Tropic of Capricorn, Rockhampton
humehwy31
This is a question for people who are more familiar with Central
Queensland than me. Many of us will know that the Tropic of Capricorn
spire on the Bruce Highway (A1) in the southern suburbs of Rockhampton
is inaccurate; that the true position should be several kilometres to
the south on the floodplains to the south of the urban area.
So, I've been looking on Google Street View along a nearby road (Old
Port Curtis Road), and I found this a very short distance south of the
true Tropic of Capicorn (the Tropic being marked with the red pins in
the background):
It should be noted that the Tropic of Capricorn moves from year to
year, as the earth's tilt is slowly "straightening up" - Wikipedia
(yes, I know, very reliable) says the Tropic is moving north at 15
metres a year.
So, my questions:
(1) Were these 1950s-looking bus shelter/gazebo/garden feature
thingies on either side of Old Port Curtis Road put there to mark the
Tropic of Capricorn?
(2) Was Old Port Curtis Road a former alignment of the Bruce Highway?
If so, when was the current alignment built?
Cheers,
Brad.
Sam Laybutt
I can't answer (1) for you but I can answer (2) - it was definitely the previous alignment of Bruce Highway. If you look at Google Maps there's an unnamed road heading due north from the current Bruce/Burnett junction which would be the old alignment of Burnett Highway too. I am not sure of the exact date that the deviation was completed but I think it was early 1980s ish.
> Subject: [Aussie Highways] Tropic of Capricorn, Rockhampton
> From: hume...@yahoo.com
> To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com
Phillip McCallum
Well! This photo of me (and my Mum) at the spire's original position
taken in 1974 might help!
It's the same bricks and could easily be the same body of water in the
background, and the run-off to the north of the "monument" matches as
well. Could possibly be the same spot!
If it is not the same spot, then at least it seems to be part of the
same strategy to mark the Tropic crossing.
I accept that the earth is wobbling a bit on its axis, but I am
surprised to hear you quoting that it is "straightening" and that the
tropic line is moving as much as 15 metres per year. Most places in
Australia - if they recognise the Tropic crossing at all, do so with a
simple sign. But in Longreach there are several significant
monuments... one outside the town hall (a more recent photo taken last
year of me and my youngest kids) and another running across the floor of
the QANTAS museum. Hate to think they were hundreds of metres out of
alignment!
Phillip
-----Original Message-----
From: humehwy31 [mailto:hume...@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, 5 December 2011 9:46 PM
To: Aussie Highways
Subject: [Aussie Highways] Tropic of Capricorn, Rockhampton
Hi everyone,
So, my questions:
Cheers,
Brad.
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humehwy31
perhaps the bricks from the original marker were recycled and made
into those gazebo thingies?
> aa207.jpg
> 2698KViewDownload
>
> SANY6696.JPG
> 1186KViewDownload
humehwy31
North West Coastal Highway and the Exmouth Road on Google Street
View ... it appears that in all cases the Tropic of Capricorn sign or
monument is several hundred metres to the south of the true tropic as
it currently stands.
And there's no signage on the Gregory Highway. :(
On Dec 6, 8:24 am, "Phillip McCallum" <dirad...@qb.com.au> wrote: