6 The Hodgkinson Goldfield, Northern Queensland. 



The vegetation of the granite range is peculiar, and not 

 like that of the plains or the slate ranges. It is often a 

 scrub ; but it must be remarked that there are two distinct 

 kinds of vegetation to which, in this part of Queensland, the 

 term is applied. One is the river scrubs, with a dense and 

 very luxuriant growth of palm trees, vines, tree ferns, nettle 

 trees, Galophylla, and tropical vegetation generally. Another 

 is a thick, entangled growth of Acacia, Vitex, dwarf 

 Eucalypti, and shrubs, none of which grow into trees, but 

 spread out into twiggy bushes. The latter kind of scrub is 

 only found in poor, sandy, or clay soils, dry, and in ridges 

 where the water does not rest. This is the vegetation found 

 on the granite range. The Eucalypti are stunted, and ferns 

 rather numerous under the rocks. I regret very much that 

 I was not able to make any collection while on the range. 

 I was alone and unarmed, and could not safely venture off 

 the track for the purpose of botanising. The distant ledges 

 of granite, with their bushy surroundings, were very 

 tempting; but I was obliged to leave them. There were 

 no signs of natives about ; but in the short history of this 

 part of the world there are so very many sad illustrations of 

 how the neglect of prudent precautions has resulted in 

 loss of life, that one additional example in my case was 

 not needed. 



When the granite range is crossed, the track descends 

 rapidly to a very broad, shallow stream, called the East 

 Hodgkinson. It is principally conspicuous for its bed, 

 which is made up of wide sheets of loose granite detritus, 

 in which belts of Casuarina equisetifolia were growing. 

 The level of all these streams is about the same ; that is, 

 between 1300 and 1400 feet above the sea. It is remarkable 

 that the farther these rivers are from the coast they 

 are less thickly lined with scrub. Those near the ocean are 

 densely wooded, and those far from it, such as the West 

 Hodgkinson, have scarcely any more vegetation on the 

 banks than is seen on the ridges. 



From the side of the East Hodgkinson the land is a 

 succession of very steep, somewhat barren ridges of silurian 

 slate, clothed with an open forest of Eucalyptus corymbosa, 

 Eucalyptus platyphylla, E. hamiastoma, Grevillia robusta, 

 and some other trees, all of a poor kind. The ridges vary in 

 height from 2000 to 2600 feet above the sea. At about ten 

 miles from the East Hodgkinson the Western Hodgkinson 

 is crossed. The whole intervening country is more or less 



