22-Nov-2000 -- I was in central Queensland visiting one of the many
large open cut coal mines there. The road I intended to take would have taken me
within 10 km of a confluence point and I intended trying to get closer if possible.
Heavy rain and flooding meant that I had to take the long way to the mine, a very
long way, but I was happy to find that this route went right past another confluence
point. After 3.5 hours driving I found that 23S 149E lies just 750 metres east of the
Fitzroy Developmental Road, 37 kilometres south of the mining town of Middlemount.
The point is on a grazing property called Merion which carries about 1300
beef cattle on an area of 7680 hectares (18400 acres). It was an easy walk over
cleared grazing country to reach the point and record it. Returning to the car, I found
Peter Bambling, the owner of the property, waiting curious to know what I was doing.
His main concern was that I might have introduced seed of Parthenium, a noxious
weed that he has managed to keep out of Merion. After satisfying him about the weed
issue we got down to the reason for my visit and ended up chatting for ages.