Situated 60 km by road south of Cairns and 14 km north of Babinda Far North Queensland Australia.
GPS marks are (in WGS84) N 80 94 696 E 3 85 487.

Harvey creek runs straight of Mount Bellenden Ker, a 1593 meter rainforest covered peak, recorded as the 3rd wettest spot on earth, with a 11.250 meters rain fall annually and the second highest mountain in Queensland second only to Mount Bartle Frere.
Considering it is in the tropics it has an average temperature of just 19C. This is because Harvey Creek atthe main road crossing is only 800 meter from where it runs from the mountains.

Harvey Creek is a fast flowing clear rainforest stream. Water conditions vary through the year, temperature varies with the flow. During the wet season or summer time the temperature is around 18C and late in the dry season and winter it is actually warmer as its flow is less so it has time to warm up and is around 23C.
pH changes season to season from 6.8 at low flow, mainly due to leaf litter in the system, to 7.2 at higher flow times.
Hardness is around 60 to 80 ppm GH. I have never measured MS or conductivity but I would think it is the same as most Northern streams and not measure much.
Water depth varies from a few centimes to 4 meters deep.

Aquatic plant life is minimal. This is because it is a fast moving stream with a granite boulder substrate.
However in the back waters there is Blyxa aubertii, Aponogeton lancesmithii, Vallisneria nana in the lower sections and Vesicularia sp. growing along the bank and boulders.

Fish life varies according to the season and water flow.
The permanent residents are: Melanotaenia splendida splendida (a nice red tail form), Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum, Mogurnda adspersa, Oxyeleotris lineolata, Ophiocara porocephala, Hypseleotris compressa, Mugilogobius platystomus, Notesthes robusta (a resident to be avoided) and what the creek is famous for: Pseudomugil signifer. These last ones they grow to at least 8cm long and are spectacular.
Visitors with the change of season are Stiphodon gobies, Redigobius chrysosoma, Giurus margaritacea, Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Gerres filamentosus, Scatophagus argus, Monodactylus argenteus, Kuhlia rupestris, Hephaestus tulliensis, Ambassis interruptus, Neosilurus ater and various eel species.
Melanotaenia maccullochi was reported to be found in the past but no body I know has ever found them again, a lucky find I think but they were red fin form.

Anyone lucky enough to visit the spot will not be disappointed and must snorkel with the fish as it is a once in a life time experience.

Additional measurements:

Xmas day 25/12/08: air temp 32C, humidity 70%, water temp 20C, flowing crystal clear after 20mm of rain the night before.

This article was written by Bob Kroll and may not be reproduced or copied without prior consent of the author.