So, on Thursday March 5 we transferred to Toowoomba, 130 Km westward from Brisbane, via the Warrego highway. Toowoomba is 950 km North of Sydney and is situated on top of the Great Dividing Range at 700meters above sea level.
The city is Australia’s largest inland city (non capital), with a population of 100,000 and now with an amalgamated municipality of 200,000. It is know for its natural environment and garden beauty, and for its educational hub with day, state and boarding schools plus a University.
So where Brisbane had been 32-34 degrees C all week we are now in cooler temperatures of 27-28 by day and 18 at night – and bright clear skies. This area west of ‘the Divide’ has been in drought for the last 8 years, their reservoirs are at only 10% of capacity – lawn watering will probably never be permitted again from town supplies. While water is very limited – no water is permitter for agriculture like vineyards unless the water is sourced from very deep artesian bores. Daily water consumption in homes is limited to 140 litres per capita.
Crops like corn, sorghum, wheat, canola, soybeans and sunflowers are planted through a three month window trying to maximise moisture potential using zero tillage planters into maximum high stover . Tanks of 5000 litres or greater are common at houses both rural and urban to catch rainwater and are mostly plumbed into the house. Most toilets are dual flush at half or full flush via two buttons – government subsidies are available for changeover to water conserving measures. Water from bath tubs, showers, sinks dishwashers and laundry is used as ‘grey water’ for gardens and lawns which really respond to this water.
In banking a viable financial plan has to show viability with minimum water supply over up to 5 or 7 years based on averages i.e. peak rainfall cannot be used as the expectation every year to prove viability.
Currently it is hoped that the cyclone (hurricane) moving Southward down the Queensland coast will bring much needed rainfall to the South East inland areas West of the Great Dividing Range. It has been said that 150mm (6 inches) of rain over say three days could be sufficient to substantially fill the three main dams around Toowoomba. It used to be that average rainfall was in the range of 800/900mm per year in this area, but it mostly comes over a short period and much just runs off.
To deal with this much of the rural land is contour ridged to retain water run off and minimise erosion. Last year the rainfall in the catchment area was only 375 mm which is less than half of normal.
Grapes come into flower in October and are harvested in February.
We have noted that Frasers is a very large livestock trucking firm based in Warwick (South of Toowoomba) and operates throughout Eastern Australia. They transport dairy and beef cattle, sheep etc.
The Sunday we arrived was National Cleanup Australia Day – however it really strikes you how little garbage there is to be seen along roads, streets, parks and even around fast food restaurants. Recently Toowoomba was judged to be Australia’s Tidy Town winner.
Milk and cheese are less expensive while eggs are more so in the stores compared to Canada.
There is a high range of fresh fruit and vegetables in the grocery stores and at the farmers market mostly sourced in Queensland and a lot of the vegetables are from the Lockyer Valley, a fertile area located between Toowoomba and Brisbane.
Barry
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