Catchment Natural features

Monsoon gully in Mitchell Creek Catchment Escarpment – Johnston – protection of natural feature

The Monsoon gully is situated at a high point of the Mitchell Creek Catchment Escarpment to the west of the WW2 Heritage area  Johnston. It has been quarried at some point to access quartz and ironstone -just my quick observation – as can be seen in the photo at the left.

A large weeping fig is embedded in a round quartz rock just behind me which marks the eastern top edge of the gully.

The stream runs downhill into a narrow valley over split quartz rock and ironstone

Foliage is dense in this area just under the fig tree.

My concerns are that  construction of the road as part of Johnston Stage 2 will severely damage the gully head itself – just behind me you can see a dirt road.  3 rows of houses will be built back towards the Stuart Highway which lies behind the trees in the background of the photo. As yet there are is little information available from the NT Department of Planning and lands to indicate how this natural feature will be protected during exploratory, and construction works nor how it will fare when part of a residential subdivision..