Central Queensland monitoring stations
- Gladstone Current Sites
- South Gladstone
- Aldoga
- Clinton
- Targinie (Swans Road)
- Boat Creek
- Boyne Island
- Mobile Monitoring Station
- Gladstone Historical Sites
- Barney Point
- Ticor Hill
- Mount Miller
- Targinie (Stupkin Lane)
- Rockhampton
- Parkhurst
- Mackay
- West Mackay
Air quality monitoring stations located in the Gladstone, Rockhampton and Mackay regions are described below.
Gladstone Current Sites
South Gladstone
South Gladstone air
monitoring station
Photo:DERM
This monitoring station is located in the grounds of South Gladstone State primary school in a residential district. The station was established in 1992 close to the alumina refinery visible in the background of the picture (right). As part of the Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone Project, the station is also measuring levels of a range of hazardous air pollutants including heavy metals and organic compounds for a 12-month period
Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) supplied the monitoring equipment and contributes to the running costs of the station which measures meteorological parameters, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, PM 10 and visibility-reducing particles.
Meteorological data
Visibility-reducing particles
Nitrogen oxides
Sulfur dioxide
PM 10
PM 2.5
Aldoga
The Aldoga site has operated since 1999 and measures wind speed and direction. The data collected from this site helps the department to determine the patterns of air movements in the area. Due to the remote location of this site the power to operate the instruments is generated using solar panels.
Clinton
Clinton air monitoring
station. Photo: DERM
The Clinton station is located in an open area at the Gladstone airport which is surrounded by residential areas. The local power station is within view of the Clinton site as shown in the picture (right).
PM 10 was monitored using a high-volume air sampler from 1993 to 2004 and by a continuously monitoring tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) from 2001. Also in 2001 the EPA installed equipment to measure nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, wind speed and direction. In the photograph (right) the meteorological equipment can be seen fixed to the top of the mast on the monitoring hut while to the right is similar meteorological equipment operated by the Bureau of Meteorology.
As part of the Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone Project, the station is also measuring levels of a range of hazardous air pollutants including heavy metals and organic compounds for a 12-month period .
NRG, operator of the power station, contributed to the establishment of this station and to its ongoing running costs.
Meteorological data
Visibility-reducing particles
Nitrogen oxides
Sulfur dioxide
PM 10
PM 2.5
Targinie (Swans Road)
Targinie air monitoring station. Photo DERM
The station (pictured right) began operating in 1991 to monitor emissions from the developing industrial area north of Gladstone. It currently measures nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and meteorological parameters. NRG contributes to the operational costs of the Swans Road station. As part of the Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone Project, the station is also measuring levels of a range of hazardous air pollutants including heavy metals and organic compounds for a 12-month period.
Meteorological data
Visibility-reducing particles
Nitrogen oxides
Sulfur dioxide
PM 10
PM 2.5
Boat Creek
This monitoring station is located in the grounds of the Gladstone Area Water Board's Boat Creek pumping station on the Mt Larcom-Gladstone Road, north of Gladstone. The station was established in June 2008 to monitor emissions from the industrial area north of Gladstone. It currently measures nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, PM 10, PM 2.5 and visibility-reducing particles and meteorological parameters. As part of the Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone Project, the station is also measuring levels of a range of hazardous air pollutants including heavy metals and organic compounds for a 12-month period.
Meteorological data
Visibility-reducing particles
Nitrogen oxides
Sulfur dioxide
PM 10
PM 2.5
Boyne Island
This monitoring station is located in the northern part of the Boyne Island residential community. Modelling indicates that this area of Boyne Island/Tannum Sands is likely to experience the greatest impacts from industrial air emissions. The station was established in October 2008 and currently measures nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, PM 10, PM 2.5 and visibility-reducing particles and meteorological parameters. As part of the Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone Project, the station is also measuring levels of a range of hazardous air pollutants including heavy metals and organic compounds for a 12-month period.
Meteorological data
Visibility-reducing particles
Nitrogen oxides
Sulfur dioxide
PM 10
PM 2.5
Mobile Monitoring Station
As part of the Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone Project a mobile monitoring station is being used to collect information on air quality in locations not covered by the fixed monitoring network
for periods between one and three months. Locations are chosen based on expected prevailing winds. The pollutants to be measured include:
Meteorological data
Visibility-reducing particles
Nitrogen oxides
Sulfur dioxide
PM 10
PM 2.5
Other pollutants measured will depend on the proximity to the various sources of emissions.
Gladstone Historical Sites
These stations have closed for various reasons and are included for completeness.
Barney Point
This site was located at Friend Street, Barney Point, in a light industrial area between the Gladstone Port operations, railway line and an alumina refinery. Meteorological parameters were recorded along with air quality parameters (nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, PM 10 and visibility-reducing particles) to assess the impact of industry emission sources. The site operated from 1979 to 2003 when the station was rationalised with the nearby South Gladstone site into a single Air NEPM compliance reporting station.
Ticor Hill
Ticor Hill was a temporary station that operated between 2001 and 2004 monitoring meteorological parameters, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide used to validate the Gladstone Airshed Model. As the station was located high on an isolated hill, solar panels and wind generators were used to power the air monitoring equipment.
Mount Miller
The Mount Miller site was established in 2001 and operated until 2005. Like the Ticor Hill site, the purpose of this site was to collect pollutant information to validate the Gladstone Airshed Model. It was located on a hilltop overlooking Gladstone and monitored nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and meteorological parameters.
Targinie (Stupkin Lane)
This station began operating in 2000 to monitor emissions from the nearby shale oil plant. It currently measures meteorological parameters, PM 10, and visibility-reducing particles. Nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, ozone, benzene, and toluene were also measured by a technique known as differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) over two light paths of 175m and 350m until 2006. Monitoring of these pollutants ceased after recording 18 months of low concentrations following the closure of the shale oil plant in 2004.
Rockhampton
Parkhurst
This site is located adjacent to a light industrial area of north Rockhampton. Wind speed and direction have been measured at this site from 1997 until April 2008, with PM 10 also measured using a high-volume air sampler until being phased out in 2004.
Mackay
West Mackay
This station is located in a light industrial area in West Mackay. It was established to determine the impact of particles from agricultural burning in the region on residential areas. PM 10 , visibility-reducing particles and meteorological data have been measured at this station since 1997.
Meteorological data
Visibility-reducing particles
PM 10
Last updated: 03 April 2009