58-791: The Burdekin Bridge (known as the Burdekin River Bridge or Silver Link ) spans the Burdekin River between the towns of Ayr (locality of McDesme ) to the north and Home Hill to the south, both in the Shire of Burdekin , Queensland , Australia . Located on the Bruce Highway which is part of Highway 1 , it is an important link in the national road network. It is a road-rail bridge which provides high flood immunity link between north and south Queensland. The Bridge
116-545: A special interest group within Engineers Australia, runs a program that recognises historically significant engineering works. Such works have a plaque on display, with a brief summary of the significance of the work. The program was established in 1984 with two categories of awards, "National Engineering Landmark" and "Historic Engineering Marker". In 2009 these were renamed "Engineering Heritage National Landmark" and "Engineering Heritage Marker"; in 2011 and 2012
174-702: A day of flooding. Approximately one third of the Inkerman Bridge was later washed away by the floodwaters. Further flooding occurred in 1927 with waters running nearly 6 feet (2 m) over the Inkerman Bridge and 3 feet (1 m) over the Burdekin Bridge, the river reached its peak at 66 feet (20 m) above summer levels at Sellheim. During the 1974 flood event associated with Cyclone Wanda , which lasted from 17 December 1973 to 23 April 1974, an estimated mass discharge peak of 25,000 tonnes (25,000 long tons; 28,000 short tons) of water per second
232-416: A few hours. The waters washed away dwellings, fencing and livestock and effects downstream included the loss of the steamer SS Gothenburg which was unable to steer effectively and ran aground on a reef at the entrance of Flinders Channel. In 1917 more severe flooding occurred with the bridge at Inkerman under 11 feet (3 m) of water and the one at Ayr over 14 feet (4 m) underwater after
290-704: A gorge in the Leichhardt Range for settlement farms near Clare and Dalbeg in 1953 for growing tobacco. In 1984 construction of the Burdekin Falls Dam commenced and was completed by 1987 when the dam started to fill forming Lake Dalrymple. Floods events occur on average from no floods to three per year between December and March. Heavy flooding occurred in 1875 with the Dawson, Fitzroy, Mary and Burdekin Rivers rising up to 60 feet (18 m) in
348-472: A minimum of 150 hours of structured CPD in the last three years. To maintain Chartered Status, registrants must complete Continuing Professional Development (CPD), which is subject to review every five years. Since its inception, Engineers Australia has had a Code of Ethics and disciplinary processes that enable it to take action against members who breach that Code. The membership by-laws require
406-425: A secure depth before the "wet season". If a caisson was not firmly anchored deep enough, a flood could have swept it away. Because the bridge does not have rock foundations but is entirely supported by sand, it is sometimes described as a floating bridge . It is not a true floating bridge as it does not float on water. The metal bridge spans were bolted together with high-tensile bolts instead of being riveted. At
464-577: A variety of Acts in ad hoc areas, many of which relate to engineers in the building and construction industry. There are also many pieces of subordinate legislation, such as regulations, by-laws and orders-in-council that impose various prescriptive standards and incur unnecessary costs to the engineering industry in complying. In Queensland, persons who are not registered with the Board of Professional Engineers Queensland are prohibited from offering or providing professional engineering services. The only exception
522-533: A vital link between North and South Queensland. The Silver Link replaced the Inkerman Bridge which is set just above the river bed. It was regularly covered and washed away by flood waters but it is still possible to see the remains of the old bridge when the river level is low. Due to the special construction of the bridge, with steel beams forming a truss over the highway, it is regularly being closed to let pass oversize loads which take both lanes on
580-476: Is Australia's recognized organization for accreditation of professional engineering qualifications under the Washington Accord . As of 2022, EA has 115,000 members, which includes 31,000 students. The association began after World War I , following recognition of the need for a single body to represent engineers, rather than multiple smaller associations. The first council meeting of this single body
638-492: Is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Yuru country. The Yuru language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Shire of Burdekin , including the town of Home Hill . The river was first discovered by Europeans by John Clements Wickham aboard HMS Beagle in 1839 who named it the Wickham River . In 1849, Ludwig Leichhardt named the river after Thomas Burdekin, one of
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#1732797409060696-707: Is called the Engineers Australia Excellence Awards The Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal is the most prestigious award conferred by Engineers Australia. It is presented each year for notable contribution to the science and/or practice of engineering in Australia. The Professional Engineer of the Year is the most prestigious national Engineering award given to a practicing engineer for his or her exceptional contributions to Engineering in
754-563: Is currently dormant, but in 1981 the mine discharged toxic waste containing unacceptable levels of radioactivity , when its tailing dam overflowed into a creek that feeds into the Burdekin. Neosilurus mollespiculum is a species of eeltail catfish endemic to the Burdekin. Many other species such as Agassiz's glassfish, Irwin's turtle, banded grunter, barramundi, black catfish, eastern rainbowfish, empire gudgeon, freshwater longtom, mangrove jack, tilapia and yellowbelly are found throughout
812-656: Is expected that the NER will facilitate access to existing State/Territory registers and to new registers, as and when they are developed. The NER is aimed at removing any current inconsistencies across State/Territory jurisdictions. The NER caters for nine (9) general and ten (10) special areas of practice aligned to demonstrated professional competence and experience. Registration on the 10 special areas of practice will be restricted to Chartered members of Engineers Australia and registrants who have successfully completed Engineers Australia's Chartered assessment process. Registrants on
870-511: Is for individuals who practise under the direct supervision of registered professional engineers. Queensland is currently the only Australian jurisdiction to apply a comprehensive registration system for engineers. The Queensland Minister for Public Works and Information and Communication Technology appointed Engineers Australia on 1 July 2008 as one of the Approved Assessment entities for assessing applicants for Registration with
928-421: Is now known as Engineers Australia (EA). Engineers Australia wholly owns two subsidiaries, Engineering Education Australia and EngInsure. Engineers Australia previously had a publishing subsidiary Engineers Media which published the organisation's main magazine. Engineers Media ceased operations at the end of August 2015 after the magazine "create" was outsourced to a commercial publisher, Mahlab Media. Membership
986-447: Is open to a variety of occupations. Membership is a requirement to seek credentials such as "Chartered". Engineers Australia has the following membership types: The occupational categories are: The Colleges and College National Committees are: The Chartered Areas of Practice are: Notable Fellows of Engineers Australia include: Engineers Australia is the designated assessing authority for engineering occupations as listed by
1044-742: Is to make its position known on policies, inquiries and other government initiative. Engineers Australia draws upon the intellectual capital of the membership of Engineers Australia when drafting position statements and developing submissions. In accordance with By-law 20.2, an Annual Report is presented by the Board each year for the business of the Annual General Meeting of Engineers Australia. Engineers Australia engages third-party political lobbyists in various jurisdictions. For example, in South Australia, Engineers Australia engages MCM Strategic Communications. Create magazine
1102-529: The Coral Sea at Upstart Bay over 200 kilometres (124 mi) to the southeast of the source, with a catchment area of approximately 130,000 square kilometres (50,000 sq mi). The Burdekin River is Australia's largest river by (peak) discharge volume. The river was first encountered by Europeans during the expedition led by Ludwig Leichhardt in 1845 and named in honour of Thomas Burdekin, one of
1160-564: The Department of Immigration and Border Protection . The National Congress is a representative body of some 35 members, which elects and monitors the Board of Engineers Australia. The responsibilities and structure of National Congress are determined by the Royal Charter and By-laws. The Board is Engineers Australia's governing body. It has six members and its role is comparable to that of a company board. It appoints and liaises with
1218-716: The Fanning River , and then continues to flow south through wetlands before entering Lake Dalrymple, the reservoir created by the Burdekin Falls Dam . Within Lake Dalrymple, the Burdekin River is joined by the Cape , Suttor / Belyando rivers. The source of the Belyando River in central western Queensland is almost 500 kilometres (311 mi) from the mouth of the Burdekin River, and extends into
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#17327974090601276-474: The Inkerman Bridge over the Burdekin River from McDesme to Home Hill which was built in 1913 followed by bridge for road traffic in 1930. Both were too low and often damaged during flooding and the decision was made to replace them with a higher dual level bridge known as the Silver Link . Construction commenced in 1947 and was not completed until 1957 when the bridge opened. A weir was constructed in
1334-662: The 1880s. In 1899, the Burdekin River Rail Bridge was built over the river about 24 km NE of Charters Towers to carry the Great Northern railway . Although replaced by a new bridge in 1964, the old bridge remains and is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register . The townships of Ayr and Brandon were established in 1882 with many sugarmills being erected. The North Coast railway between Ayr and Townsville had
1392-422: The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland. The National Engineering Register (NER) has been created by Engineers Australia to provide a means of presenting registered engineers and their services to the public. It also provides assurance to consumers that engineers engaged from the NER meet the high standards of professionalism expected in the engineering profession. It is the largest Engineering Register in
1450-476: The Chief Executive Officer, sets regulations and policies, sets strategic directions, and monitors the organisation's financial sustainability and performance. Each of Engineers Australia's nine divisions is led by a division committee of the division members. A division committee is responsible to and under the direction of the Board. A division group delivers specific services to the members of
1508-568: The Division, within a specific field of practice, area of interest or geographic area. Each of Engineers Australia's nine colleges is led by a College Board of the college members. College Boards are under the direction of the Board. The patron of Engineers Australia is the Governor-General of Australia , David Hurley . There is no formal system of regulation for engineers throughout Australia. Engineering services are regulated under
1566-528: The General Regulations 2016. If the person is not a member, then Engineers Australia has no authority to commence an investigation or take any action regarding the person's professional conduct. Engineers Australia is also not able to offer legal advice in relation to contractual or common law disputes or criminal matters and the complaints process will not result in financial restitution or compensation. One of Engineers Australia's core activities
1624-584: The NER will be able to confirm the following eligibility criteria: Chartered members of Engineers Australia can apply to join the: The APEC register allows use post-nominals APECEngineer and the IPEA allows the use of the post-nominals IntPE(Aus). The Board expects Chartered Members and Registrants to maintain records of continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities that extend or update their knowledge, skill or judgment in their area or areas of engineering practice. An individual's CPD records must demonstrate
1682-504: The awards were renamed and a third category added. The current awards are: As of August 2024 there were 256 registered sites. Details of the sites are available from the Engineering Heritage Australia web site. Since its formation in 1919, EA have been conferring awards. This role was enshrined in a Royal Charter, granted in 1938. In 1950, the Board created Engineers Australia’s General Prize Fund. Today it
1740-470: The bridge foundations. In 1946, two high-ranking Government engineers visited India to inspect a number of bridges built on sand foundations. The same technique was used for the Burdekin Bridge and it is the only bridge in Australia not built with a firm foothold. The bridge rests on 11 huge, hollow, concrete caissons sunk into the river bed. The caissons are 17 metres across the top (measured parallel to
1798-462: The catchment. [REDACTED] Media related to Burdekin River at Wikimedia Commons Engineers Australia Engineers Australia (EA), known formally as the Institution of Engineers, Australia , is an Australian professional body and not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to advance the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community. Engineers Australia
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1856-412: The country delivering a uniform national benchmark standard of professionalism in the broadest areas of engineering practice, both general and special. The NER is a publicly searchable database providing a national system of ‘registration’ for the engineering profession in Australia of professional engineers, engineering technologists and engineering associates in both the private and public sectors. It
1914-583: The course of the river. The first is at the Valley of Lagoons in the upper region of the catchment, the next is a Lake Dalrymple, then at the junction of the Burdekin and Bowen rivers known as the Burdekin-Bowen Junction and Blue Valley Weir Aggregation and the last is at the river delta which forms a 342.5 square kilometres (132 sq mi) wetland. The Burdekin River is one of the most economically important rivers in Australia, and has
1972-552: The dry season and to prevent saltwater intrusion . The North Coast railway line crosses the river at Home Hill, via a bridge constructed in 1913. At the same location the Bruce Highway traverses the river via the Burdekin Bridge . Further west, the river is crossed by the Flinders Highway . Although on paper most of the basin of the Burdekin appears perfect for rainfed crops like cotton and maize, in fact
2030-731: The earlier established delta region located on the coarse sedimentary deposits of the Burdekin River Delta, a groundwater dominated scheme, and the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme (BHWSS) – a more recently developed surface water dominated scheme on alluvial floodplains of the Burdekin River. Here the Burdekin is joined by the Bowen and Bogie rivers. The Burdekin River descends 620 metres (2,030 ft) over its 886-kilometre (551 mi) course . Four DIWA wetlands can be found along
2088-578: The earliest inland settlements in northern Australia and was known as Dalrymple . The river is joined by Lucy Creek, the Running River , Star River and Keelbottom Creek, above Charters Towers . From the west in the Dry Tropics to the west of the river, the river is joined by the Clarke , Basalt and Dry rivers. South of Charters Towers, the upper catchment of the Burdekin River is joined by
2146-425: The entire basin. Annual rainfall at most gauges within the basin can range from 200 to 1,600 millimetres (7.9 to 63.0 in) depending on the monsoon and the number of cyclones that cross the coast. On the coast itself, the variability is even higher: at Bowen not far from the river's mouth, the annual rainfall has ranged from 216 millimetres (9 in) in 1915 to over 2,200 millimetres (87 in) in 1950. It has
2204-434: The first caisson started in 1947 after the "wet season". As each caisson rose in height, sand was removed from the centre of the caisson to make it sink into the sand bed. To get such a tremendous mass to sink gradually and evenly was difficult. To add to the difficulties, often a caisson became stuck and a diver had to be sent down to find the problem and remedy it. Another difficulty was that each caisson had to be sunk to
2262-500: The fourth-largest watershed of any exorheic drainage system in Australia. It is also the fourth-largest river in Australia by volume of flow, but is so erratic that its discharge can reach the mean discharge of the Yangtze River (after two severe cyclones in 1958) or have as many as seven months with no flow whatsoever (as in 1923). This exceedingly erratic flow is due to the extreme variability of precipitation throughout
2320-422: The high-level Burdekin Bridge, there were two low-level bridges over the Burdekin River, one for road and one for rail. These bridges were frequently impassable due to flooding of the river. Remnants of the old rail bridge can be seen immediately downstream of the present bridge. Originally, it was thought that the bridge could not be built in its present location. No trace of rock could be found on which to build
2378-749: The highest mean annual flow for any river adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef . Gugu Badhun (also known as Koko-Badun and Kokopatun ) is an Australian Aboriginal language of North Queensland . The language region includes areas within the local government area of Charters Towers Region , particularly the localities of Greenvale and the Valley of Lagoons , and in the Upper Burdekin River area and in Abergowrie . Yuru (also known as Juru, Euronbba, Juru, Mal Mal, Malmal )
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2436-476: The narrow bridge. In October 2010, the Burdekin Bridge was recognised as a National Engineering Heritage Landmark . A 5-year bridge maintenance and rehabilitation project had commenced in 2013. It is the first major structural rehabilitation work undertaken since the bridge construction. This maintenance and rehabilitation program is continuing in July 2022, with an expected total cost of $ 96.9 million. The bridge
2494-636: The professional regulation of members. Chartered members and registrants on the various registers are specifically required to practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics. Engineers Australia believes that sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Engineers Australia has a detailed and regulated process for handling complaints against members and office bearers. Complaints against members of Engineers Australia are handled in accordance with Division 4 of
2552-422: The rainfall is so erratic that in almost every year a would-be farmer will experience either too little or too much rain for the crop to mature properly. Thus, most of the basin of the Burdekin can be used only for low-density grazing of sheep and cattle, since grazing is less likely to be damaged economically and ecologically by the extreme risks of an extraordinarily erratic climate. The Valley of Lagoons Station
2610-428: The river. An area of 2,560 square kilometres (990 sq mi) is irrigated. In the delta around Ayr and Home Hill, groundwater is used extensively to irrigate crops of sugar cane . This groundwater is recharged artificially during the extreme flood events that occasionally occur, usually due to a La Niña event. The use of groundwater in the floodplain is carefully managed so that supply can be maintained during
2668-402: The sponsors of Leichhardt's expedition. Because he was inland away from the coast he was not aware it was the same watercourse named by Wickham. The town of Wickham was established on Rita Island at the river mouth but was soon swept away during a flood in the 1860s. Pastoralists had established runs along the river during the 1860s, with some along the lower reached taken for selection in
2726-712: The sponsors of the expedition. The Burdekin River rises on the western slopes of the Seaview Range, part of the Great Dividing Range , west of Ingham . In the river's upper catchment, from its source the river generally flows west and then south out of the Girringun National Park , part of the UNESCO Wet Tropics World Heritage Area . This area, now part of Basalt was the location of one of
2784-437: The stream) and vary in width from 5.5 to 7.6 metres. The caissons were sunk into the river bed to a depth of about 30 metres. Add to that the approximately 20 metres that the caissons rise above the bed and the result is some very massive pieces of concrete. Each weighs about 4,000 tons. The caissons were fitted with steel "cutting edges" to help them sink. The steel used in the cutting edges weighed 238 tons. Construction of
2842-405: The time, no other Australian bridge had ever been constructed this way. With all the difficulties, plus the shortage of steel after World War II , the construction took almost a decade to complete at a cost of $ 6 million. The bridge officially opened on 27 March 1957. Despite these setbacks, the new bridge greatly assisted in travel between Ayr, Queensland and Home Hill, Queensland and formed
2900-534: The typical black-soil grassland of Central Queensland, with the Belyando draining the Drummond and Galilee Basins and flowing north for over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi). Below the dam wall, in the river's lower catchment, is northern Australia's largest irrigation area with approximately 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres) under irrigation, predominantly for growing sugarcane. It consists of two broad regions,
2958-526: The upper reaches of the Flinders River . On the lower Burdekin floodplain an irrigation area was established in the early 1950s. At first only Gorge Weir and Blue Valley Weir provided water to the scheme, until the 1970s when Eungella Dam also provided water. Water is also drawn from the Haughton River . Major pump stations are located at Clare Weir feeding water to both sides of
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#17327974090603016-411: Was completed in 1957. Construction began 10 years earlier in 1947. At 3,620 feet (1,103 m) in length, it is one of the longest multi-span bridges in Australia and longer than Brisbane 's Story Bridge or New South Wales 's Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge . It is 46 metres shorter than Sydney 's Harbour Bridge . It is the only bridge in Australia to be built on sand. Prior to the construction of
3074-422: Was established in 1862 after the area in the upper reaches of the Burdekin was opened up by the government. Initially stocked with sheep, the property was later used to raise cattle. In 1864, Inkerman Station was established toward the lower reaches, where the town of Inkerman now stands. The area was plagued by cattle tick, so the government acquired the property in 1910 and sold it off as farmland where sugarcane
3132-598: Was held in 1919, electing Professor William Warren of the University of Sydney as the first President. This formed the Institution of Engineers of Australia . On 1 May 1926 the Institution was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. Twelve years later, on 10 March 1938 His Majesty King George VI granted a charter of incorporation to the Institution, reconstituting it as a body corporate and politic by Royal Charter. The Institution of Engineers Australia
3190-468: Was introduced on 12 August 2015. It was a magazine that showcased the profession, achievements, impacts and future thinking of engineering, but was phased out in 2020-2021 and replaced with an on-line version 'Create Digital' published by Mahlab publishers. EHA Magazine is published quarterly covering industrial and engineering heritage first published in December 2013. Engineering Heritage Australia,
3248-533: Was later grown. The natural vegetation away from the coast is a grassland dominated by perennial Mitchell and annual Flinders grasses. Near the coast there are patches of dry eucalypt forest on the typically infertile laterised soils characteristic of most of Australia. Few mines exist along the waterway, with the notable exception of the Ben Lomond Uranium mine which is situated approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Townsville. The mine
3306-589: Was listed as an Engineering Heritage National Landmark by Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program . Burdekin River The Burdekin River is a river in North and Far North Queensland , Australia. The river rises on the northern slopes of Boulder Mountain at Valley of Lagoons , part of the western slope of the Seaview Range , and flows into
3364-565: Was reached, which affected 450 kilometres (280 mi) of coastline and created a plume with widths ranging from 25 to 100 kilometres (16 to 62 mi). The Burdekin Falls Dam, the largest dam in Queensland was constructed west of Ayr and Home Hill and completed in 1987 to form what is also known as Lake Dalrymple. As part of the proposed Bradfield Scheme the upper Burdekin River was to be used to feed water by gravity westwards to
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