president's address, 859 



the plain in front of Tambar some wells have been sunk 100 feet 

 deep without obtaining water. Tambar is elevated over 200 feet 

 above the plain, and the water flows from the surface. To the 

 north-west of Bando there is a most remarkable spring atGrarra- 

 willa head station, and upon a recent visit I availed myself of 

 the opportunity to measure the outflow. I found that this spring 

 yielded the enormous quantity of 9,600 gallons per hour. I rode 

 over the spring where it first makes its appearance, and was 

 surprised to find the ground quite hollow for the space of upwards 

 of 100 acres, and upon listening attentively one could hear the 

 sound of rushing water under foot. In many places there 

 happened to be large fissures or holes in the ground, and the 

 water could be seen rushing along on its subterranean course at 

 a depth of about three or four feet from the surface. A large 

 dam has been erected below this spring, and one of the most 

 extensive sheep-washing establishments in the colony is supplied 

 with water by powerful engines from this dam. The whole area 

 of the valley in which the spring arises does not exceed 2,000 

 acres, and the yield per annum at the rate quoted, amounts to 

 nearly eighty-five millions of gallons of water. There can be no 

 doubt whatever that the source of this spring is far removed from 

 the drainage area of the valley in which it occurs." 



These cretaceous or mesozoic formations occupy about one- 

 third of the total area of Queensland, which, together with the 

 vast expanse of our own water-bearing strata, afford for serious 

 and thankful reflection a grand illustration of the magnitude of 

 the living pent up waters, which only await the touch of the magic 

 rod to spring forth and diffuse inestimable blessings far and 

 wide. 



I may here observe that the fossil remains of the huge dipro- 

 todon, of the crocodile, and of the gigantic land lizard, are found 

 in these localities, buried among the drifts of the pleistocene 

 period. 



