Local Government
Exmouth
Region
Gascoyne
Location
Yardie Creek Road Exmouth
Location Details
132 m west from Yardie Creek Road on UCL
Construction Date
Constructed from 1875
Demolition Year
N/AStatutory Heritage Listings
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
Other Heritage Listings and Surveys
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ||||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | |||
Statement of Significance
The Bundegi - Cape Well has high historic heritage significance. Although the construction date is unknown, the well is thought to be the one built by the survivors of the ship 'Stefano'. Despite alterations by successive pastoralists. it remains one of the earliest reminders of European presence on North West Cape.
Physical Description
The Bundegi-Cape Well is located in a sparsely treed area on a sand track 3 km west from Murat Road. 12 km north of the Exmouth townsite. Near to the well is a cylindrical concrete tank which stands approximately two metres above the ground. The well itself is shored up with rough timber poles and is covered with timber beams and corrugated iron sheets. Next to the well arc the remnants of another concrete structure.
History
Though there is no indisputable evidence to prove the original builders of this well, it is thought they were the survivors of a shipwreck. In 1875 the barque 'Stefano' came to grief off the North West Cape. Survivors of the wreck made it to shore and. it is believed, subsequently built this well, making it the first non-Aboriginal structure in the area. Another theory about the origin of the well dedicates the work to pearlers or whalers who worked off these shores in the latter half of the 19th ccnturv. Either theory promotes the well as an important remainder of early European forays into the North West Cape.
References
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| G Rathe; "The Wreck of the Stefano off the Nort-West Cape of Australia in 1875". | Hesperian Press | 1990 |
Place Type
Historic site
Uses
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Original Use | OTHER | Other |
| Present Use | VACANT\UNUSED | Vacant\Unused |
Construction Materials
| Type | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Wall | STONE | Other Stone |
Historic Themes
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Settlements |
Creation Date
24 Feb 1998Publish place record online (inHerit):
ApprovedLast Update
21 Jan 2021Disclaimer
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.