• Warm and Temperate
  
• Maximum rainfall in summer
  
• Rainfall average 1000-1200 mm
  
• Rainfall variability inhibits the formation of true sub-tropical rainforests.

The original vegetation that once covered the district was referred to as ‘Araucarian Vine Scrub’ i.e. forests dominated by emergent Hoop Pine (Araucaria Cunningham), nothphyl (medium sized leaves) and microphyl (small leaved) trees which supported vines. Within this general classification three sub-groups could be identified depending on localized growing conditions including soil type, topography and local climatic conditions. No extensive areas of this original vegetation remain in the district. However a six hectare example of the districts former vegetation survives at ‘Smiths Rainforest’ in the Brookfield Valley.

• The Brisbane River forms 60% of the District Boundary.
  
• It is by far the largest watercourse in the catchment.
  
• The Brisbane River is now tidal nearly up to the Mt. Crosby dam but prior to the extensive river dredging was fresh water to well below where Pullen Pullen Creek flows into the river.
  
• Frequent flooding prevents full utilization of land along the river.

• The main creek, Pullen Pullen, and its tributaries (including Pullen Creek) drain 60% (33 sq/km) of the catchment.
  
  
• Farm Creek drains 9% (5sq/km) of the catchment.
  
  
• The headwaters of Pullen Pullen Creek and Pullen Creek are in the D’Aguilar and Mount Elphinstone Ranges. The upper reaches of the creek are ephemeral and supports dry schlerophyll eucalyptus forest. The middle and lower reaches are perennial (except in severe drought conditions) and in these sections the creeks support riparian vine scrub.
  
  
• Small ephemeral creeks drain Bellbowrie, Moggill and Priors Pocket.

Aborigines who spoke the Turrbal language populated the district in significant numbers. At lease five bul (bora ring in European term) were present in the district signifying a relatively high aboriginal population. Aboriginal people were aware of the seasonal flowering and fruiting of the plants throughout the district moving in and out of the area depending on the relative abundance of fruit and animals.

The aboriginal population declined as European numbers increased in south-east Queensland. Decline occurred mainly through introduced disease, dispossession of tribal lands and the movement of aboriginal people away from their tribal lands. By the 1860’s only 200 of the estimated 500 aborigines living in the Moreton Bay region in 1824 remained.

Coal provided the impetus for opening the district to European settlement. Steam packers and river barges provided the only means of long distance travel for earlier settlers. In 1848 coal mining at Moggill commenced. Further prospecting continued in the district for the next 100 years. Slate was commercially exploited and a basalt quarry on the Brisbane River near the junction of Mt Crosby and Hawkesbury was worked for many years. Brisbane City Council has recently gazetted the old quarry as a public park.

Commercial timber commenced in the district in the 1860s. The main logging timbers included Hoop Pine, Red Cedar, Rosewood, eucalyptus hardwoods. Bullock teams and wagons transported the timbers to Moggill Creek at Rafting Grounds where it was floated via the Brisbane River to timber mills down stream in Brisbane. Hardwoods, being too dense to float, were transported to Brisbane via bullock teams. After World War One, lorries performed the task. By 1876, all the Red cedar and most of the Hoop Pine was depleted. Timber getting continued regularly during the 20th Century up to World War Two. Intermittent logging of Moggill State Forest continues.

Up until about the 1960s there were only about 80 families living in the district and by the 1970s this had increased to 600 families. Today over 10,000 people reside in the district. Although there are growing suburban areas at Bellbowrie and diminishing lot sizes in residential developments such as Woodcrest Estate at Pullenvale, the majority of the district is classified as semi-rural under the Brisbane City Council Planning Act with lot size generally restricted to a minimum of one hectare.

Since the cessation of farming natural regeneration has been progressing and many residents settling in the area have revegetated their private properties thereby contributing to an overall increase in tree cover since logging and large scale farming ceased. However, much of this revegetation was with species other than local varieties and quite a few of these such as Chinese elms, Camphor laurels, lantana etc have now been declared as weeds.

PPCG recommends that revegetation uses native species, especially local ones, and that exotics, and in particular those now classified as weeds, be removed.

Increasing population density and consequent urbanisation invariably bring a diminishing of fauna and flora species in any natural environment and Pullen Pullen Creek Catchment is no exception. Public awareness of the value of maintaining a diverse and healthy habitat is essential in reversing this decline and preserving our natural and cultural heritage.

Footnote

We would like to thank Ian Cameron (former President of the PPCG) for permitting information from his book "A Green and Pleasant Land” to be included in this article.