The Layout of the Land - Camp Mountain, Samford Valley - Case Study Example

1. Introduction - Camp Mountain, Samford Valley Camp Mountain which is located within the Moreton Bay Regional Council, is a well known rural residential area, that houses the famous Samford Ecological Research Facility. Dr. Elizabeth Marks had previously owned the land which has presently been bequeathed to the Queensland University of Technology. (QUT) In order to have a comprehensive understanding about the layout of the land, the G5 Engineering conducted a land survey and site inspection of the Samford Ecological Research Facility on August 10th, 2009. The chief premise of the study was to make a clear investigation of the area in order to satisfy certain important criteria which were crucial to the project. The primary aim of this study was to establish feasibility in different areas. These important criteria are discussed below. 2. Land Planning 2.1 – Location SERF or the Samford Ecological Research Facility is located about 20kms NW of Brisbane CBD in Samford Creek at the Upper Camp Mountain Road, and about 2kms SW of Samford Village. The uniqueness of this site which extends for approximately 50 hectares is that it is the core site located in the Samford Node. The site in question spans over 51 hectares and is divided into four allotments known as Lot 42, 43, 44 and 45 respectively and encompasses places like the Camp Mountain, Highvale, Wights Mountain, Samford Village and Samford. The Samford Valley where all these places are located is bounded on the South and West by the Brisbane Forest Park and in the North by the House Mountain Rage and Mount O’Reilly. Fig. 1 – Location of (SERF) Samford Ecological Research Facility. (Google Maps (2011) 2.2 Existing Land Use  The Samford Valley initially was subjected to intensive cultivation and agriculture that included pineapple and banana plantations. The land was also regularly harvested for the hoop pine and cedar. However, it was only in the 1960’s that significant development began in the valley and particularly in the last two decades, increasing urbanization took place with much of the rural land being converted for residential purposes. During the early 1900’s, a greater portion of the valley was cleared and hence land usage for residential purposes became dominant. However, conservation of crops and agriculture, animal production and the mountain ranges are being carried out by SERF in the Samford valley. According to (Feros, 2007) there still exists a number of significant domestic structures such as “the Barracks, “the Mews” and the “Slab Hut”. The details of these residential structures are given below. a) The Barracks – The Barracks comprises of a wooden building that is rustic in appearance and has very few amenities. The building is a single storey residential dwelling with walls made from timber and skin. Presently, the barracks comprises of a kitchen and four smaller rooms with sanitary facilities. Fig.2 – The Barracks The Barracks is well known for its local historical value. When they commenced the construction of the City Hall Building, the timber that was used to construct the Barracks was removed from the skating rink and relocated to Samford. According to (Hall, 2007) the timber was used for the living quarters of the quarry workers who extracted the granite for the City Hall construction, and hence the name “the Barracks”. b) The Mews – In close proximity to the Barracks was the ‘Mews’ which was a deteriorating wooden shed. The Mews is completely out of use because of its deteriorated condition. However, in (Halls, 2007) opinion, the Mews is considered noteworthy as a historical artifact because it was originally used as an office for the granite quarry of the Barracks. Fig. 3 – The Mews. c) The Slab Hut – The Slab Hut has great Cultural and Historical value not only to the Marks family, but also the Samford region and Pine Rivers Shire. According to (Feros, 2007), Dr Marks’ great uncle, Dr Edward George Keighly Marks (1854-1904) resided in this hut from 1887 to 1894, and made use of it for his country practice since he was the local Samford doctor. The Slab Hut comprised of a timber structure with a corrugated iron roofing that was in a condition of advanced disrepair. Fig. 4 – The Slab Hut. (Feros, 2007) explains that the Slab Hut was constructed in 1869 and believed to have been the first structure of the Pine Rivers Shire. Its historical significance stems from its age, type and association with the early settlement of Samford Valley. (Hall, 2007) explains that due to its historical background, the Slab Hut was listed officially in the Queensland Heritage Register. 1.3 Site Access Routes Access Route 1 The first access route of this site is through the Upper Camp Mountain Road that runs along the north-east boundary (refer Appendix A – SERF Site Map). The point of access comprises of an unsealed track of about 350m which is a direct entry to the Barracks and the Mews. The site lies approximately 200m away from the intersection between the Upper Camp Mountain Road and Camp Mountain Road. According to (Nata-Atmadja, 2008) this route is densely vegetated with natural flora and fauna including eucalyptus trees. The surface of the track comprised of a thick layer of silty sand interspersed with pockets of clay of medium and high density. Due to the access route being cleared, tree roots that were exposed were noticed. Access Route 2 The second access route to the site lay along the north boundary fence and did not permit direct access to the Camp Mountain Road. (refer Appendix A – SERF Site Map). However, it is located approximately 500m from the Camp Mountain Road along a connecting neighborhood council track. This access point is comprised of an unsealed 150m track which permits direct entry into the Barracks. Along this access route dense vegetation with fauna was noticed in addition to dense weeds. Quite commonly seen along the site track were Lantana and Asparagus Fern. The track surface comprised of hard soil that made the route rigid and unpredictable due to the large number of exposed tree roots. Access Route 3 Access route 3 is located at the south boundary of the Upper Camp Mountain Road. It is approximately 300m away from the intersection between the Upper Camp Mountain Road and Les Douglas Court (refer Appendix A – SERF Site Map). The access point that comprises of a 200m open track, leads towards the direct entry to the Slab Hut which has great historical and cultural significance. This access route is located on the slightly inclined terrain within the open space. The surface of the track is strewn with grass and leaves and due to the natural drainage paths on this site, the stability of the soil remains variable.   1.4 Existing facilities The Samford Ecological Research Facility comprises of a widespread infrastructure of various utilities which include telecommunications, electricity and the internet facilities. (Feros, 2007) Since the site has not yet been connected to the water supply system of the town, they have to make do with other on-site water solutions. There are two main water sources that run through the property and these are the Samford Creek and the existing rain water tanks situated at the Barracks. According to (Rogers, 2008) the quality of water is so degraded (class f) that it is unsuitable for drinking purposes and therefore a gravity pump system is put in place to irrigate water to external hose taps. Appendix A – Fig. 5, Samford Valley Water Quality). Rain water that runs off the roofs is collected in the rain water tanks located at the Barracks and it is this water that is supplied to the kitchen and other sanitary facilities. However, a water filtering pump is fixed in the newly constructed green tank and this helps to eliminate the sediments and odors and becomes a natural source of water supply. (refer Figure 5 – On-Site Water Tank and Filtration Pump). Community Facilities Considering the rural locality of the Camp Mountain region, the access and proximity to facilities and services in the local area remain quite limited. However, the services and facilities in suburban areas like Samford Village, Ferny Grove, Chermside and Keperra are much more better than in the rural areas. Such services and facilities include – Fig. 6. Table 1 – Community Services and Facilities A 1.5 Heritage Building / Cultural Sites The Slab Hut is considered to be a place of great historical and cultural significance and is said to have been built for George Atthow (1828 – 1891) who was a well known entrepreneur who belonged to a famous Brisbane entrepreneurial family. (Armstrong, J. B., 1982). The area around the Slab Hut also known as the ‘shepherd hut’ was initially used for cattle grazing and early survey plans showed that there were no other pre-existing buildings in that vicinity. Therefore, the age and rarity of this type of building makes it one of the oldest buildings. Considering its cultural and heritage significance, the Archaeo Pine Rivers Cultural Heritage Study of 2002, recommended that it should be preserved in situ. (Archaeo Cultural Heritage Services, 2002) 1.9 Noise  The Camp Mountain area is very quiet and peaceful and therefore noise is not a factor at all. The landscape has scenic beauty and sounds from nature are more common. The timber and block houses in the vicinity attract families who want to get away from the rush and noise of the city and helps them to relax and enjoy the peaceful and serene atmosphere. Fig – 8 – Noise Upper Camp Mountain -(pic. Taken from www.domain.com.au/Property) 1.10 Recreational Facilities Recreational facilities that are both Passive an active in the Camp Mountain region are limited to a great extent because of the population as well as the rural locality. However, in the surrounding suburbs of Sanford village, there are quite a number of common recreational facilities which are denoted in the table below. Fig. 7. Table 2 – Recreational Facilities 1.7 Passive recreation  1.8 Active recreation  1.11 Surface Topography – slopes The natural topography of the area comprises of undulated natural slopes that go down towards Samford Creek area and forms the rear riparian boundary on the North-West. The surface topography does not remain constant due to its variable elevations that range between 65m to 85m above sea level.   1.15 Natural drainage lines and Ground Stability There are two natural drainage outlets that flow down from the Upper Camp Mountain Road towards Samford Creek (refer Appendix A – SERF Site Map). Presently, surface water is scarce on this property, but during certain climactic conditions, water can be found. This is the reason for the instability of groundwater and therefore it is considered to be unsafe for usage. According to (Feros, 2007) Samford Creek is considered to be a natural asset to the site property as it provides a crucial source of irrigation. However, due to stagnation, green and blue algae have formed, making the water in the creek unfit for drinking purposes. Fractured granite rocks have led to intrusions that have formed aquifers which collect small pockets of water that are a very essential ground water resource and hence there is evidence of a ground water table. (Ursula and Jones, 2007). 1.17 Climatic conditions  The Camp Mountain site enjoys a sub-tropical type of climate with summers that are hot and humid and winters that are sunny and dry. According to the (Bureau of Meteorology, 2009) the annual mean maximum temperature is 25.6 degrees C, while the average temperature in Summer and Winter are 29.1degrees C and 21.2 degrees C respectively. Sometimes the temperature in the Camp Mountain region rises as high as 40 degrees C in summer and experiences humidity of about 69% annually. The Camp Mountain region gets an approximate annual rainfall of 1108.8mm. The area’s wet season is between December to March which are the Summer months when it receives the highest rainfall. Rainfall is at its lowest between the months of April to November which is the region’s dry season. (Bureau of Meteorology, 2009) During the Summer months, the place experiences prolonged periods of sunlight that begins at dawn (5 to 6am) and ends at dusk (6 to7pm) However, during the Winter months the place experiences reduced sunlight which begins at dawn between 6 and 7am and ends at dusk between 5 to 6pm respectively. (QUT, 2009) Considering such climatic conditions, buildings have to be constructed to suit the prevailing conditions in order to enjoy an efficient and sustainable life in this region. Evaluation According to the overall evaluation of the Camp Mountain site, it is evident that it is situated in a locality that is rural and therefore local services and facilities are not easily accessible. Moreover, both active and passive recreational activities remains quite limited due to the decreased population in that area and the inaccessibility of different services and facilities. However, if the Samford Ecological Research Facility receives an influx of 50 lots, then there is every chance that its demographic attributes would be enhanced to a great extent. If advancement is made the area of its demographic features, then community services such as schools, supermarket, hospitals and transportation would have to be re-investigated and evaluated to see if these facilities are sufficient and can cope with the significant rise in population. The topography of the Samford Ecological Research Facility is unique as it possesses natural slopes and undulations that fall naturally towards Samford Creek forming the rear North-Western riparian boundary. The surface topography is variable due to the differences in elevations which are between 65m to 85m above sea level and therefore any ecological development that takes place within the site would encourage the shading of lots and dwellings. Considering the wind patterns in this region, placing the windows to face towards the direction of the North, would help them to make use of the energy by providing energy saving techniques for its utilization. APPENDIX 1.1 Fig. 1 - Location Fig. 2 – The Barracks. Figure 2. The Barracks (Photographed by Christopher Field) Fig. 3 – The Mews Figure 3. The Mews (Photographed by Christopher Field) Fig. 4 – The Slab Hut Figure 4. The Slab Hut (Photographed by Christopher Field) Fig. 5 – On-site Water tank and filtration pump (Photographed by Christopher Field) Fig. 6 Service Distance Address Ferny Grove Police Station 8.5km Samford Rd, Ferny Grove QLD 4055 North West Private Hospital 11.8km 137 Flockton St, Everton Park QLD 4053 Prince Charles Hospital 16.8km Rode Rd, Chermside QLD 4032 Ferny Grove Train Station 8.4km Conavalla St, Ferny Grove QLD 4055 Bank of Queensland 10.0km 1028 Samford Rd, Keperra QLD 4054 Caltex Service Station 3.4km 31 Mt Glorious Rd, Samford Village QLD 4520 Drake IGA Foodmarket 3.4km 7 Main St, Samford Village QLD 4520 Coles Supermarket 8.7km 45 Mc Ginn Rd, Ferny Grove QLD 4055 Samford Pines Childcare 2.3km 29 Camp Mountain Rd, Samford QLD 4520 Samford Preschool 2.2km School Rd, Samford QLD 4520 Samford State Primary School 2.2km School Rd, Samford QLD 4520 Ferny Grove State High School 8.4km Mc Ginn Road Ferny Grove Qld 4055 Table 1: Community Services and Facilities Fig. 7 Table 2: Recreational Facilities Service Distance Address Samford Park 2.6km Days Rd, Camp Mountain QLD 4520 John Scott Park 3.7km Station St, Samford Village QLD 4520 Brisbane Forest Park 8.3km Nigber St, Samford Village QLD 4520 Samford District Historical Museum 3.7km Station St, Samford Village QLD 4520 Samford Golden Valley Pony Club 0.9km Richards Rd, Camp Mountain QLD 4520 Samford Districts Football Club 0.9km Richards Rd, Camp Mountain QLD 4520 Samford Swimming Pool 2.2km School Rd, Samford Village QLD 4520 Samford District Bowls Club 5.5km Mt Samson Road, Samford, QLD 4520 Ferny Hills Tennis Centre 7.1km 144 Samford Rd, Ferny Hills QLD 4055 Samford Rugby League Club 3.4km Main St, Samford Village QLD 4520 Fig. 8 - Noise Upper Camp Mountain (pic) www.domain.com.au/Property/For- References Archaeo Cultural Heritage Services, Cultural Heritage Survey and Assessment, Pine Rivers Shire, Southeast Queensland: Report to Pine Rivers Shire Council, unpublished report held by the Local Studies Collection, Pine Rivers Shire Library Service, 2002, Inventory. Armstrong, J. B. (ed.), The National Estate of Pine Rivers Shire Council: Historical Sites and Buildings: a Report for the Pine Rivers Shire Council, rev. ed., Kedron, North Brisbane College of Advanced Education, 1982, p.39. QUT – Samford Ecological Research Facility – (SERF) www.serf.qut.edu.au/seq_pu_supersite/samford_node/ The History and Heritage Significance of Pioneer Hut www.serf.qut.edu.au/downloads/slab_hut_history.pdf Upper Camp Mountain (pic) www.domain.com.au/Property/For- Read More