Gnamma Hole - Narkeening

Statement of Significance

The Narkeening Gnamma Hole is historically important as an example of Aboriginal adaptive use of environment, and is representative of the importance of reliable supplies of water to the settlement of this district.

Physical Description

Narkeening Water Reserve is an area consisting mainly of flat granite rock, with the main feature being a large gnamma hole in the northern end. The rock gently slopes, with the run-off towards the north. There are several other gnamma holes in the area, most of them quite small.
The main gnamma hole is 130 centimetres wide, 180 centimetres long, and over 200 centimetres deep. The hole itself is quite irregularly shaped, with many concave compartments leading back under the rock, and showing various areas where the hollowing process had been taking place. It is estimated that the capacity of the gnamma hole would be approximately 450 gallons.
There are two other holes in close proximity, the closest being only 44 cms x 18 cms and 12 cms deep. The second hole ("Ben's Gnamma Hole") is 80 cms x 50 cms and approximately 50 cms deep.
Further to the south-west are at least three more small holes, all about 15-20 cms across, and varying from 10 to 20 cms deep.

History

The Narkeening Water Reserve No. 11212 was originally declared on November 20th 1908, and the Narkeening Gnamma Hole is shown on an early twentieth century map as part of that reserve (see attached map). In 1920, the area of the reserve was reduced from 640 acres, to 250 acres, and the remainder of the land was thrown open for selection.
Current lithographs bear the notation Tank No.1 V as part of the reserve. Contact with D.O.L.A. and the Battye Library have not been able to ascertain any further information regarding the tank numbering system, such as who was responsible, and when it was introduced.
Early in 1999, a search was conducted to discover a gnamma hole of sufficient size to warrant inclusion on early maps. Barry Cornish discovered the main hole on 15th January. It was completely filled with dirt, numerous rocks, and remains of bush timber, and was barely able to be discerned from the surrounding area.
Once excavated, the hole proved to be more than 6 feet deep, and of considerable capacity. The smoothly irregular shape of the hole bears testimony to the method of construction, with hollows that suggest that fires had been lit to crack the rock. Some of the cavities were part the way up the walls of the gnamma hole, and water from the lower cavities would have been available to splash on to the hot rock to assist the process of cracking and flaking.
The lack of a reliable supply of water has always been a problem throughout the dry country districts of Western Australia. In "Around the Rock", the history of the Shire of Nungarin, Olga Joukovsky-Vaisvila writes: "In order to survive, the Aborigines of Australia had to be nomadic. Travelling from waterhole to waterhole was a necessity".
The aboriginal people had to learn survival skills such as the protection and management of water holes. When Surveyor J.S.Roe explored the district in 1836, he noted that there was a good spring at Knungajin which had been deepened out to a well by the natives, and in 1864 Surveyor Charles Hunt noted that many existing waterholes throughout the area had been carefully covered with sticks and branches to protect the water from native dogs and other animals.
In Barbara Sewell's "Goomalling - A Backward Glance", the author describes the aboriginal method of lighting a fire to heat the rock, and successively chipping away to form a hole. Early European settlers usually sank wells, or dug dams, or on occasions were known to use explosives in an attempt to enlarge water catchments. The more painstaking method of using heat to chip and flake the rock did not seem to suit the European temperament.
With the development of agriculture, pioneering farmers were also reliant on the scanty supply of water, and many of the native wells were gratefully used by the new settlers. The Narkeening gnamma hole was one of the sources of water that older residents remember being mentioned.

Condition

Site only

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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.