Koorkoordine Soak (Well) No 14

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

Koorkoordine Soak (Well No.14) - Hunt and his team excavated about 200 meters (10 chains) from the western edge of Lake Koorkoordine and 160 meters (8 chains) from the eastern base of the rock. Hunt recommended a 50 acre reserve be created. When Hunt visited the well on 22 July 1866 it contained 2.5 Feet of water. The soak is presently in a 10 acre class C reserve (number 18250) gazetted on 29/3/1923, named Koorkoodine Tank, located 4 miles east of Southern Cross. In 1984 renovation work was done on the soak. Today there is a plaque and a steel weld-mesh on the top cover to stop vandals filling it with stones, there also appears to be some stone lining added to the walls. It has been sign posted, and is maintained by the Southern Cross Historical Society. Prior to renovation in 1984 it was poorly fenced with stone dispersed around it and there was no evidence of a stone lining. Also it was full of water and surrounded by weed situated in an open area behind Southern Cross golf course.

History

Charles C Hunt led government backed expeditions into the Yilgarn between 1864-66. His aim was to discover and map water sources that could ensure a reliable supply for future venturers going east. He also sought a further assessment of the region for pastoral use. The expeditions led to the discovery of some good water sources. Some were improved by being shored up or having the catchment area enlarged. A number of water sites mapped by C Hunt have been recognised as significant to the survival of the early explorers, prospectors and settlers in the Yilgarn district. During his second journey of 1864 for the York Agricultural Society and subsequent expeditions in 1865 and 1866, Hunt succeeded in clearing a track some 300 miles to the east of York. The track which he cut as far as Lake Lefroy was cleared the greatest part of the series of 26 wells, dams, tanks, soaks and other seasonally reliable water holes, securing a safe route to the Hampton Plains. Hunt's wells and soaks were constructed by a workforce of pensioner soldiers and probationary convicts. The wells took many hours to build, being carefully lined with slabs of granite and timber poles. In his journeys ahead of his construction team to look for more potential wells. Hunt often came upon wells that he named and recorded locations for, although he chose not to develop them as the water yield was either insufficient or not reliable enough to be included in this track. One of these wells is at Duladgin, now on the Duladgin Nature Reserve and Class C Reserve. This well was dug in May 1865 by Hunt's working party. Hunt was impressed by this well which could supply 10 bullocks, 10 horses and 15 men with water for a month. He established a depot with 3 huts nearby. This depot was used to store supplies for this 1864 and 1866 expeditions. Alexander Forrest and other early surveyors and prospectors are known to have used this soak. Among them were Tom Riseley and Mick Toomey who discovered and named Southern Cross. The Aboriginal word for 'meat' was 'koorkoor' and 'dine' signified 'place of, hence "Koorkoordine".

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Historic Themes

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