Bunya Mountains#Indigenous significance

{{Infobox mountain range

| name = Bunya Mountains

| native_name =

| other_name =

| etymology =

| photo = BunyaMtns-Creek.jpg

| photo_caption = A small creek in the national park

| country = Australia

| state = Queensland

| region =

| district =

| border =

| highest=Mount Kiangarow

| elevation_m = 1135

| range_coordinates = {{coord|26|50|S|151|33|E|type:mountain_region:AU_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates =

| length_km = | length_orientation =

| width_km = | width_orientation =

| area_km2 =

| geology = Shield Volcano

| orogeny =

| period = Jurassic

| map = Queensland

| map_caption = Location in Queensland

}}

The Bunya Mountains are a distinctive set of peaks forming an isolated section of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland. The mountain range forms the northern edge of the Darling Downs in the locality also called Bunya Mountains near Bell and Dalby. The mountains are south of Kingaroy and just to the south west of Nanango. The range is the remains of a shield volcano which was built from

numerous basalt lava flows about 23–24 million years ago.{{cite web |url=http://www.qld.gsa.org.au/rockland_files/BBBunya.pdf |title=The Bunya Mountains |date=April 1995 |publisher=Geological Society of Australia Incorporated |access-date=2009-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305075101/http://www.qld.gsa.org.au/rockland_files/BBBunya.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}

In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Bunya Mountains was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "Natural attraction".{{Cite web|url=http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|title=PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS|last=Bligh|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Bligh|date=10 June 2009|publisher=Queensland Government|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|archive-date=24 May 2017|access-date=24 May 2017}}

Landforms

The range rises to an average elevation of 975 m; however the two tallest mountains on the range, Mount Kiangarow and Mount Mowbullan, rise to over 1,100 m.{{cite book |title=Natural Areas of Queensland |last=Shilton |first=Peter |year=2005 |publisher=Goldpress |location=Mount Gravatt, Queensland |isbn=0-9758275-0-2 |pages=211–214 }} Slopes facing the north east are part of the Burnett River catchment, those on the south east make up part of the Brisbane River catchment, while those facing the south west belong to the Condamine River catchment and ultimately the Murray-Darling River system.

Vegetation

File:StateLibQld 1 252681 Loggers at their camp in the Bunya Mountains, 1912.jpg

The mountains are covered with ancient conifer rainforest that co-exists with a number of other unique natural features - 'balds' which are open grasslands including some that contain rare grass species,{{cite web |url=http://tourism.southburnett.com.au/townbunya.htm |title=Bunya Mountains |access-date=1 July 2010 |publisher=South Burnett Tourism }} vine, and sclerophyll forests.

Parts of the forest were once logged for various timbers including red cedar, bunya pine and hoop pine. However, most of the peaks are completely uncleared and covered in forest as the range was too steep for early timber clearers. The mountains are home to the largest natural Bunya pine forest in the world.

File:StateLibQld 2 394249 Rainforest trees, Bunya Mountains, 1913.jpg

Indigenous significance

The Bunya Mountains and neighbouring areas were the focus of major gatherings of Indigenous Australians from South East and Central Queensland to north east New South Wales. The gatherings occurred during the seasons when the bountiful nuts of the bunya pine ripened, from December through to March, and especially during 'bumper crops' which appeared to occur about every three or four years. These were evidently the largest and widest-attended Indigenous gatherings in Australia.Markwell Consulting, 2010. Bonye Buru Booburrgan Ngmmunge - Bunya Mountains Aboriginal Aspirations and Caring for Country Plan (Plan). Climbers would use a strong vine around their waist and the tree, which can be up to 1.5 m in width and up to 50 m tall, to reach the nuts.{{cite web |url=http://www.cobbandco.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Aboriginal+and+Torres+Strait+Islander+Cultures/Gatherings/Bunya+Mountains+Gathering |title=Bunya Mountains Gathering |access-date=2 July 2010 |publisher=Queensland Museum }} Members of the guest tribes were not allowed to climb or collect nuts from the tree. Apart from feasting on bunya nuts, participants engaged in a variety of intertribal activities: games and sports, ceremony, trade, knowledge exchange, the arrangement of marriages and the settling of disputes. 1902 was the final known gathering on the range.

Indigenous groups such as the Wakka Wakka, Githabul, Kabi Kabi, Jarowair, Gooreng Gooreng, Butchella, Quandamooka, Barrangum, Yiman and Willi Willi traditional owners have continued cultural and spiritual connections to the Bunya Mountains to this day, a number of strategies including the use of traditional ecological knowledge have been incorporated into the current management practices of the national park and conservation reserves with the Bunya Murri Ranger project currently operating in the mountains.Queensland Government, 2012. Bunya Mountains National Park Management Statement 2012 (Management Plan). Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing.

Tourism

Image:BunyaMtns-NE.jpg and Kingaroy regions.]]

Much of the area is protected as the Bunya Mountains National Park, the state's second oldest National Park, being established in 1908. There are many picnic spots, walking tracks, lookouts and a few camping grounds on the range, as well as a variety of cottage and group accommodation facilities for families, friends, and school camp groups. Along the walking tracks, which lead to lookouts that offer views of the surrounding countryside, flora such as ferns and staghorns, as well as the unique Bunya Pine, can be seen. Waterfalls add to the scenic beauty.

Image:BunyaMtns-SW.jpg.]]

In the small patches of cleared land that are used by tourists, colourful birds such as Australian king parrots and rosellas can be seen. Fauna such as wallabies, scrub turkeys, koalas, echidnas and possums may be seen. The unique Bunya pine is known for its Bunya nuts which were a favoured food of local Australian Aboriginals.

Climate

The mountains have a highland subtropical climate that is significantly cooler and wetter than the surrounding plains. Heavy winter frosts and even light snow occasionally occur on the highest peaks, while in summer, the mountains experience frequent heavy storms which contributes to the lush rainforest.

{{Weather box|width=auto

|location = Mount Mowbullan

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high C = 38.3

|Feb record high C = 37.7

|Mar record high C = 31.8

|Apr record high C = 27.4

|May record high C = 24.1

|Jun record high C = 20.7

|Jul record high C = 19.9

|Aug record high C = 24.2

|Sep record high C = 30.0

|Oct record high C = 31.8

|Nov record high C = 34.0

|Dec record high C = 36.7

|year record high C = 38.3

|Jan high C = 26.1

|Feb high C = 25.7

|Mar high C = 23.2

|Apr high C = 19.8

|May high C = 16.2

|Jun high C = 13.1

|Jul high C = 12.7

|Aug high C = 13.9

|Sep high C = 16.7

|Oct high C = 20.5

|Nov high C = 23.8

|Dec high C = 25.9

|year high C = 19.8

|Jan low C = 12.5

|Feb low C = 12.3

|Mar low C = 10.0

|Apr low C = 7.8

|May low C = 3.7

|Jun low C = 1.9

|Jul low C = 0.8

|Aug low C = 1.2

|Sep low C = 4.0

|Oct low C = 7.6

|Nov low C = 9.5

|Dec low C = 11.0

|year low C = 6.8

|Jan record low C = 4.8

|Feb record low C = 3.9

|Mar record low C = 1.2

|Apr record low C = -2.5

|May record low C = -4.6

|Jun record low C = -7.8

|Jul record low C = -9.0

|Aug record low C = -6.9

|Sep record low C = -6.2

|Oct record low C = -5.1

|Nov record low C = -2.6

|Dec record low C = 3.6

|year record low C = -9.0

|Jan rain mm = 142.9

|Feb rain mm = 125.3

|Mar rain mm = 77.5

|Apr rain mm = 63.9

|May rain mm = 73.3

|Jun rain mm = 49.8

|Jul rain mm = 59.1

|Aug rain mm = 43.0

|Sep rain mm = 51.0

|Oct rain mm = 84.1

|Nov rain mm = 100.2

|Dec rain mm = 140.5

|Jan rain days = 13.9

|Feb rain days = 13.3

|Mar rain days = 13.5

|Apr rain days = 10.3

|May rain days = 9.8

|Jun rain days = 9.2

|Jul rain days = 8.0

|Aug rain days = 7.1

|Sep rain days = 7.0

|Oct rain days = 8.9

|Nov rain days = 9.9

|Dec rain days = 12.5

|unit rain days = 0.2mm

|source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology{{BoM Aust stats|site_ref=cw_040112_All|site_name=Bunya Mountains|accessdate=6 June 2013|date=1 July 2013}}

|date=June 2013}}

Roads

A group of roads provides access to the mountain community from various lowland localities. These roads ensure continuity of access in times of flooding or other natural disasters, and during planned maintenance activities.