



Produced by Nick Wall, Brisbane, Australia. <nick0252@live.com.au>








     1891.

     QUEENSLAND.

     REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF PORTS AND HARBOURS
     FOR THE YEAR 1890-91.

     Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command.





TO THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL TREASURER.


     Department of Ports and Harbours,
     Brisbane, 26th August, 1891.


SIR,--I have the honour to submit, for your information, the following
Report concerning this Department for the past year:--

I assumed charge on the 1st July, 1890, and found that the heavy gales
and floods experienced in January of the same year had most seriously
affected several of the dredged cuttings of the Brisbane, Mary, Burnett,
and Fitzroy Rivers. In some places the Brisbane River had silted up to
such an extent that there were fully 18 inches less water than before
the flood. This, however, only proved a temporary inconvenience, as the
dredges soon restored the cuttings to their original depths. I also
found that considerable changes had taken place in the formation of the
banks at the northern entrance to Moreton Bay, necessitating the
removal--to make the lead effective--of Tangaluma Light (which had only
been established in 1885), also the removal (for the fourth time) of the
Yellow Patch Light, and the building of two new cottages for the
lightkeepers. Owing to the encroachment of the sea, it had also been
found necessary to remove Comboyuro Point Lighthouse and the keeper's
cottage some 200 feet further inland. This work was accomplished by the
Inspector, Mr. H. L. Pethebridge. The floating beacon which marked the
northern entrance to the port had been ashore on Bribie Island for some
time, but, during the first interval of settled westerly weather, she
was floated and brought to Brisbane to be repaired and supplied with new
moorings, after which she was on the 8th August replaced in her former
position, and by the end of October the works of the Department
generally, which had suffered in the early portion of the year, were
restored.

In January and February of the present year another series of heavy
gales was experienced along the whole coast of the Colony, and on the
6th, 7th, and 8th of June a gale of unusual severity, accompanied by
torrents of rain, swept along the coast from Bowen southwards, causing
heavy seas and abnormally high tides. Such unfavourable weather, of
course, occasioned considerable loss to the Department, a great number
of buoys being driven from their moorings (some lost altogether), and
beacons and other plant receiving a large amount of damage.




MORETON BAY AND BRISBANE RIVER.

The banks at the northern entrance to Moreton Bay are constantly
shifting, and the maintenance of the necessary lights and buoys to
enable vessels to enter and clear the port in safety is a source of
continual anxiety. The floating beacon, which had broken adrift during
the month of February, disappeared altogether on the 10th March; and
although diligently searched for, no trace of her has been discovered.
Two valuable buoys disappeared from the outer banks about the same time.
The floating beacon has been replaced by a new second-class (Trinity
pattern) steel conical buoy, surmounted with a staff and cage, the top
of which is 12 feet above the water, forming a most conspicuous object.
New buoys have been moored in the positions of those lost.

No. 1 cutting, Hamilton Reach, has now a depth of 17 feet at low water,
spring tides; and the entrance to the bar cutting is being dredged to a
similar depth. The increased depth of water in these cuttings is of
considerable importance to vessels of heavy draught. A depth of 15 feet
at low water, spring tides, is fully maintained in the other cuttings,
but there are several shallow places in the town reaches of the river
which require attention.

The more recent gales and floods do not appear to have injuriously
affected the dredged cuttings of the Brisbane River. Several new beacons
have been erected to replace those blown down or found defective; and,
to render them more conspicuous, heads have been placed on some of the
beacons marking the bar cutting. Beyond some slight repairs, now being
effected, all the sea and river marks for the navigation of this port
are in good order, and the various buildings are not likely to require
any extensive repairs for some time.

The apparatus at the various lighthouses in Moreton Bay are in good
order, with the exception of the reflectors at Cape Moreton, which will
shortly require re-silvering. This work can be done locally.

The sea-pilot steamer "Advance" continues to do her work satisfactorily,
and is most usefully employed at her present station. She is only used
for towing in cases of emergency, so that her earnings in that respect
are very limited.

The "Laura" is a most useful vessel, and is kept fully employed
performing the various duties of the Department. She is, however,
seventeen years old, and her hull shows signs of weakness, although her
engines and boiler are in good order.

The "Pippo" requires a new boiler and certain repairs to her hull. To
efficiently carry out the work of the Department at this port, I find a
third steamer indispensable, as the "Advance" must be kept at her
station, and it is impossible for the "Laura" to successfully perform
all the other work of the Department; and should either break down, a
third steamer would be necessary as a relieving vessel.

The Nautical Surveyor (Mr. E. A. Cullen) has just finished a survey of
the northern half of Moreton Bay, a work which was rendered necessary