experience the artesian time tunnel and great artesian basin Come into the Cunnamulla Visitor Centre and experience the Artesian Time Tunnel transporting you back in time 100 million years, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. It was during this period that water became trapped in sedimentary rock layers, only surfacing through mound springs, the natural pressure release valves of the artesian basin. Stories of Aboriginal dreamtime follow natural water courses which were the same tracks followed by early pioneers, pastoralists and miners. The stories of the six Aboriginal language groups living in this area, on Kunja country, will be told in Stage two of the Exhibition soon to be commenced.
The Great Artesian Basin Fact sheet ●
T he Great Artesian Basin covers an area as large as 1,711,000 square kilometres or approx 1/5 of the Australian continent.
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T he Artesian Basin starts at the tip of Queensland and underlies parts of New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory. (Refer map opposite)
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T he age of the water is estimated to be approx 2 million years old and dates back to as far as the “Ice Age”.
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T he Aboriginal people have been utilising the Artesian Water through “Mound Springs” for many years prior to European Settlement. Mound Springs are places where the artesian aquifers naturally flow to the surface.
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T he first ever bore to be sunk was in 1878 on “Kallara” Station (located north west of Tilpa, NSW).
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T he first bore to be sunk in Queensland was 100km South East of Cunnamulla on a property by the name of “Noorama” in 1887.
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T he average temperature of the Artesian Basin is between 30–50° and a max of 100° in some places.
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I n 1999 the Commonwealth and State Governments installed what is called the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative – GABSI Scheme. This is a joint incentive by property owners and the government to conserve water through the capping of flowing bores and install a piping system to reduce the amount of water wastage and evaporation that occurs through the use of bore drains on properties.
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ear to date the GABSI Scheme has saved more Y then 18,538 MEGALITRES of water and has involved 306 properties.
Cunnamulla Fella Centre Centenary Park, Jane Street, Cunnamulla Qld 4490 P: 07 4655 8470 www.cunnamullatourism.com.au E: cunnamullainfo@paroo.qld.gov.au
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