Eaglestone

Statement of Significance

Eaglestone is an attractive granite rock and a popular picnic site. The feature has historic, social and aesthetic significance.

History

Granite outcrops area a feature of the Nungarin District, and Eaglestone was prominent in the early exploration of the area. The feature was first recorded by Surveyor J.S.Roe in his Explorations East of York on 24th October 1836, Field Book 5, Exploration Plan 31:
"October 24 1.50 - Recorded compass readings for Eagle Rock....The "Lakes" or reservoirs at our foot seem to form the bed or channel of the receptacle for all the water of this part of the country, but they are very shallow apparently, and composed of white sand. The surface has the appearance of being extensively covered with water, among which are dry banks coloured darker by woods or small plants, but whether the water is fresh or salt, or part of a river, or otherwise, must be decided tomorrow by a visit to the small ridges of which Eagle Rock forms the north-western part.
"Tomorrow's proceedings will, it is hoped, throw more light on the subject.. ."
"October 25 7.40 - Proceeded NNE towards Eagle Rock, passing round SE side of hill "h"...
"9.20 - Arrived within 1/2 mile of summit of Eagle Rock, turned off for the lake shore. Samphire level flats for 200 yards brought us to the shore of the lake, which lay spread out before us in one vast white sheet. The occurrence of samphire had prepared us for salt water, but, instead of it, the level surface of the lake was covered with a crust of salt near the margin, which appeared a gravelly ridge further out, and at 60 yards was succeeded by a coating of mica or gypsum in pieces from an inch to a tenth of an inch in length, and clustered like sand. Amongst these at still greater distance was very coarse white quartz sand, and underneath the whole was a soft smooth clay of various colours, red, like the appearance of brick dust coloured soil uppermost, then brown, blue yellow, and whitish in succession to the depth of one foot, where very salt water oozes in - seemingly devoid of that nauseous taste which ever attaches to sea water. The eastern foot of the Eagle Rock ridge is bounded by the lake. On the surface numerous traces of emu, dogs, and some natives. Followed beach northwards % mile to eastern foot of the hill, where a smooth watercourse from the rock contained pools of good water draining to the lake.
"Took compass readings from the summit of Eagle Hill, the north east face of east ridge is very much honeycombed and worn into small caverns - the whole a mass of coarse granite and whinstone. "No appearance of water on lake surface."
It is interesting to note that although current lithographs indicate two distinct hills (Eaglestone Hill and Bulyeranging Hill), with Eagle Rock a separate feature at the south-west corner of Eaglestone Hill, Roe only mentioned Eagle Rock and Eagle Hill.
Charles Hunt didn't make any mention at all of Eaglestone during his exploratory journey through the district in1864, in spite of having called at Knungajin and Nungarin Rock.
An 1893 map showing pastoral leases in the area makes the first mention of Bulyeranging, but doesn't show Eaglestone or Eagle Rock.
The physical evidence indicates a long undulating ridge with two obvious peaks (Bulyeranging to the north and Eaglestone to the south?), and Eagle Rock prominent on the south-western edge.
Locally the entire feature is known as Eaglestone, while many residents from nearby Mukinbudin refer to the whole as Bulyeranging.
In "On The Line", Jocelyn Maddock reports that according to Mr Arthur Corunna (an aboriginal inhabitant of the area) the name "Bulyeranging" derived from the Aboriginal word 'bulya' which meant 'warning', and referred to the sands of the dry lake surface which were very treacherous.

Condition

Site only

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.