PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION C. 



411 



^YOuld have formed deltas, coastal plains, and that even monotonous 

 shore line characteristic of old rivers uninterrupted bv earth movements. 



The east coast of Queensland is free from such features ; almost 

 the only attempt at a delta that we can recall is that of the Burdekin 

 River. Most of the rivers flow directly into gulfs or bays, whose out- 

 lines have hardly yet been softened by their sediment. 



Subsidence, however, seems to have been less active in recent 

 times, and to have permitted the inception of alluvial plains. Thus 

 the Endeavour River enters the sea at the head of a bay (which it will 

 possibly in the course of ages fill up), and for some miles back flows 

 through low country undoubtedly formed of its own alluvial (see map). 

 The Annan River (south of Cooktown) has a similar wide valley, vnth 

 its mouth also at the head of a bay. The river flats extend to the 

 foot of rather steej) hills bounding the former, as if the river had gradually 

 filled up its older valley since the latter subsided. 



The Bloomfield River (20 miles south of Cooktown) has a relatively 

 huge flow of water considering the small extent of its basin. Its falls 

 line reaches within 10 miles of the coast, implying some warping action 

 or allied phenomena within a geologically late period ; at any rate 

 absolutely opposed to the idea of a long-continued era of geological 

 quiescence. 



An apparent exception to the pattern of the coastal streams are 

 a group of rivers south of Cooktown — the Bloomfield, Daintree, Barron^ 

 etc. From one view-point on the Cairns railway there may be seen 



Sketch to shoiv the Position of the Head Water of the Barron and the (possibly beheaded} 



Mitchell River. 



