Mount Stromlo
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Mount Stromlo is situated a short drive west of the centre of Canberra, Australia, near the district of Weston Creek. Its peak is at approximately 770m AHD.
It is most notable as the location of the Mount Stromlo Observatory (run by the Australian National University) and Canberra's primary water supply treatment plant, supplied by the Cotter River catchment area.
The name is derived from Mount Strom the earlier official name.
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[edit] History
The first telescope installed at Mount Stromlo was the Oddie telescope which was installed on 8 September 1911. The building housing this telescope was the first construction funded by the Commonwealth in Canberra. In January 1913 the first telephone was connected to the Queanbeyan telephone exchange.[1]
Mount Stromlo was devastated by the Canberra bushfires of 2003. The fire fueled by the pine plantation that covered the mountain, destroyed or badly damaged much of the observatory and water treatment plant.
Road access is via the Cotter Road on the south side, and Uriarra Road on the east and north. The summit is reached by a road joining Cotter road just outside Duffy.
[edit] Mountain biking
Mount Stromlo is home to some of Australia's best mountain biking. Prior to the 2003 fires there were some of the best and oldest mountain bike trails in Australia. As of May 2006 trails are being rebuilt by Canberra Off-Road Cyclists and Glenn Jacobs. The site will host the 2007-09 Australian Mountain Biking and observed trials Championships. When complete the Stromlo Forest Park will include up to 140 km of cross country single trail, a road criterium track, a mountain cross course, an observed trials course and a world leading downhill track. Canberra Off-Road Cyclists has bidded to host the 2009 Mountain Bike World Championships at Mount Stromlo.
2007/1/27cccwebzine: Mt Stromlo will be the host for the 2009 UCI World Championships. The Championships will be staged from September 1 to 6, 2009 and are expected to attract more than 30,000 visitors from up to 40 countries. UCI Vice President, Ray Godkin OAM, said the UCI was impressed by Australia’s passion for mountain biking and the quality of the proposed venue – Canberra’s new $7.5 million world-class Stromlo Forest Park - where the Australian Mountain Bike Championships are currently being contested.
“Australia has a proven track record of hosting world class events and we are confident Canberra will deliver an outstanding World Championships,” Mr Godkin said.
The event will involve more than 750 of the world's top riders who will compete in the four mountain bike disciplines of Cross Country, Downhill, Four Cross and Observed Trials for the honour of being crowned World Champion.
In addition to the hundreds of kilometres of mountain biking single track Mount Stromlo also boasts a road cycling circuit. This circuit, when viewed from the top of Mount Stromlo, resembles a phallus.
[edit] Geology
The rock on Mount Stromlo consists of ignimbrite from the Laidlaw Volcanics. This erupted in the upper Silurian period over the top of the Deakin Volcanics rhyodacite which is visible on the surface on the lower slopes in the east and southeast sides. The northern lower slopes are covered with a calcareous shale which is included in the Laidlaw Volcanics as it was deposited at the same time. This is cut off on the northwest side by the Winslade Fault, which heads north east to Cook and Kaleen. A spur fault heads off east from the Winslade Fault to under the Scrivener Dam. On the other side (north west and north) of these faults are middle Silurian period rhyodacite volcanic deposits from the Walker Volcanics. The northern side was uplifted compared with the southern side. [2]
[edit] Landform
Stoney Creek and its tributaries drain the north side of the mountain, The east side drains into the Molonglo River. The south side supplies Blugar creek that runs into the Murrumbidgee River.
The top of the mountain where the telescopes are located is elongated in a north-south direction with a spur running to the southwest where the water treatment plant is situated.
[edit] References
- ^ Stromlo An Australian Observatory by Tom Frame and Don Faulkner, Allen and Unwin 1993, ISBN 1-86508-659-2
- ^ Henderson G A M and Matveev G, Geology of Canberra, Queanbeyan and Environs 1:50000 1980.
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