gas seeps are not altogether uncommon in Queensland, but there are no recorded instances of bubbles occurring in a river. The Queensland Gasfields Commission (a government agency) identified 17 soil gas surveys undertaken during the 1980s and 1990s, from locations around the state that record naturally occurring methane releases. The nearest one to
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#1732771785815672-616: Is used for town water supply and for irrigation . Leslie Dam on Sandy Creek, a tributary of the Condamine, is the main water reservoir for Warwick . Talgai Weir is a small weir that can hold 640 megalitres (140 × 10 ^ imp gal; 170 × 10 ^ US gal) near Clifton . Other water storage facilities on the Condamine River include the Yarramalong Weir, Lemon Tree Weir, Loudoun Weir, Tipton Weir and
728-622: The 51st Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Corunna and serving as assistant adjutant general during the Walcheren Expedition , before returning to the headquarters at Royal Horse Guards in London, where he served for almost a decade as head of British Army recruiting. In this role, Darling was subsequently promoted to brevet colonel on 25 July 1810, major general on 4 June 1813, and deputy adjutant general in 1814. General Darling
784-488: The Australian , run by William Wentworth and Robert Wardell ). Darling tended to rely upon like-minded military men for his administration, and it was soon subject to criticism for nepotism and favouritism. That criticism, as well as the accusations of tyrannical rule, could not be stifled. Darling's predecessor, Thomas Brisbane , had ended press censorship, creating in effect press freedom before Darling arrived in
840-464: The Condamine River . After flowing through Surat the river flows south south-westerly down through the E.J. Beardmore Dam (Lake Kajarabie). Passing through St George it continues in the same south-west direction, until about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Dirranbandi , where it branches, with the western branch then being called the Culgoa River . The eastern branch continues on as
896-655: The Hunter Valley . In 1826 he also defined the Nineteen Counties in accordance with a government order from Lord Bathurst , the Secretary of State in the British parliament; these were the limits of location in the colony of New South Wales. Settlers were only permitted to take up land within these counties. From 1831 the granting of free land ceased and the only land that was to be made available for sale
952-577: The Australian colonies. Wentworth, who was also famous for crossing the Blue Mountains with Blaxland and Lawson , became the Colony's leading political figure of the 1820s–30s. He called for representative government, the abolition of transportation, freedom of the press and trial by jury. Wentworth became the most bitter enemy of Governor Ralph Darling and his 'exclusives' led by
1008-479: The Australian continent, ceased to be under the control of New South Wales and was placed under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land . He proclaimed Van Diemen's Land as a separate colony on 3 December in 1825. On 16 April 1831, Darling issued a proclamation banning trade in heads out of New Zealand saying that there was reason to believe that the trade tended to increase
1064-666: The Balonne River are the Condamine River, the Maranoa River , Dogwood Creek, Yuleba Creek and Tartulla Creek. At St George, the river is crossed by the Andrew Nixon Bridge which carries the Balonne Highway . E.J. Beardmore Dam was formed by the construction of a weir in 1972 at the junction of the Maranoa and Balonne Rivers. When the dam is full the water backs up for 70 kilometres (43 mi) along
1120-707: The Balonne River in turn branches again - into the Bokhara River on the right and the Narran River on the left (eastern) side. The Narran flows to Narran Lake , an endorheic lake between Brewarrina , Walgett and Lightning Ridge . The Birrie splits from the Bokhara before these join with the Barwon River west of Brewarrina which also flows into the Darling River. Water from the Condamine River
1176-543: The Balonne River on St George's Day, 23 April 1846. The next year 1847 Ludwig Leichhardt went to examine the course of the Condamine River. In 1985, it was proposed by the Water Research Foundation of Australia to transfer water from the Clarence River to the Condamine water basin. The Condamine River and its catchment area were involved in the 2010–11 Queensland floods . During the floods
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#17327717858151232-606: The Balonne River through Dirranbandi. Shortly after flowing through Dirranbandi, the Balonne River again branches into the Bokhara River on the west side (the right side when going down stream) and the Narran River on the eastern (left) side. The Narran River flows into Narran Wetlands . The Bokhara River joins with the Barwon River west of Brewarrina . The confluence of the Culgoa River (a western branch of
1288-617: The Balonne River) and the Barwon River (which includes a former central branch of the Balonne) forms the start of the Darling River . The Balonne-Condamine catchment area is 136,014 square kilometres (52,515 sq mi), of which an area of 603 square kilometres (233 sq mi) is composed of riverine wetlands and 559 square kilometres (216 sq mi) is estuarine wetlands. The five longest tributaries of
1344-751: The Balonne. Downstream from Beardmore Dam is the Jack Taylor Weir , which was built in 1953. On the Balonne tributary, Dogwood Creek there is another weir, the Gill Weir , which can hold 1,050 megalitres (230 × 10 ^ imp gal; 280 × 10 ^ US gal). Major Thomas Mitchell crossed the Balonne River on St George's Day, 23 April 1846. Mitchell named the river after the Mandandanji word for water or running stream, balun or balonn or balonne . Ralph Darling General Sir Ralph Darling , GCH (1772 – 2 April 1858)
1400-563: The Cecil Plains Weir. The Condamine River is reduced to a series of drying ponds during droughts in Australia . The Chinchilla Weir was built in 1973 and is located on the Condamine River, eight kilometres south of the town of Chinchilla. The weir has the dual purpose of providing supply of irrigation water along the alluvial flats of the Condamine River and of augmenting the water supply to the town of Chinchilla. Chinchilla Weir
1456-540: The Government expressed itself fully satisfied with the conduct of Sir Ralph Darling. Wentworth having got for Governor Major-General Sir Richard Bourke (who was generally liked), turned his attention to other pursuits. Wentworth published in England a series of pamphlets containing an account of this whole business. Governor Darling is also said to have "ruthlessly and implacably countered all attempts to establish
1512-486: The Governor on all sides, and he was accused of wilful murder"; after Sudds' death Thompson was taken in a bullock-cart to Penrith gaol, and thence conveyed to "No. 1, Iron-chain-gang party" on Lapstone-hill , being at the face of the Blue Mountains. At three o’clock on the first day he was taken out and set to work with the gang, having the spiked collar that had killed Sudds on his neck the whole time. After eight hot days of this work Thompson refused to continue working and
1568-427: The bubbling in the Condamine river was 16 km distant and not linked to the river. These measured low levels of mixed gas ranging from less than 10 parts per million ( ppm ) to 240ppm occurring in the subsoil at depths of up to one metre. In 2017, the gas company that holds the tenure over this area of the river reported a 90% reduction in the level of the seep compared to the peak rate recorded in early-2016. This
1624-620: The coal seams can be affected by reduced water flows or gas. Under Queensland law, gas companies are required to " make good " if there is an impairment on a landholder's bore. The Walloon Coal Measures are hydraulically connected to the aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin (within the Surat Basin) and in some locations immediately underlies the Condamine Alluvium. In 2012 methane gas was observed escaping from
1680-480: The colony. Darling's subsequent attempt to control the press through new legislation failed, because the Chief Justice, Francis Forbes , advised that the measures were not compatible with the laws of England. It is certainly the case that Darling made land grants to relatives, including his brothers-in-law Henry and William Dumaresq , and others that he favoured, such as George Bowen and Stewart Ryrie ,
1736-544: The conduct of the Tory Governor of New South Wales. The Tory papers duly retaliated, but eventually Darling moved to resign. The controversy still persisted, and lasted years after Governor Darling's resignation – with the Whig party clamouring for vengeance, and with "Miles", persistently chronicling all of Darling’s misdeeds in order to seek that Darling be tried for his life. There was, however, no "trial for murder" and
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1792-568: The domestic market, the industry grew quickly with the advent of the CSG/LNG industry and building of export facilities in Gladstone . The gas is found in the coal seams and is adsorbed to the coal by water pressure. To extract gas from coal seams it is necessary to remove the water from the coal seams to allow the gas to flow. The de-watering of the Walloon Coal Measures has been raised as a concern by landholders, as stock water bores drilled into
1848-527: The east coast of Queensland, and then flows north west across the Darling Downs, then west. The Condamine River is a tributary of the Darling River . The headwaters of the river rise on the slopes of Mount Superbus , part of the Main Range , before passing through Cambanoora Gorge . The river flows through the towns of Killarney , Warwick , and Chinchilla and the tributary Gowrie Creek drains
1904-405: The education of child prisoners, improve the treatment of female convicts, and promote the use of Christian teaching as a means of rehabilitation, and he made efforts to give the indigenous population the protection of British justice. The annual distribution of blankets to Aboriginal people was initiated by him in 1826, originally as rewards to those who assisted in the capture of bushrangers at
1960-570: The fact that British rule in Mauritius was still little more than military occupation of a proud French colony . Notwithstanding the criticism from some quarters, it was largely on account of his service in Mauritius that Darling was appointed the seventh Governor of New South Wales in 1824. Darling initiated the construction, from 1826, of the convict-built Great North Road , linking the Hawkesbury settlements around Sydney with those in
2016-435: The fact that he was not given any significant new military or political assignments, but further promotion and various honorific appointments did follow, and he was happy to devote much of his time to raising his young children. He was given the colonelcy of the 90th Regiment of Foot in 1823, transferring as Colonel to the 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot in 1837 and to the 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot in 1848,
2072-515: The facts of the case leaked out"; "the ingenious Darling had placed round their necks spiked iron collars attached by another set of chains to the ankle fetters. The projecting spikes prevented the unhappy men from lying down at ease, and the connecting chains were short enough to prevent them from standing upright. Under the effects of this treatment Sudds had died. Public fury now knew no bounds. Tradesmen put up their shutters as though in mourning for some national calamity. The fiercest denunciations met
2128-407: The most controversial act of his tenure was the harsh treatment of soldiers Joseph Sudds and Patrick Thompson, who had committed theft in the belief that seven years in an outlying penal colony would be an easier life than two decades of army discipline. As an example to others, the Governor had them placed in irons and assigned to a chain gang , leading to the death of Sudds. Some believe this death
2184-485: The request of the Bathurst magistrates. Ralph Darling left Australia in 1831, returning to England in 1832. Continuing pressure from political opponents led to the formation of a select committee to examine his actions in Australia, but the inquiry exonerated him, and the day after it concluded, he was knighted by the king in a dramatic display of official favour. The controversy in Australia may have contributed to
2240-463: The river reached a record peak at Condamine of 15.25 metres (50.0 ft) and another peak of 14.67 metres (48.1 ft). The Coal Seam Gas industry (often referred to as Coal Bed Methane ) started exploring for unconventional gas in the Chinchilla region, through which the Condamine River flows, around 2000 when Bob Bryan formed The Queensland Gas Company (QGC). Initially supplying gas into
2296-427: The river, the report concluded that “… there is no safety risk or evidence of environmental harm occurring in the immediate area from the Condamine River gas seeps." In April 2016 the Condamine River seeps were brought to the forefront of media attention by New South Wales Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham , when he allegedly set alight the methane gas bubbling from the riverbed. He claimed that " hydraulic fracturing "
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2352-479: The river. The gas that is seeping is derived either from the underlying Walloon Coal Measures and/or the Springbok Sandstone. The Queensland Government undertook an investigation into the gas seeps and the technical study concluded that the bubbling was unlikely to be caused by coal seam gas (CSG) activities in the region, but that further studies were required. In relation to the presence of methane in
2408-629: The sacrifice of human life. Darling was a professional soldier, military governor of what was still effectively a penal colony under martial law , and having lived entirely within the authoritarian structure of the army since childhood, he lacked experience in dealing with civilian society. As a result, he came into conflict with the liberal "emancipists" who wished to introduce greater political and social freedom in New South Wales. Their accusations of tyrannical misrule were publicised by opposition newspapers in England and Australia (including
2464-409: The slopes around Toowoomba . At the junction with Dogwood Creek, south of Yuleba , the Condamine turns to the south-west and becomes known as the Balonne River. The Condamine descends 516 metres (1,693 ft) over its 657-kilometre (408 mi) course , with a catchment area of 13,292 square kilometres (5,132 sq mi). The water basin contains more than 1,800 wetlands. The Balonne River
2520-465: The water catchment were settled by the Bundjalung people . The Condamine River was named by Allan Cunningham in 1827 for Thomas de la Condamine, a former aide-de-camp to Governor Ralph Darling who became the colony's first Collector of Internal Revenue. Patrick Leslie was the first white settler in the area. He established Canning Downs in 1840, near Warwick. Major Thomas Mitchell crossed
2576-464: The wealthy grazier John Macarthur . In one account disfavourable to the Governor written by Marcus Clarke the following claims regarding Governor Darling's "act of tryanny" of 22 November 1826 are made: "it was given forth that Sudds had died from combined dropsy and bronchitis. Mr. Wentworth – a native-born Australian barrister, of some eloquence and intense capacity for hating – would not rest satisfied with this explanation, and little by little
2632-543: Was a British Army officer who served as Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831. He is popularly described as a tyrant, accused of torturing prisoners and banning theatrical entertainment. Local geographical features named after him include the Darling River and Darling Harbour in Sydney . Darling seems to have been unique in the British Army of this period, as he progressed from an enlisted man to become
2688-807: Was a devout philanthropist, and lived in Cheltenham . Eliza was influenced by Hannah More and Sarah Trimmer . In Australia, she consulted the penal reformer Elizabeth Fry , with reference in particular to female convicts. She was also involved in the establishment of the Female School of Industry at Parramatta . After Darling's position in New South Wales ended, the family returned to England. They lived at Cheltenham, then Brighton where Darling died in 1858. The following features are named after Ralph Darling or members of his immediate family: The Logan River in South-East Queensland
2744-408: Was accused of allowing a British frigate to breach quarantine and start an epidemic of cholera, and he then suspended the island's Conseil de Commune when it protested his actions; in reality, however, there was no evidence that the frigate had been carrying cholera, and the opposition to General Darling appears to have been motivated in large part by his vigorous actions against the slave trade , and
2800-589: Was also able to further the careers of his younger brothers Henry and William, and subsequently his nephew Charles ; the three brothers all became generals, and Charles also earned a knighthood. Darling married in 1817. Between February 1819 and February 1824, General Darling commanded the British troops on Mauritius , before serving as acting governor of the colony for the last three years of his stay. In this role, Darling again exhibited his administrative ability, but he also became very unpopular in Mauritius: he
2856-556: Was appointed as military secretary to Sir Ralph Abercromby , the British commander-in-chief in the West Indies. By the time he returned to Great Britain in 1802, still aged only twenty-nine, the sergeant's son and one-time private soldier was a highly respected lieutenant-colonel. During the Napoleonic Wars , Colonel Darling alternated between periods of regimental command and important administrative appointments, leading
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#17327717858152912-413: Was done by intercepting and producing the gas before it reached the river, effectively taking it out of the system. [REDACTED] Media related to Condamine River at Wikimedia Commons Balonne River The Balonne River , part of the Murray-Darling Basin system, is a short yet significant part of the inland river group of South West Queensland , Australia. The river is a continuation of
2968-410: Was officially downplayed. It was stated as having been due to a pre-existing illness which the Governor had not been properly informed about. However, the incident proved intensely and persistently controversial at the time and formed a major element in the rising career of Mr William Charles Wentworth as a political thorn in the side of the establishment and a leading advocate for the self-government of
3024-454: Was taken to gaol and was finally sent on board the hulks. What became of him seemed unknown to some but he was eventually ordered to rejoin his regiment (Sydney Gazette, 28 March 1829), and was sent back to England in October 1829 (Australian, 23 October 1829). Having gathered considerable evidence of his own, Wentworth wrote to Sir George Murray , the Secretary of State, and forwarded to him
3080-503: Was the likely cause for the problem, but to date there is no direct link. In 2017 CSIRO researchers with expertise in hydrogeology, geology, ecology and biogeochemistry assessed the Condamine River to determine what is currently known about the methane seeps in the River including natural and human causes, and the potential human and environmental health and safety impacts of methane escaping from underground. They concluded that there could be
3136-415: Was within the Nineteen Counties . When Darling was commissioned as governor, the Colony's western boundary – set in 1788 at 135 degrees east longitude – was extended by 6 degrees west to the 129 degrees east longitude . This line of longitude subsequently became the border dividing Western Australia and South Australia . To the south, everything beyond Wilsons Promontory , the southeastern 'corner' of
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