The Loders Creek is a
stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
and
tidal creek which flows through the suburbs of the
Gold Coast of
South East Queensland, Australia.
The creek is long, and forms part of
The Broadwater estuary catchment area.
Course and catchment
The creek is formed from two small unnamed streams that converge to the west of
Southport. Both of these tributaries have been substantially modified to provide storm water drainage for the suburb of
Ashmore, and consist mainly of
concrete lined channels. The northern tributary does have some areas of natural channel, with
pool-and-riffle channel morphology. These areas provide a significant habitat for the vulnerable
Wallum froglet.
[
From the ]confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
of the two tributaries, the creek flows in a north-easterly direction bordering the Southport State High School, before passing under the Gold Coast Highway to reach the Broadwater at Len Fox Park, between Southport and Labrador.[
The drainage basin of the creek lies between that of the Biggera Creek to the north, and that of the Nerang River to the south and west.][
]
Catchment group
The Loders Creek was the first for which a formal community catchment management group was established on the Gold Coast.[
]
Flora and fauna
Although degraded by the removal of native vegetation along its length for flood control, the creek does contain areas of freshwater and tidal wetlands, with some dry eucalyptus forest in the catchment. Wildlife includes native species such as bandicoots
Bandicoots are a group of more than 20 species of small to medium-sized, terrestrial, largely nocturnal marsupial omnivores in the order Peramelemorphia. They are endemic to the Australia–New Guinea region, including the Bismarck Archipelago t ...
, koala, and lace monitor.
See also
* List of rivers of Queensland
References
External links
Loders & Biggera Creek Catchment Study Guide
Geography of Gold Coast, Queensland
Rivers of Queensland