Weowanie Rock & Well No. 15

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

Weowanie Rock / Tank (Well No.15) - The tank is located on Weowanie Rock near its southern base, in a small gully bearing southerly towards a chain of small salt lakes. Hunt's team blasted a hole out of the granite approximately 6 ft x 4 ft (Mines Department Water Supply Wells Register Report) with a holding capacity of 3,000 gallons. Hunt recommended a 20 acre reserve for this tank, as there was no permanent water at Duladgin, which was 4.5 miles to the south. Situated in Weowainie Nature reserve (reserve No. 3113). Originally gazetted in 1896 the area is now a class C reserve for both water and the conservation of flora and fauna. In June 1982 the tank looked like a natural rock catchment with two sides of it lined with stone. When revisited in February 1991 it contained water to approximately 2 feet.

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. C Hunt first camped at this site on 26 March 1864 and returned in 1865. On his return a well was dug to a depth of 3 metres. Hunt considered it more of a tank as there was little seepage. He used it as a reliable water source in subsequent expeditions. Nature Reserve No 3113 is recognised for its water source, flora and fauna. There are many interesting rock formations in this vicinity. Sometimes it is used by camping groups.

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Historic Themes

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