engineering

Irvinebank Dam

Irvinebank Dam is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Irvinebank Dam rather than just read about it. In short: The Irvinebank Dam, also known as the Loudoun Weir or the Loudoun Dam, is a heritage-listed timber and concrete weir across the Gibbs Creek and McDonald Creek, near Irvinebank, in Far North Queensland, Australia. The weir was constructed in c. 1885 when the Vulcan Mine and a tin battery were built; and is approximately 34 km (21 mi) south-eest of Atherton and 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Herberton.

Key takeaways

Irvinebank Dam belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Irvinebank Dam to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Irvinebank Dam from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Irvinebank Dam, also known as the Loudoun Weir or the Loudoun Dam, is a heritage-listed timber and concrete weir across the Gibbs Creek and McDonald Creek, near Irvinebank, in Far North Queensland, Australia. The weir was constructed in c. 1885 when the Vulcan Mine and a tin battery were built; and is approximately 34 km (21 mi) south-eest of Atherton and 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Herberton.

History

The two creeks which form the basis of the dam at Irvinebank were known as Gibbs Creek and McDonald Creek, named in honour of early colonial prospectors. The battery was erected on the Gibbs Creek frontage, and the dam was constructed just below the junction of these two creeks. When full, the dam covered an area of approximately 4.9–5.3 hectares (12–13 acres), with depths varying from approximately 0.61–4.57 metres (2–15 ft). The original capacity was 150 megalitres (120 acre⋅ft). The dam was upgraded with concrete in 2006, retaining the original timber in the facade. Following the discovery of a leak in 2017, work was carried out between December 2020 and August 2021 to repair the leak and replace six original logs in the facade with "like-for-like" new timber. The upgrades were recognised in 2007 with a Queensland Heritage Council Silver Award.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Irvinebank Dam

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Irvinebank Dam claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Irvinebank Dam before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Irvinebank Dam ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Irvinebank Dam

In research: Irvinebank Dam appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Irvinebank Dam in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Irvinebank Dam is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1885 establishments in Australia, Australian dam stubs, Buildings and structures in Far North Queensland, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Irvinebank Dam outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Irvinebank Dam in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Irvinebank Dam means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Irvinebank Dam out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Irvinebank Dam in simple terms?

Why does Irvinebank Dam matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Irvinebank Dam?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Irvinebank Dam.