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STS048-071-035

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From time to time, Shuttle-acquired photographs of northeastern Queensland show numerous smoke palls along this coastal region of Australia. These particular fires are burning in the Normanby Range north of the Rockhampton area. This small range of mountains has an average elevation of 1500 feet (450 meters) above sea level, with a few peaks that exceed 2000 feet (600 meters). Visible north of Shoalwater Bay, the small bay east of the mountains, are several small island groups, including the Percy Islands and the Duke Islands.