Bokaring Waterhole

Statement of Significance

The site is important in the development of the grazing industry and for its connection with pioneering families.

Physical Description

The waterhole is situated in the creek of the same name which flows north towards Gundaring. The creek has its head reaches in the Cartmeticup area with a major tributary being the Lipseig Gully draining water from the east.

History

The name is derived from the Aboriginal word 'booka' meaning cloak. This was a prime source of water for those shepherding Henry Quartermaine's sheep on his pastoral lease taken out here in 1873. Land around Bokaring Water Hole - also spelt Bockaring - was freeholded by Quartermaine as Williams Location 142 in the mid 1870's. Many years later (after WW11) when it became a War Service Land Settlement property this and surrounding blocks were re-surveyed into one large location.(l) Later occupants and owners of the property include a man named Fisher who is buried nearby.

One early settler from South Australia to take advantage of the improved conditions for the purchase of land after the Government purchase of the WA Land Company was Thomas Kealley. His wife, Charlotte, followed with their large family in 1897. Within four years they had built a substantial mud bat house at 'Naballing' about 3kms south of the water hole. Thomas Kealley was to make his mark in public affairs. He was the foundation chairman of the Woodanilling Road Board in 1906, serving on the Board in this capacity until 1910. Kealley, an ambitious man, had purchased a large tract of land, in addition to his extensive leaseholding, but had overreached himself financially and sold his property to HO Timms of Gnowangerup who installed Jack Haydock as farm manager. This was around 1917 and Kealley went to the Wagin area where he bought another farm.

In 1923 EN (Buster) Walker purchased this property and also Darby's selection near the Cartmeticup Church which (known as Windygate) had been sold to JRL Brinkley in 1912. Walker owned one of the first tractors in the district, a steel shelled petrol or kerosene machine, which seemed to spend most of the winter bogged. Walker had the 'Naballing' and 'Windygate' properties until 'Naballing' was sold to the War Service Land Settlement Scheme and he then moved to Carrolup. Naballing was split into three sections with the northern most piece allocated to M Halligan. This was sold to Morris Bell in 1955, then to Lavers and latterly to Aird Kerr.

Aird is the son of Walter Paisley-Kerr who was bom in Scotland in 1896, came to the Cartmeticup area in 1923 from South Australia where he had worked for Sir Sidney Kidman. Walter's first block of land was Location 142 known as Bockaring Well. In 1924 he purchased the old Kruger farm then owned by John Severs. Later he married Esme Ramsden, daughter of Mrs Frank Faulkner and served in both World Wars He died in 1951 leaving his sons (Robert and Aird) to manage the farm. Robert moved to Duranillin to farm after his marriage and Aird took over the running of 'Hawick Hill'. On its sale to the WSLS, only about 35 acres around the well and old house had been cleared of the 2,000 acres in the block.

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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.