Kimberley De Grey Stock Route and Wells

Statement of Significance

• The Kimberley de Grey Stock route and the associated wells have historic value for their association with the development of the pastoral industry in the North West of the state in the late 19th and early 20th century.
• The wells along the Kimberley de Grey Stock route have historic and social value to the aboriginal people of the region as they were traditional water sources prior to settlement by pastoralists in the mid 19th century and held cultural and spiritual values to these peoples.
• The route and wells have historic value as they demonstrate how conflict arose between the pastoral industry and the aboriginal people of the region through the practice of exclusion.

Physical Description

The stock route covers a distance of approximately 380km and is located closer to the coast than the Great Northern Highway. A site visit was not undertaken for this assessment therefore it is not known if all wells are still in existence.

Aerial photographs indicate that the physical form of the route is largely open scrub with endemic vegetation. The wells along the route are likely to vary in form and condition.

History

In 1879, Alexander Forrest (1849-1901) surveyor, explorer, financier, and politician led an expedition from the De Grey River to the Kimberley and Fitzroy River, where he took up several pastoral stations. Alexander Forrest was Mayor of Perth, 1892-1895 and 1898-1900, as well as MLC and MLA for Kimberley.
The route that Alexander Forrest surveyed was developed in 1895 with the sinking of 27 wells along the total route of 237 miles (381km). The colonial government were keen to develop the northern portions of the state for settlement and the provision of a secure stock route assisted pastoralists to move stock to and from the south of the state. Establishment of the De Grey Kimberley Stock Route was strongly influenced by pastoralist and local MLA Alexander Robert Richardson. Richardson drew attention to the need for a stock route in a letter to his electorate in June 1894. Later in the year, following his re-election he was appointed Commissioner for Crown Lands in the Ministry of John Forrest.
The route largely followed the 1879 survey and relied on native soaks for water sources. In late 1895, Mr S. Anderson, Superintendant of the Water Supply party engaged in sinking wells on the stock route reported that windlasses, ropes, buckets and small troughs have been provided for the wells already sunk. In this program of work, 27 wells were either sunk or repaired long the route of 237 miles.
One of the outcomes of the creation of the route was the exclusion of Aboriginal people from using the water sources along the track. The portion of the route between the old townsite of Condon (Shellborough) and La Grange Bay is within the area of traditional Yawuru country. Plans drawn by the Department of Lands and Titles c1895 showing the stock route include the traditional names of the soaks or wells.
Apart from the stock and their handlers passing through, the wells and creeks were used by pearlers and their crews as lay up camps during the off season.
The stock route which is designated as Reserve 9697 is located closer to the coast than the Great Northern Highway which replaced the function of the stock route.

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.