28-714: The Fitzroy Developmental Road (The Beef Road) is a designated road in the Central Highlands Region of Queensland consisting of three separate sections. The general direction is from south to north. The southern section leaves the Leichhardt Highway at a point 17 kilometres (11 mi) north of Taroom as State Route 7. This section meets the Dawson Highway in the locality of Rhydding , 19 kilometres (12 mi) east of Bauhinia . The middle section, as State Route 7, runs from Bauhinia north until it meets
56-611: A cost of $ 6 million, was expected to complete by early 2022. A project to progressively seal sections of the road north of Taroom, at a cost of $ 8 million, was expected to complete in mid-2022. Central Highlands Region Central Highlands Region is a local government area in Queensland , Australia. In the 2021 census , the Central Highlands Region had a population of 27,836 people. Wadja (also known as Wadjigu , Wadya , Wadjainngo , Mandalgu , and Wadjigun)
84-544: A separate colony until 1859. The famous boatbuilder Colin Archer was the first known individual to sail up the river, with his cutter "Ellida". The city of Rockhampton is situated on the river, some 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the coast. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the city was a major port, however rocky bars in the river prevented the Fitzroy from being used for navigation any further inland. As ships became larger,
112-634: Is a river in Central Queensland , Australia. Its catchment covers an area of 142,665 square kilometres (55,083 sq mi), making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. It is also the largest river basin that discharges onto the Great Barrier Reef. Formed by the confluence of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers that drain the Expedition Range and
140-656: Is an Australian Aboriginal language in Central Queensland . The language region includes the local government areas of the Aboriginal Shire of Woorabinda and Central Highlands Region, including the Blackdown Tableland , the Comet River , and the Expedition Range , and the towns of Woorabinda , Springsure and Rolleston . Yambina (also known as Jambina and Jambeena ) is an Australian Aboriginal language of Central Queensland . Its traditional language region
168-603: Is one of a number that experienced extensive flooding during the 2010–11 Queensland floods . In 2013, flash flooding in the Mount Morgan and Biloela regions brought major flooding to the lower Dawson River catchment. The Don River and the Dee River also rose to new record heights. The Fitzroy River at Rockhampton rose above major flooding to 8.61 metres (28.2 ft). The Fitzroy River catchment system has many weirs and dams , used for farming, mining and domestic consumption. In
196-480: Is the local government area of Central Highlands Region, including Peak Downs , Logan Creek, south to Avon Downs, east to Denham Range and Logan Downs, west to Elgin Downs and at Solferino. Yetimarala (also known as Jetimarala , Yetimaralla , and Bayali ) is an Australian Aboriginal language of Central Queensland . Its traditional language region is within the local government areas of Central Highlands Region, on
224-631: Is used by sporting groups such as the local water skiing, dragon boat and rowing clubs. In 2018, a $ 36 million revitalisation of the Fitzroy riverbank in Rockhampton City was officially opened. Rockhampton's annual Rocky River Run is also held along the Fitzroy River. The annual fishing competition, the Barra Bounty is another event held on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton. The city celebrates
252-603: Is within the local government areas of Central Highlands Region , on the Boomer Range and Broadsound Range and the Fitzroy River, Killarney Station, Mackenzie River and Isaac River . The river was given its English name by European colonial settlers and pastoralists, Charles and William Archer , on 4 May 1853 in honour of Sir Charles FitzRoy , at the time the Governor of the Colony of New South Wales , as Queensland did not become
280-659: The Boomer Range and Broadsound Range and the Fitzroy River , Killarney Station, Mackenzie River and Isaac River . The Central Highlands Region was created in March 2008 as a result of the report of the Local Government Reform Commission released in July 2007. The new local government area, located in Central Queensland , contains the entire areas of four previous local government areas: Legislation introduced into
308-586: The Capricorn Highway about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of Duaringa , and 29 kilometres (18 mi) east of Dingo . It passes through the Dawson Range State Forest between Woorabinda and Duaringa. The northern section, as State Route 67, runs from Dingo to a point on the Peak Downs Highway in the locality of Strathfield , 21 kilometres (13 mi) east of Coppabella . It crosses
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#1732895270928336-746: The Carnarvon Range respectively, the Fitzroy River rises near Duaringa and flows initially north by east, then northward near the Goodedulla National Park . The river then flows in an easterly direction near the Lake Learmouth State Forest and parallel with the Bruce Highway through the settlement of Yaamba , before turning south to Rockhampton where the river is crossed by the Bruce Highway. After flowing through Rockhampton,
364-476: The Mackenzie River and passes the mining towns of Middlemount and Dysart . The southern section is 115 kilometres (71 mi) in length, and is mostly unsealed. The middle section is 103 kilometres (64 mi) in length and is partly sealed. The northern section is 236 kilometres (147 mi) in length and is fully sealed. The length of the three sections totals 454 kilometres (282 mi) but with
392-578: The Queensland Government re-drew the boundaries of localities within the Region by: As a consequence of these changes, Lake Maraboon is now entirely within the north-west of Gindie and the boundary between Lochington and Minerva/Gindie more closely follows the course of the Nogoa River . In the 2016 census , the Central Highlands Region had a population of 27,999 people. In the 2021 census ,
420-525: The Queensland Parliament gave the name of the new region as Central Highlands. The report recommended that the new local government area should not be divided into wards and should elect eight councillors and a mayor . The Central Highlands Region has an area of 59,834 square kilometres (23,102 sq mi), contained an estimated resident population in 2018 of 28,645 and has an estimated operating budget of A$ 66 million. On 17 April 2020,
448-699: The Carnarvon Range in the west to the rivermouth in Keppel Bay, near Rockhampton. It is bounded to the north by the Burdekin River catchment area and to the south by the Burnett River catchment area. The river has a mean annual discharge of 5,900 gigalitres (7.717 × 10 cu yd). There are also several important aquifers providing groundwater extractions in the Fitzroy Basin. The Fitzroy River basin
476-581: The Central Highlands Region had a population of 27,836 people. The Central Highlands Region includes the following settlements: Bauhinia area: Duaringa area: Emerald area: Peak Downs area: Notes: – partially shared with Isaac Region (former Belyando Shire ) The Central Highlands Region operates public libraries at Bauhinia , Blackwater , Capella , Dingo , Duaringa , Emerald , Rubyvale ( The Gemfields ), Rolleston , Springsure and Tieri . Fitzroy River (Queensland) The Fitzroy River ( Darumbal : Toonooba )
504-1187: The Dawson River sub-catchment, the major reservoirs from source to mouth are the Glebe Weir, the Gyranda Weir, the Theodore Weir, the Moura Weir, the Callide Dam , and the Kroombit Dam . In the Mackenzie River sub-catchment, the major reservoirs are the Comet Weir, the Fairbairn Dam , the Theresa Creek Dam , the Bedford Weir, the Bingegang Weir, and the Tartrus Weir. In the main Fitzroy River sub-catchment
532-554: The Dawson River ;– which has two tributaries, the Don River and Dee River . The catchment area of the river occupies an area of 142,665 square kilometres (55,083 sq mi) Within the drainage basin an area of 292 square kilometres (113 sq mi) is composed of estuarine wetlands and an area of 1,548 square kilometres (598 sq mi) is made up of riverine wetlands. The catchment stretches from
560-584: The Fitzroy River each year at the river's own annual festival, the Rockhampton River Festival. In 2018, the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton was incorporated into the Queen's Baton Relay prior to the 2018 Commonwealth Games . After running his leg of the relay, batonbearer Mark Knowles handed the Queen's Baton to fellow batonbearer Craig McCormack who was then rowed across the river on a dragon boat as part of
588-454: The addition of travel on the Dawson and Capricorn Highways, it is around 502 kilometres (312 mi). All sections are state-controlled roads. The southern and middle sections (numbers 85A and 85B) are district roads rated as local roads of regional significance (LRRS). The northern section (number 85C) is a regional road. A project to progressively seal sections of the road north of Bauhinia, at
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#1732895270928616-433: The lower reaches became less viable for commercial traffic, and today only pleasure craft and small commercial fishing boats use the river. Wharves which once lined the town reach at Rockhampton have now almost all disintegrated or been removed. Port Alma , in the Fitzroy River delta is now the nearest port to Rockhampton . Predominant industries in the catchment are coal mining, grazing and cotton . Glenmore Homestead
644-730: The only reservoirs are the Eden Bann Weir and the Fitzroy River Barrage , with the latter capable of holding 61,000 megalitres (1.3 × 10 imp gal; 1.6 × 10 US gal) when full, to provide potable water to Rockhampton city and surrounds. The Fairbairn Dam on the Nogoa River and several weirs downstream on the Mackenzie River provide water for irrigating a wide range of crops including cotton, peanuts, chickpea, corn and horticulture including citrus, table grapes, melons, supplying water for coal mines and domestic use for
672-457: The relay. The lower reaches of the river are home to salt water crocodiles . In 2003 a crocodile measuring more than 4 metres (13 ft) long was captured. The most diverse range of freshwater fish in the country are found within the Fitzroy basin. The prized Australian fish, the barramundi , breeds in the river along with sooty grunter and a separate genetic strain of golden perch . Some 987 square kilometres (381 sq mi) of
700-760: The river flows south by east past the Berserker Range past Humbug Point to the south of the Flat Top Range and eventually discharging into Keppel Bay in the Coral Sea near the MacKenzie Island Conservation Park. From source to mouth , the Fitzroy River is joined by thirty-six tributaries including the Mackenzie River ;– with its tributaries the Nogoa River , Comet River , Isaac River and its tributary Connors River ; and
728-506: The river's floodplain and delta have been classified by BirdLife International as the Fitzroy Floodplain and Delta Important Bird Area (IBA). It regularly supports over 1% of the world population of the sharp-tailed sandpiper as well as having a resident breeding population of the range-restricted mangrove honeyeater . At the mouth of the river researchers have discovered a genetically distinct snubfin dolphins species with
756-564: The town of Emerald . Rookwood Weir was completed in 2023. It is the largest weir built in the country since World War II. The traditional owners of the area in the Fitzroy River catchment are the Darumbal people, notably the Baiali and Jetimarala clans. They called it Toonooba. Yetimarala (also known as Jetimarala , Yetimaralla , and Bayali ) is an Australian Aboriginal language of Central Queensland . Its traditional language region
784-541: Was built at a property on the northern bank of the river seven kilometres (4.3 mi) northwest of Rockhampton. It was originally settled in 1858, is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register and operates as a tourist attraction today. The Fitzroy River in Rockhampton is often utilised for recreation. The Rockhampton Ski Gardens on the Fitzroy River just upstream from the Fitzroy River Barrage
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