Introduction | Contacts | Purpose | Site Description | Measurements | DEM | Pictures

Site Description

The Robson Creek tower is located in tropical rainforest, approximately 30 km northwest of Atherton in Far North Queensland (GPS coordinates: -17.1175, 145.6301; elevation: 710m).

It lies on the western slopes of the Lamb Range in Danbulla National Park, within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA).

The tower is located to the NW of a 25Ha census plot established by CSIRO in 2012.

Vegetation type: the forest is mapped as Regional Ecosystem (RE) 7.3.36a, complex mesophyll vine forest (Queensland Government 2006). The forest type changes to RE 7.12.16a, simple to complex notophyll vine forest, with increasing altitude to the north of the 25Ha plot.

In structure the forest is very tall to extremely tall closed forest with canopy heights ranging from 23 to 44 m.

The tower is located at the southern base of the Lamb Range which rises to 1276 m ASL.

The landform of the 25Ha plot which is in the dominant wind direction from the tower is moderately inclined with a low relief, a 30 m high ridge running north/south through the middle of the plot and a 40 m high ridge running north/south on the eastern edge of the plot.

Three permanent creeks flow through the 25Ha plot, joining with Robson Creek which in turn meets the Tinaroo Dam approximately one kilometre south of the plot.

The climate of the area is considered seasonal with 61% of the annual rainfall occurring in the months of January to March (Danbulla Forestry).

Mean annual rainfall at sites close by are:

• Danbulla Forestry (17°09'36"S, 145°37'35"E, 4.5 km south) is 1597 mm (1921-1991)

• Tinaroo Dam township (17°10'07"S, 145°32'54"E, 10 km southwest) is 1255 mm (1954-2006)

• Kairi Research Station (17°13'03"S, 145°34'33"E, 11 km south-southwest) is 1248 mm (1913-2006).

Based on the first 4 years of site rainfall data the MAP 2236mm (2014) indicates the OzFlux site is slightly wetter than the nearby locations.