Mary River Palaeochannel: Bogimbah Creek, K’gari

Local Identity: Nick Schulz

The following is an account of discussions with Mr Nick Schulz of River Heads (Hervey Bay). A suggestion had been made to me that I talk with Nick as he was a fount of information concerning K’gari (Fraser Island) and Hervey Bay.

Nick is a Hervey Bay local professional fishing identity as this video demonstrates: ‘My Story: Queensland trawl-fishing legend Nick Schulz’.

After a few phone calls I arranged to drop in on Nick at his home at River Heads and discuss his connection with K’gari.

I first spoke with Nick on the 8 Dec 2024.

During our chat Nick mentioned that during exploratory drilling using hand augers whilst prospecting for mineral sands on K’gari near Bogimbah Creek in the 1960s, ‘Gravel (was) intersected at 110ft depth’. According to Nick the gravels were attributed to the Mary River by a geologist associated with the project.

During a telephone call in September 2026 I followed up on this observation with Nick when we discussed further the sand mining projects on K’gari. Nick had effectively worked for various iterations of the one company: NSW Rutile, Murphy Ores, Signal (Pacific) Zircon, Dillingham, and DM Minerals.

Using the Queensland Government’s GeoResGlobe system for exploring historical exploration and mining reports, a search was made for exploration activity in the Bogimbah Creek area of K’gari.

A study of the various reports indicates the occurrence of Mary River gravels at approx. 33m below the surface at location shown on Figure 2: Seismic Line 13 018.

Google Earth image of K’gari (Fraser Island) — **Figure 1:** Google Earth image showing K’gari / Fraser Island

Map showing Bogimbah Creek, the Mary River estuary and Seismic Line 13 018 — **Figure 2:** Location of Bogimbah Creek in relation to current Mary River estuary. The location of gravels in a palaeochannel of the Mary River is shown at Seismic Line 13 018.

GeoResGlobe map of Exploration Permits for Minerals near Bogimbah Creek — **Figure 3:** GeoResGlobe image showing relevant Exploration Permit for Minerals, EPMs for Bogimbah Creek

GeoResGlobe entry for report CR002690 — **Figure 4:** GeoResGlobe report cr002690 details mineral sands prospecting vicinity Bogimbah Creek.

https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/data/report/cr002690

Following are excerpts of report CR2690. Reference to river gravels is made on page 3 of Murphyores report and in a cross section further in that report. Of note is Murphyores Incorporated Pty Ltd collaborated with oil & petroleum exploration companies exploring in the region and used Shell Development Australia seismic data. Shell’s results are presented below.

Title page of Murphyores report CR2690 — **Figure 5a.** Murphyores report CR2690, title page. Source: Geological Survey of Queensland, GeoResGlobe

Page 3 of Murphyores report CR2690 — **Figure 5b.** Murphyores report CR2690, page 3. Source: Geological Survey of Queensland, GeoResGlobe

Cross section from report CR2690 showing gravel at about 110 feet depth — **Figure 6.** Cross section from report CR2690 showing ‘Gravel’ at approximately 110 feet below surface. Source: Geological Survey of Queensland, GeoResGlobe

The location of ‘Line 13’ is shown on Figure 7 and taken from the New South Wales Rutile Mining Company report CR1184, 1963.

Map of Line 13 from report CR001184 — **Figure 7.** Line 13, report CR001184. Source: Geological Survey of Queensland, GeoResGlobe.

https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/data/report/cr001184

Title page of Shell report CR1300 — **Figure 8.** Title page to Shell’s report CR1300. Source: Geological Survey of Queensland, GeoResGlobe

https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/data/report/cr001300

The location of seismic line 13 which for the western section follows Bogimbah Creek follows.

Section of Shell report CR1300 showing location of seismic Line 13 — **Figure 9.** Section of Shell Development report CR1300_16 showing location of Line 13. Source: Geological Survey of Queensland, GeoResGlobe