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Report on the Examination of Crown Lands etc. in the County of Wellington
Appendix I. Exploration, County of Wellington - From Roger River to Marrawah Plain
Appendix II. Exploration 5700 acres State Forest Reserve - Parish of Lerunna
Appendix III. Parish of Warra
Appendix IV. Parish of Marrawah
Appendix V. Parish of Lerunna
Appendix VI. Parish of Riengeena
Appendix VII. V.D.L. Co's Woolnorth Block
Appendix VIII. Parish of Williams
Appendix IX. Parish of Togari
Appendix X. Parishes of Malompto and Terragomna
Appendix XI. Parish of Mowbray
Appendix XII. Parish of Ford
Appendix XIII. Parish of Poilinna
Appendix XIV. Parish of Gibson
Appendix XV. Parishes of Trowutta and Meryanna
Appendix XVI. Hunters Islands

Wellington Litho 1a, 1c.

APPENDIX V.
Parish of Lerunna

      The Parish of Lerunna fronts on the Arthur River, above Warra
and joins Riengeena on the North and Malompto and Terragomna on the
East, and is all Crown Land with the exception of 1,400 acres selected
a few years ago in the south of the Parish. Portion of the south
east of the Parish was explored by Mr. C. M. Pitt, whose report has
been adopted where necessary. The south east extremity of the
parish contains an isolated plain of about 2,000 acres covered with
rough vegetation, chiefly titree and button grass, which is very
third class, and divided only from the river by a narrow strip of
usually fair timbered land, which also continues down the river to
the parish boundary. About 100 chains east of Warra the river
bending North, comes within 30 chains of the big coastal plain,
almost dividing the State Forest Reserve into two areas. This
coastal plain thrusts a spur about two miles into the parish as
shown on litho. A rough examination of the 5700 acres Forest
Reserve at the S. W. corner of the Parish, showed that no attempt
had been made to even roughly chart the southern boundary (the
Arthur River) as in one place it is shown as over a mile from one of
the Forestry Department tracks, when as a matter of fact it is only
five chains away as shown on litho, and can be seen from the track.
The land along the tracks traversed here, as shown on chart, was
generally of a clayey nature and only second and third class, and I
was not favourably impressed with it, although it may possibly include
a certain amount of moderate grazing land. I was not impressed with
the area from the point of view of timber, as it appeared to contain
little or no useful timber at present, and I am doubtful if second
growth in this class of country will prove sound when reaching
maturity.
      Adjoining the country already described is a low ridge,
generally basaltic land of good quality, growing stringy bark, myrtle,
musk, dogwood etc., about half a mile wide, running northwesterly
which has been selected as first class land for about 4½ miles.
Between this ridge and Lunta Tier is a low basin drained by the
Salmon River, the upper portion of which is considered by Mr. Pitt
to contain about 2,000 acres of poor horizontal flat, of which part is

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Wellington Litho 1a, 1c.

APPENDIX V.
Parish of Lerunna (2)

in the neighbouring parish of Terragomna. The remainder, as far
as Brook's track, is generally from fair to very good flat, with a
few patches of poorer country, but including a good proportion of
the rich swamp country typical of the Circular Head district, the
soil being generally loam, carrying titree, sassafras, myrtle,
blackwood, cutting grass, laurel and cathead ferns. The Lunta Tier
is a low hill of grey soil bearing northwesterly, carrying dogwood,
musk, laurel and cathead ferns, myrtle, sassafras and stringy bark,
the latter being as a rule old and worthless, but with occasional
patches of commercial timber. The soil although variable appears
to be rather better than the usual land of its class, which is good
to fair grazing land, and although rather expensive to clear up on
account of the big timber, will produce excellent crops of grain,
as well as good root crops. The extreme north east corner of the
parish is in the Montagu Valley, flat or swampy land of variable
quality of which 50% I believe to be first class. West of Lunta
Tier on the north boundary of the Parish, my exploration line ran
through flat or swamps of fair second class or first class quality
as a rule, but with a few patches of poor bauera and peppermint.
Rough exploration on each side appeared to show a better grade of
land than along the actual line, but there are some considerable
areas of bauera, peppermint and manuka on practically worthless
ground, both along the Salmon River tram, and to the north east of
Foster's selection, which probably covers a fair area. The mean
elevation of the parish is probably about 200 feet
with a maximum of about 500 feet, with the same mild temperatures
and a rainfall of probably nearly 60 inches. The higher country
is watered by numerous small creeks, and these would ensure a
permanent supply to the swampy flats when confined by the necessary
drains. I would consider that about 3,000 acres would carry
marketable hardwood and about 2,000 to 3,000 acres would carry
blackwood in moderate quantity, outside the present timber leases,
and probably about 3,000 acres of 1st and second class land not yet
selected, though the data available, and the variable nature of the
country makes any estimate an approximation only.

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Wellington Litho 1a, 1c.

APPENDIX V.
Parish of Lerunna (3)

      About a hundred acres of land is under grass on the lots
selected about four years ago, and a sawmill is operating near
Etchells selection of 15 acres, with a wooden tram built out about
five miles to the end of the Welcome Valley Government line, but
there are no roads in the parish and the only other access is across
the coastal plain from Marrawah. An eighty acre Copper Reward
section is held near the Salmon River mill, but very little of this
country has been prospected for mineral and its potentialities in
that direction are practically unknown.
      Upon the whole, the parish is flat or undulating, and almost
any suitable land would be arable. The Welcome Valley Government
tram on the north west is within three miles of the parish and the
private extension to the Salmon River runs through dead level country
and would be extended without perceptible difference to near the
south east corner of the parish, which, again, is about 5 miles in a
direct line from the nearest point of the survey of the Trowutta-
Arthur River extension. From the N. E. corner of the parish a
level direct route, in one straight, could junction either on to the
Trowutta extension or the Marrawah line, for such is the remarkably
easy nature of the country. Roads could also be constructed through
this parish with very easy grades, few bends and little cutting, but
in common with most of the Circular Head district there is little
stone to be seen on the fertile land.

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