The Rise Of The Country, Which Is Very Generally
Supposed To Have Taken Place, Was Probably The Cause Of The Disappearance
Of The Water, And Of The Animals Becoming Extinct, When Its Necessary
Supply Ceased To Exist.
Similar remains have been found in Wellington
Valley, and in the Port Phillip District, where, probably, similar
changes have taken place.
The elevation of Darling Downs - about 1800 to 2000 feet, according to the
barometrical observations of Mr. Cunningham - renders the climate much
cooler than its latitude would lead one to suppose; indeed, ice has
frequently been found, during the calm clear nights of winter. During
September and October, we observed at sunrise an almost perfect calm.
About nine o'clock, light westerly winds set in, which increased towards
noon, died away towards evening, and after sunset, were succeeded by
light easterly breezes; thunder-storms rose from south and south-west,
and passed over with a violent gust of wind and heavy showers of rain;
frequently, in half an hour's time, the sky was entirely clear again;
sometimes, however, the night and following day were cloudy.
The plains, as we passed, were covered with the most luxuriant grass and
herbage. Plants of the leguminosae and compositae, were by far the most
prevalent; the colour of the former, generally a showy red, that of the
latter, a bright yellow. Belts of open forest land, principally composed
of the Box-tree of the Colonists (a species of Eucalyptus), separate the
different plains; and patches of scrub, consisting of several species of
Acacias, and of a variety of small trees, appear to be the outposts of
the extensive scrubs of the interior.
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