A BURNING BOG.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1137, 9 February 1884, Page 3

A BURNING BOG.

A correspondent of the Rockhampton Bulletin (in a late issue) at Westwood writes : —lt may be interesting to many of your readers to hear of the existing of a burning mass of vegetable matter, which is to be found on the head of Central Creek, on Wooroona Station. Mr Chas. White, the manager, who has been many years on the station, informed us that before the flood of 1875 there were large reed beds, from 100 to 200 yards in width, and extending many miles along a narrow valley, in fact, forming the source of Central Creek. In the 1875 flood he rush of water down the valley cut a channel which drained off the water, leaving a mass of vegetation much resembling a great bog. This caught fire by some means, probably from a bush fire, in 1875 or 1876, and has been smouldering ever since, and possibly may burn on for many years to come. The flood carried vast quantities of the peatlike substance down the creek, strewing it over flats, and depositing it in the gullies on either side. These became ignited from bush fires, and burnt out, some of them burning for three years, it would be impossible to say what stock and game of different kinds have perished in these fires, as there is very little outward sign of danger, there being little or no smoke. Anyone not aware of the fire underneath would perhaps venture to cross, when he would suddenly sink out of sight in a burning mass of flour-like ashes, from which escape would be impossible. A neighboring squatter some years ago, seeiug a mob of cattle on the other side of the valley, attempted to cross, thinking the place secure, but was horrified to find his horse sink down. He only escaped by instantly regaining the sound ground, fortunately little hurt, considering the dangerous position he had got into. Stock have become so wary they never attempt to cross except by well known roads, although occasionally one sees a calf severely burnt. As soon as the fire has been burnt out in any place, a wonderful growth of young timber (Eucalypti) springs up, which in six or twelve months changes an ash heap into a dense scrub, the trees attaining a height of twenty feet in a very short time.