Category: Short articles
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Map overlays, revisited
Historical maps and survey plans were central to oncewasacreek from its inception. Reading about Milton’s lost creek in the archives of Trove and in Matthew Condon’s book Brisbane was intriguing, but seeing Western Creek depicted on one of the early maps — probably it was McKellar’s map from 1895 — was for me a revelation.…
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Movement at the horse paddock
Recently, while driving along Rainworth Road past the south-east corner of the governor’s property, I noticed something new. Running through this grassy area, which I understand to be the governor’s old horse paddock, were two rows of newly planted trees. Interspersed among the new trees, which still were housed in their protective plastic tents, were…
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May Day mayday! A tale of extraordinary weather and extra-ordinary lasagne.
It’s been a long time between posts. As per the forecast, my PhD has reduced this blog from a bubbling stream to a lifeless dry creek bed. But any stream can be revived with a little rain. And with a lot of rain, it all comes flooding back. ‘A lot of rain’ is one way…
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The Western Creek floodgate: a reality after 125 years
Way back in January, I reported that the City Council had begun constructing a floodgate at the mouth of Western Creek. This is the spot where the Milton Drain meets the river, right next to where the dilapidated shell of the old floating restaurant still stands. If you have passed by this spot in the…
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oncewasacreek: a words-eye view
Note – the pictures in this post contain two images, which flip back forth when you hover your mouse over them. On a mobile device these images will switch when you touch them, and then switch back when you scroll away … if you are lucky. For best results, please view this article on a…
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The Duckbill Dimension
I wrote last week about the backflow prevention device — let’s call it a floodgate — that the council is installing at the end of the Milton Drain to protect the Western Creek drainage system from backflow flooding (that is, flooding from the river rather than from local stormwater). The Western Creek floodgate is the…
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A floodgate for Western Creek
So, it’s really happening. If this sign is to be believed, then Western Creek is finally going to have its floodgate. The photo was snapped at the entrance to the footbridge under Coronation Drive at the mouth of Western Creek (otherwise known as the Milton Drain) a few weeks ago by Steven Cowley, who has…
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Western Creek on display
A few months ago I moved out of Rosalie and the catchment of Western Creek. I didn’t want to leave, but such is the plight of a renter. I now am a citizen of Oxley Creek, which runs through my new neighbourhood of Rocklea. So these days I am writing about Western Creek from a…
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Dipping into the history of Norman Creek
It’s always good to learn that you are not alone in pursuing a particular passion. It’s a welcoming sign that you might not be crazy after all, or that if you are, you are at least in good company. The history of Brisbane’s creeks (extinct or otherwise) is not a topic that has received a…
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The catchments of the Crescent Reach
This post was updated on 24 May 2013 to include a revised outline of Langsville Creek catchment. One of the first things I did when I created this website was to map out the catchment of Western Creek. While Western Creek has remained my focus, I have increasingly spent time thinking and writing about its…