Keokanie No. 12 Well

Statement of Significance

Many of the wells that Hunt and his party excavated were well known by his Aboriginal guides. The local people knew of these water sources, but at times were reluctant to divulge their location as it was on these water sources on which their lives depended. Surveyors and explorers such as Hunt and John and Alexander Forrest, and others, agreed that without the assistance of their
Aboriginal guides, they would never have reached the remote places in the interior as they did.
Hunt's track has great historical significance as a precursor to other events, including:
1. The establishment of the telegraph line to Kalgoorlie and the first stage of the transcontinental railway line, both of which follow its general course.
2. The routing of the Perth to Kalgoorlie pipeline.
3. The movement of prospectors and later pastoralists in the Western Australian interior.

Physical Description

Hunt's Well No. 12 Keocanie Well - In March of 1865 Hunt's party constructed the Keocaine Well and build a substantial log hunt next to it using a collection of stone, timber and rushes. Although the supply of water to this well was only shallow, Hunt described it as being most abundant with a standing supply of upwards of 3 feet. The dimensions of the well once it was completed were 6.5 feet deep, 7 in the clear at the bottom, and 8 feet across the top. The walls of the well were stoned and the well itself was covered with a sloping approach of steps down to it. Though this well situated 4.5 miles north of Hunts direct track his party used this site to build because it sits on a track that was between the wells at Moorine and Yakarakine. In 1982 the well appeared as a shallow depression in granite with some evidence of the old stone lining. The Southern Cross Historical Society is currently restoring the well.

History

While exploring this area for the first time in March 1864, Charles Cooke Hunt met five Aborigines who had never before seen a European man on horseback. He
passed through here again in October 1864 and with his construction party in March 1865 dug this well to a depth of 1.9 metres.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.