60 D'OMBRAIX, .■/ Trip to the "Watercourse," Ti^ffX" 



"THE WATERCOURSE." 



The Watercourse is that portion of the Gwydir River which 

 ends as a defined river channel, and spreads itself roughly fan- 

 shaped over the surrounding plains. The Gwydir rises in the Xew 

 England tahleland, about 200 miles from the town of Moree, in 

 N.W. New South W'ale-^. At Moree it is a fine stream. l)ut 9 

 miles below !Moree the channel narr»bws. and practically disap- 

 pears, and in flood-time Inige volumes of water spread all over 

 the surrounding plains through swamps and shallow water- 

 courses. The largest of the latter, which naturally continues 

 running longest, is "The" Watercourse. These flooded areas 

 occupy from 80,000 to 100,000 acres, interspersed by belts or 

 ridges raised only a few feet above the water. The waters 

 eventually drain into the Banvon River, above Collarenabri. 

 The average depth of these waters is i foot, and the rate of flow 

 is slow, as the fall is about 8 feet in a mile. The whole area 

 contains many timbers, in addition to huge beds of "sags." a 

 kind of bulrush, and large belts of Wilga. Further on is a list 

 of trees and shrubs compiled by ^Mr. F. Morse. 



As can readily be imagined, all our tramps and excursions 

 were through water all day long, and the going was consequently 

 very often "painful and slow."' Sometimes we would find our- 

 selves in a deeper and more svviftly-rnoving channel, and one had 

 always to be on the look-out for the sunken logs and hidden 

 stumps. As the "bottom" for the most part was muddy and 

 full of widely-gaping cracks, one was constantly slipping or at 

 times sitting down in the water. 



Flies and mosquitoes were in millions, but the latter not as bad 

 as they can be, and at such times they become a real plague to 

 man and beast. In the belts of timber were birds in scattered 

 numbers, colonies of Xiglit Herons in one. Spoonbills or White- 

 necked Herons in another. A grassed area would be filled 

 with White-headed Stilt Plovers. A tree-studded swampy area, 

 with sags and rushes, etc.. with the floating nests of the Grebes, 

 whilst out of bushes and clumi)s the Moorhens, Coots, Land- 

 rails, etc., Avould make their flippy flight, with legs a-draggle. 

 The work was hard, the going laborious, and twilight and dry 

 clothes a goal to strive for. 



Coolibah, Eucalyptus bicoior; Red gum, Eucalyptus rostrata; 

 Eurah, Ereniophila buinoniflora: r>clah, Casuariiia Icpuiof^liloin : 

 Wilga, Ge'ujcra parv'iflora; Sandalwood, Ereniophila mitcJiclli; 

 White Box, Bibble, Eucalyptus (sp. ?) ; White Wood, Atalaya 

 hc)ii}(/lanca: Bumble (Caper-tree), Ca/'/>ar/.y imtchelli; Leopard 

 wood, Flindersia }iiaculosa; Pine, Callitris robusta; Needle wood, 

 Hakca Icucoptcra ; Ouininc. .Itsloiiid co)istricta : I'.oonarv, 

 hieterodcudron oleofoliuiii. 



