98 THE BURDEKIN VALLEY. 



quite as '^old '" in appearance as is the peneplain west of the 

 hills. -The creek draining it is also of the usual type till 

 it approaches its exit, when it passes between the felsitic 

 hills in a V-shaped valley which is so steep and rough 

 that one cannot ride a horse down it. the track leading: 

 from the pocket passing in preference over the hills. The 

 granite A\hich occurs in the ranges is not uniform in 

 character, and in places weathers into rough, boulder- 

 strewn hills, but never with the narrow V-shaped valleys 

 peculiar to the felsites. 



The features presented in mijiiature by Plumtree Pocket 

 are precisely similar to those exhibited by the Burdekin 

 under similar conditions, but on a much larger scale, as 

 well as by Stones and Glenroy Creeks. It is obvious that 

 Plumtree Pocket owes its differentiations from the surround- 

 ing hills only to the different weathering powers of the 

 component rocks, and not in any way to a difference in age 

 of denudation. 



It appears to the writer necessary to apply this to the 

 Burdekin and conclude that the contrast between the narrow^ 

 gorge — the type of youth in denudation — and the pene- 

 plain — the corresponding type of old age in denudation — 

 is merely due to a difference in the weathering j^owers of 

 the component rocks. 



The river, of course, has a history, and this may 

 possibly yet be puzzled out, but in working out the puzzle 

 undue importance must not, in the writer's opinion, be 

 placed on the existence of the two types of land forms. 



Any discussion of the peculiarities in the directions 

 of the tributary streams, the changes in direction of the 

 Burdekin itself, or as to whether the Belyando-Suttor or 

 the Burdekin above their confluence should be considered 

 the main stream, has been purposely avoided in this paper, 

 as the writer is only acquainted with such a small part 

 of the systems, and information is so scant concerning 

 the rest as to render any suggestions that might be made 

 of little value. 



As already hinted, the writer suspects that the so-called 

 peneplain is in reality deceptive. That the slope of the 

 river is greater than would be expected in advanced old 

 ao-e. the following table will show, and is an interesting 

 comparison with other Queensland stretims. 



