Liverpool Plains

The Liverpool Plains are an area of extensive dairy and agriculture, which covers about 1.2 million ha in the northwestern foothills of the Great Dividing Range of New South Wales in Australia.

Description

The levels are mainly a agricultural land, the Range and west borders east of the Great Dividing Range, south of the Liverpool to the Warrumbungle Range. The area is drained by the Namoi River and its tributaries, the Mooki River and the Peel River. There are many depressions in the plains that fill after heavy rain with water for long periods of time are recognized as lakes. The levels is unusual because all of a sudden rise on numerous steep hills.

Cities that are in the field, are Gunnedah, Narrabri, Quirindi, Werris Creek and Tamworth. Small villages are Breeza, Caroll, Mullaley and Willow Tree.

Most of the region is managed by the Liverpool Plains Shire Council. However, substantial parts of the Gunnedah and Tamworth Region are managed locally.

History

The Aborigines were originally owners of this area. John Oxley was the first European who penetrated into this area, as he explored the territory of the Macquarie River in 1818. The Liverpool Plains were named after the Prime Minister of England Earl of Liverpool. The Liverpool Range was overcome by William Nowland and pass Nowlands Gap described as the gateway to the Liverpool Plains. In the 1830s Henry Dangar explored the area and took it on behalf of the Australian Agricultural Company in possession.

During the 1860s robbed Captain Thunderbolt ( Fred Ward) with two of his accomplices restaurants and stagecoaches from in this area.

Agriculture

The area is typical of a temperate forest by region in southeastern Australia. The agricultural settlement on the Liverpool Plains began in the late 1820s, after 1827 a pass over the Liverpool Range was discovered and since then, this area became the most important agricultural region of New South Wales. The most significant land use is the cultivation and use of grasslands by livestock. Primary crops of barley, peas, beans, millet, sunflower, soybean, corn, wheat and cotton, while the grassland is used for rearing of cattle and sheep, especially lambs, used. The fertile alluvial areas were cleared, while large areas are covered on sandy soils and hills of fire-resistant eucalyptus and pine Callitris.

Coal mining

Agriculture on the Liverpool Plains Billiton by extending the search for coal deposits of BHP at Caroona and China Shenhua Energy Company threatened at Watermark, the drill along with Santos to Coal Bed Methane, a Lözgas. Growing protest, led by the Caroona Coal Action Group led to a blockade of test holes. CCAG is made for an independent investigation of the impact of mining activities on groundwater, prior to any mining activity, a.