G60 PEOCEEDI^'GS OF SECTION H. 



Wairego Kiver, between Charleville and Cunnamulla. As I saw the 

 €A'idence5 of this cloud burst in the following November I can only 

 g-u'ess at the quantit}^ of rain that fell, but from the close proximity 

 oi the watershed, the gentle slope of the ground, and the height to 

 Avhich the storm water rose as evidenced by debris in the Mulga 

 forest, I would not be surprised if 10 or 12 m. fell in quite a short 

 time. I am sure that if any party had been, camped on the ground 

 at the time they would have had great difficulty in saving their 

 lives, and they must have lost their horses and effects. 



Although the watershed was only some two or three miles away, 

 and the whole of the ground quite even and unbroken, with no 

 indication of a watercourse, the- storm water rose 7 or 8 ft. deep 

 over a considerable area. On the other side of the flat divide very 

 little if any rain fell. It is not improbable that Leichhardt and his 

 party may have perished as the result of a similar storm. 



Mr. Charles B. Steele, at present mining surveyor at Gympie, 

 when, some twenty-two years ago, he was engaged upon the survey 

 of the then proposed railway to Gayndah, lost nearly all his camp 

 equipment, instruments, and some of his horses at Wetheron, as the 

 result of a similar storm. 



Experienced bushmen are sometimes vei'y careless where they 

 camp for a night or two, and, although such storms as those I have 

 referred to are uncommon, iti-would be wise to select the highest 

 availaljle ground even in the case of temporary camps. I must 

 confess I have been rather careless myself in this respect, and have 

 occasionally suffered inconvenience and loss in consequence, but the 

 temptation to get as near the water as possible, for convenience sake, 

 often proves too great. 



The Protection of Foreshores. 



The successful protection of foreshores from wave action 

 depends chiefly upon the means being adapted to the end, and no 

 hard and fast rules can be laid down. 



I am of opinion that rigid structures such as concrete or timber 

 walls, unless founded upon rock, are not suitable for the purpose, as 

 they present much too steep or vertical faces, and generally fail by 

 being undermined, (a) by the screw-like action of the waves as they 

 run along the vertical face, stripping away the sand, tVc, and (b) by 

 the large quantities of water projected over the wall scouring out 

 the backing. 



Where sand can be gathered and gradually built up by wave 

 action into banks, timber groynes answer well in most cases, but 

 they should not be built either too long or too high. I know 

 instances where long groynes have done much more harm than 

 good. I do not think the angle at which they are placed has much 

 to do with their efficiency, and on the whole I would favour their 

 being placed at right angles to the line of beach to be protected. 



Rubble stone walls of suitable height and cross section generally 

 give good results. The material is durable, the construction simple, 

 and the cost, where stone is procurable, not prohibitive. The weight 

 of the stones should be proportioned to the force to be withstood, and 

 may vary from 50 lb. upwards, according to circumstances. 



