The document provides information on the Six Mile Woogaroo and Goodna Creek catchment area in Ipswich City, Queensland. The catchment covers approximately 12,750 hectares and includes the suburbs of Bellbird Park, Brookwater, Camira, Collingwood Park, Gailes, Goodna, Redbank, Redbank Plains, Riverview, Springfield and Springfield Lakes. It describes the history of settlement and land use, indigenous history, flora and fauna species, and other details about the catchment area.

1. Ipswich City Council
Six Mile Woogaroo and Goodna Creek
Six Mile Woogaroo and Goodna Creek
Six Mile, Woogaroo and Goodna Creeks
(includes the headwaters of Sandy Creek, Camira)
The SWAG Catchment area covers an area of approximately 12,750 hectares. It incorporates the
suburbs of Bellbird Park, Brookwater, Camira, Collingwood Park, Gailes, Goodna, Redbank,
Redbank Plains, Riverview, Springfield and Springfield Lakes.
The majority of the catchment area is in Ipswich City, with a small proportion in Beaudesert
Shire. The three individual catchments support a diverse range of land uses including: urban
development, retail shopping, light industrial estates, extractive industry and waste
management, sporting and conservation areas, and community services.
Catchment Description
The Six Mile, Woogaroo and Goodna Creeks catchment area lies on the eastern boundary of
Ipswich City, between the Bremer River and Oxley Creek catchments, 27°35' to 27°45' South
and 152°50' to 152°55' East. It forms a very small sub-catchment of the Brisbane River, with the
three major waterways, Six Mile, Woogaroo and Goodna Creeks flowing directly into the
Brisbane River.
The catchment area is bounded by the ridges and hilltops extending north-east and north-
north-west from the Spring Mountain / White Rock area. The highest point along the
watershed, approximately 800m south of Spring Mountain, is 359m above sea level. Spring
Mountain is the second highest peak at 356m above sea level.
History of the Catchment
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2. Redbank is possibly the oldest and most historic settlement in the Moreton region, being named
by Major Lockyer in 1825 after the red soil in the riverbank. In 1832 a government outstation
was established at Redbank for sheep and cattle breeding. The Moreton region was later opened
for free settlement by the government in 1842 and the first land sales occurred in July that year.
The Redbank area grew into an industrial centre, using river transport and a roadway that
extended from Limestone (Ipswich) through Redbank to Brisbane. Farming and grazing
continued in Redbank Plains with cotton becoming the primary crop during the 1860's. In
January 1870, the Queensland Times reported that the total area sown for cotton growing in
Redbank Plains was 1299 acres. Other primary production in the area included sugar cane,
maize, lucerne, dairy farming and timber cutting.
Pioneer Settlers
James Josey is known as the 'Father of Redbank Plains' after becoming the largest landowner in
the Redbank Plains District. Born in Aldworth, Berkshire England, 12 August 1821, James Josey
was the son of a sawyer. In 1840 he was convicted for robbing a wagon and sentenced to 15
years penal servitude. He travelled on the convict ship 'Eden' to Australia and was sent to
Moreton Bay in April 1841.
After working on a farm in Limestone (now Ipswich), James received his ticket of leave in April
1847, which entitled him to take up any occupation he wished. James entered into a partnership
with a carpenter William Vowles. Along with a sawyer named Crouch, these men became
pioneer sawyers at Pine Mountain and were involved in building the early houses of Ipswich.
In 1859 James Josey and George Faircloth purchased the first 1000 acres around Opossum
Creek. They leased and later purchased another 5700 adjoining acres. James also owned
acreage in Redbank Plains, 420 acres, and New Chum, 106 acres. By the 1870's he owned
approximately 27km2 (2700 ha) in the district.
Eden Station was the name given to the main property on which James and his family resided.
The farm initially produced timber and cattle, and later sugar and cotton crops. The operation
was considered so successful that the Governor took visitors to Eden Station to show how
convicts could succeed in the new colony.
Indigenous History
The Redbank-Goodna area was an important centre for Aboriginal occupation up until the late
1800's. The section along Goodna Creek, now known as Goupong Park, was a major camp area.
Archaeological surveys in the area revealed a large site (approx. 1000m2) to the east of Goodna
Creek, on the western boundary of the rifle range. Remnants of flakes of chert, silcrete and
siliceous stone have been found in the area. Other material including ceramics were also found,
however, the origin of this material is unclear.
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3. The flat south of Goodna Railway Station along Bertha Street was known as a camp area for
visitors, possibly from the Redbank Plains area. Historical records suggest that a bora ring and
ceremonial grounds were located at Redbank, near the Redbank Hotel where the railway
workshops are now located. There is also a bora ring at Camira, on the Ipswich-Brisbane
boundary.
An archaeological inspection conducted in 1991 found three Aboriginal sites and a few isolated
artefact scatters within the Woogaroo and Opossum Creek catchment area. Two sites are near
the junction of Woogaroo and Opossum Creeks, while the other is on Opossum Creek
approximately 1km east of the former Eden homestead. This site is regionally significant as it is
close to the Camira Bora Ring, 'Ngutanalui'. Other areas of cultural significance exist within the
White Rock/Spring Mountain Conservation Estate.
Timber Logging
In 1876 timber on the Josey property along Opossum Creek was considered to be of the best
quality with native species such as Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii), Red cedar (Toona
austalis), Black Bean (Castanospermum australe) and Bumpy Ash (Flindersia schottiana)
being logged.
Large amounts of timber were taken by bullock teams to the Goodna wharf and shipped to
Ipswich and Brisbane. Native timbers were continually logged after the Josey family by the
Kruger sawmill and then later by Burnie Boards for hardboard production.
Experimental logging plots were planted in the area using exotic pines, Sydney blue gum
(Eucalyptus saligna), Flooded gum (Eucalyptus grandis) and Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis)
for logging purposes. Remnants of these stands still exist within the Springfield Lakes
development along Opossum, Mountain and Woogaroo Creeks.
Military History
The Redbank Rifle Range was developed in 1912 for use by local sporting shooters and to
establish a reserve defence force. The Rifle Range was used for military training exercises
during World War I and World War II. Firing ranges also existed to the south of Redbank Plains
towards White Rock. Three gunpits were constructed of low walls of small sandstone blocks,
built in semi-circles around dug-out depressions in the ground. Remnants of the gunpits still
exist today along the ridgeline south west of White Rock.
During World War II a large army camp was established at Redbank. The first contingent of
400 men marched into the camp on 21 October 1939, with the initial quota of 2500 men being
reached soon afterwards. The camp gradually developed into a small township with huts,
hospitals, a post office, bank, water supply and sewerage lines established. At the height of the
war up to 6000 troops were based at Redbank.
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4. In 1942 and 1943 approximately 80 000 soldiers from the US 32nd Division were based at
Camp Cable, Jimboomba. These soldiers trained around White Rock and Spring Mountain,
particularly the area where the Redbank Plains Library and Recreational Reserve are today. In
1966, soldiers from 6RAR (6th Royal Australian Regiment) trained at Spring Mountain. These
soldiers fought in the Battle of Long Tan in the Vietnam War, 1967.
Mining Operations
The first mining operation in the area was a small coal mine along the southern banks of the
Brisbane River, Redbank opening in 1843 by John Williams. The 'Pioneer Mine' supplied coal
for the steamship 'Sovereign' for a short time. Large coal deposits were later discovered in the
1850's and numerous mining operations soon developed between Redbank and Blackstone.
The Red Hill Mine opened in 1866 but was later abandoned in the mid 1870's. In 1881, James
Gulland of the Old Tivoli Mine resumed work at Red Hill. The alternate name New Chum was
used for the mine site and soon became the name for the whole area. By 1884, the mine shaft
was more than 60m deep and produced 130-140 tonnes per day. James Gulland paid for the
construction of a branch railway connecting the mine with the main Ipswich-Brisbane railway
line and built 28 four-roomed cottages for his employees at New Chum. In 1987 Aberdare
Collieries Pty Ltd bought the township of New Chum and auctioned the buildings for removal or
demolition to expand its open cut mining operations.
Pottery and brickworks industries were well established in the area by the 1890's. Products such
as crockery, drain pipes, bricks, water bottles, butter coolers, flower pots, and stove and gutter
tiles were produced. In 1931, a brickworks at New Chum was opened to produce firebricks for
furnaces, engine blocks for railways and some house bricks. It was later sold to Claypave in
1985.
A down draft double-chamber kiln with its distinctive bottle shaped top was built in 1933 at
Redbank, and can still be seen from the Ipswich Motorway. It is believed to be the only
remaining kiln of its type in Australia. This historical site was the first in Queensland to produce
electric and industrial porcelain. Owner and builder, Mr Bill Milner, now makes specialist
industrial ceramics and is also involved in developing waste disposal techniques. The Redbank
Pottery Works is located on the original site of the 1850s brickworks owned by J.E.Campbell.
Flora & Fauna
Over 1300 species of plants and animals have been recorded in the Six Mile, Woogaroo and
Goodna Creeks Catchment area, with approximately 90% being native species. Exotic, or
introduced, species include: blue billygoat weed, groundsel, chinese elm, salvinia, lantana,
camphor laurel, cane toad, spotted turtle dove, common myna, fox and hare.
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5. Thirteen significant flora and fauna species have been recorded for the catchment, existing
primarily in small remnants along Woogaroo and Opossum Creeks, within the Spring
Mountain / White Rock Conservation Estate and in a remnant of woodland heath at Camira.
Most of these species only exist as a few isolated specimens and are currently threatened by
urban development and expansion of light industries. These species have been classified as rare,
endangered or vulnerable under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 and Nature
Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 1994, as follows:
Fauna
Species Classification Description
Black-breasted
button-quail
Turnix
melanogaster
Vulnerable The distinctive plate-shaped scratchings of the
Black-breated button-quail have been sighted within
the scrub along Opossum Creek. The quail tends to
prefer the wet forests but also occurs in the drier vine
forests and amongst lantana thickets. It is usually
found in small family groups and will quickly
disappear when disturbed.
Black-chinned
Honeyeater
Melithreptus
gularis
Rare The Black-chinned Honeyeater has been recorded in
eucalypt forests along Woogaroo Creek, Redbank
Plains and within the Springfield estate, favouring
the shelter of riparian habitats.
Glossy Black
Cockatoo
Calyptorhynchus
lathami
Vulnerable The Glossy Black Cockatoo has been recorded in
Bellbird Park, Goodna and Spring Mountain/White
Rock Conservation Estate. It feeds primarily on the
seed capsules of sheoaks (Allocasuarina sp.) and
breeds between March and August, nesting in tree
hollows. This species is often mistaken for the Red-
tailed Black Cockatoo, which is bigger and has a
larger head crest.
Green-thighed
Frog
Litoria
brevipalmata
Rare The rare Green-thighed Frog was first recorded
along Woogaroo Creek, Bellbird Park in 1991. It is a
small rich brown frog, approximately 40mm long,
with brilliant green to blue coloured thights and
groin area. The species only occurs in a few areas
from Southern Queensland to Sydney and has been
known to quickly disappear from a site.
Grey Goshawk
Accipiter
novaehollandiae
Rare The only recent recorded sighting of the rare Grey
Goshawk has been at Bellbird Park, along Woogaroo
Creek. Sometimes known as the white goshawk, it
can be distinguished by its powerful yellow legs and
red eyes. Breeding occurs between August and
December, raising two to four chicks.
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6. Powerful Owl
Ninox strenua
Vulnerable The Powerful Owl has been recorded along
Woogaroo and Opossum Creek and within the White
Rock Conservation Estate. It tends to roost in the
dense riparian vegetation during the day and hunts
in open forests and suburban gardens for small
mammals and birds at night.
Richmond
Birdwing
Ornithoptera
richmondia
Vulnerable The Richmond Birdwing butterfly has been listed as
a vulnerable species due to the loss of its preferred
habitat. It feeds primarily on pipe vines in rainforest
areas. The introduced Dutchman's Pipe Vine,
Aristolochia elegans, has had a detrimental impact
on the species by attracting egg-laying females, then
killing the larvae that feed on it. The only record of
this species within the SWAG catchment is within a
remnant of Woogaroo Scrub along Woogaroo Creek,
Goodna.
Flora
Species Classification Description
Hairy
Hazelwood
Symplocos
haroldii
Rare
Indigofera
baileyi
Rare Small herb with several slender stems. Small pink
flowers appear in spring to summer.
Plectranthus
habrophyllus
Endangered
Plectrantus
suaveolens
Rare This sweet smelling shrub has branches up to 80cm
long, with short white hairs. Flowers are along racemes
up to 35cm long, and are predominantly blue to violet.
Flowering occurs most of the year round.
Plunkett
Mallee
Eucalyptus
curtisii
Rare The plunkett malee is a smooth-barked multi-stemmed
tree growing to approximately 6-8 metres. It is generally
found growing on sandy or stony clay soils, often in
sandstone areas. Flowering occurs in spring as clusters
of fluffy white flowers. E. curtisii is the floral emblem of
Ipswich and makes an excellent ornamental for home
gardens.
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7. Slender
Milkvine
Marsdenia
coronata
Vulnerable A very slender, small, twining vine that grows as an
understorey plant in open eucalypt forests. It has only
been located in a few places in South East Queensland
including White Rock Conservation Estate. Flowering
occurs in spring and autumn.
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