The first collection of rocks from the Bingara district has been collected and delivered to the Bingara riverscape site at the northern end of Maitland Street.
The rocks have been sourced from across the district and represent a geological transect from Copeton Dam to Killarney Gap.
“The rocks will serve three purposes,” said Bingara and District Vision 20/20 Secretary, Rick Hutton. “They will form a vehicle barrier to prevent cars driving onto the parklands, they will provide a natural look in keeping with the beauty of the site, and they will have an educational aspect showcasing the variety of rocks that make the Bingara district one of the most geologically diverse in the world,” he said.
“The rocks include recent volcanics (20 million years old) from near Mount Kaputar, conglomerates like those at the Glacial area, pieces of limestone from an ancient coral reef near Caroda, 300 million year old mudstones from just west of Bingara, columnar basalt from the Benbraggie Hills and granite from near Copeton Dam,” Rick explained.
“The rocks will be laid out along the Keera Street side of the riverscape park in the same order and scale that they occur along the Copeton to Killarney Gap transect.”Rick said. “An explanation of their types and features will be included on a notice board being included in the Riverscape, and there will be a guide pamphlet for those who wish to go out and see from where the rocks originated,” he added.
Vision 20/20 representatives Rick Hutton and Paul Moulton supervised the collection. “Our thanks to go to Keith “Kingy” King for his amazing bobcat work and to Steve McGarrity from Gwydir Shire Council who made the four trips back into town to deliver the rocks,”Rick said. “…and to Don, Gay and Jason Mack, Don and Jen Capel, and to the Mack family at “Araluen”, for their guidance and assistance in locating the rocks.”
“We will need to source a few more special feature rocks to complete the transect,” Rick said.“The Riverscape Park is starting to take shape well and the stormwater catchment pond, banks and swales, fencing and first stage plantings are well underway.
A working bee will be held within the next couple of months to complete the planting and to “shape” the pond. All community members will be most welcome to help out with this work,” Rick concluded.
