The Forgotten Valley
This is an EarthCache, so there is no physical container to find.
To log this EarthCache, you will need to visit the location, read the information below and send me your answers to five questions about your observations and the type of geology found at this location.
St Albans
It seems no one can quite remember why the rocky slopes and fertile plains that rise from the banks of the Macdonald River are known as The Forgotten Valley. One theory is that most of the people who settled this beautiful region in the early 1800s were ex-convicts who wanted the world to forget about them as they started a new life.
The trip to St Albans from Wiseman’s Ferry is breathtaking. As you drive up the valley, you will be flanked by sandstone mountains on either side with some quite expansive flat land down near river level. Forgotten plantations of trees, all in neat straight rows, dot the route.
Originally known as Macdonald (after the river on which it is located) the settlement then became the "Town of St Albans" before becoming simply St Albans in 1841. It was named after St Albans, a town in Hertfordshire, England which lies north of London. St Albans was the birthplace of Anne Smith who married Thomas Bailey. Their son, John Bailey, was an early and important local citizen.
Possibly, the oldest building in St Albans is the Settlers Arms Inn built from convict hewn local sandstone. It is a two-storey pub, full of authentic, historic charm and dates from 1836 when it became a popular watering hole for the cattle drovers taking animals through to the Hunter Valley, the local farmers who came to the jetty to trade and collect supplies, and the riverboat workers who knew St Albans as the limit of navigation. It was also a stopover point for Cobb & Co. stagecoaches travelling between Sydney and Newcastle in the 19th century. Today the Settlers Arms Inn, remains largely unaltered and is hugely popular on weekends.
Did you know there’s a courthouse in St Albans? Located at 19 Upper Macdonald Road, the historic stone Police Court House and Lockup, built in 1890, is now privately owned and has been turned into a guest house. The previous Court House and watch house were washed away in the floods of 1889 with one description recording...
"On Tuesday the 28th May, the river rose to 45 feet above the usual level. The Police Station, Stables, Boatshed and all the fencing were washed away. The courthouse was left standing but worked out of position. A great proportion of the Police paddock was washed into the river. Constable Gilbert lost all his furniture and clothing. He had wisely taken the precaution to place all books, papers, etc. belonging to the Police Station and Court House high up in the latter building, but they were removed by the rush of water, and, with the Government and Police Gazettes, were lost."
It was replaced by the present building in 1890. Not surprisingly, it was located on the hillside to prevent destruction by future floods.
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To Claim This Earthcache:
Please answer the following questions by going to my public profile (click on my username) and use either the "Send Message" or "Send Email" link. Include the earthcache title in your correspondence. You can log your find immediately, however, I ask that answers to the questions be sent to me as soon as you are able to. I read all emails to verify the answers and will send a confirmation email back to you. There is no need to email me photos. Just upload any photos with your log.
Questions:
1. Standing at GZ, describe the river scene around you. Please use as much detail as possible in your observations.
2. Pick up a handful of sand and examine it. Describe the colour and texture you observe.
3. What impurities, if any, are mixed with the sand?
4. What is the most common ingredient of sand found in inland areas?
5. What is a sand slug?
Optional - Take a photo of you and/or your geocaching name and/or your GPS device at GZ with the Settlers Arms pub in the background. Brownie Points if you have all four in the one photo. LOL
Earth Science Lesson
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. It is defined by size, being finer than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of soil or soil type; i.e., a soil containing more than 85 percent sand-sized particles by mass.
The composition of sand varies, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal settings is silica (silicon dioxide, or SiO2), usually in the form of quartz. The second most common type of sand is calcium carbonate, for example, aragonite, which has mostly been created, over the past half billion years, by various forms of life, like coral and shellfish. For example, it is the primary form of sand apparent in areas where reefs have dominated the ecosystem for millions of years like the Caribbean.
The Macdonald River system is a confined sand bed reach caused by deposition from sandstone geology. Accordingly, the Macdonald River is a naturally sandy bed river system.
However, the river currently has extensive sand slugs.
Sand slugs are large deposits of sediment which move slowly downstream and are created episodically. Sand slugs potentially alter the natural composition of freshwater fauna and may take several hundred years to flush from a system. Sand slugs can be caused by natural or unnatural events.
Sedimentation is a natural process and sand bars would have occurred naturally in this system. There were also deep pools and permanent surface flow. However, due to the European land use practices of grazing and cropping, along with more intense and frequent fire regimes, catchment sediment yield has increased and sand slugs have filled-in pools, creating a flat sandy bed with no surface flow. The sedimentation is thought to be in response to clearing and grazing from Howes Valley and the eastern side of the catchment and exacerbated by major bushfires. Flooding some 60–70 years ago would also have been a contributing factor to sediment yield increases.
Many of the minor tributaries to the Macdonald River are steeper so any excess sand has been flushed out, leaving them in good geomorphic condition. Upstream of Howes Valley, the river’s geomorphological condition is good. The rest of the river’s length within the Macdonald sub-catchment is in poor condition due to the presence of sand slugs.
Getting to GZ:
From Sydney - Travel to Wiseman's Ferry. If you prefer a sealed road all the way, cross the Hawkesbury River via the Webbs Creek Ferry and travel approximately 20km to St Albans. Alternatively, cross the Hawkesbury River via the Wisemans Ferry then turn left once across. The road is sealed for a portion then becomes a gravel road. A really nice day out is to do the round trip circuit.
St Albans can also be accessed from the north via Mangrove Mountain, Spencer and Gunderman. You can also travel from Bucketty to St Albans however that section is unsealed and may not be suitable after wet weather.
Please Note: There is no mobile phone coverage at St Albans.
A visit to St Albans is always a great day out so I hope you enjoy coming to this lovely part of the world and learning about the natural landscape.
Cheers, Calypso62
References Consulted:
- Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) – McDonald River, Yengo National Park Wild River Assessment – December, 2006.
- Wikipedia - Sand
- St Albans Article - Sydney Morning Herald, 31st May, 2008
- Aussie Towns - St Albans, NSW
- Settlers Arms Inn website
FTF Honours
teamMerlin
An Educated Earthcacher
Did you know that NSW has a geocaching association? Geocaching NSW aims to enhance and improve the activity of geocaching and holds regular events where geocachers meet to enjoy their common interests. Visit the association website here.