Mollerin Rock Soak

Statement of Significance

All these rock catchments, soaks, dams, tanks, are hugely important and significant sites firstly in the wandering lives of the first possessors of this land, then as a source of water for the explorers, pastoralists and sandalwood pullers and then for the settlers themselves. The settlement of the Wheatbelt is a story of men and women going out to a land almost without water, hoping to gain prosperity and independence. It was a huge experiment in which the settlers risked finding water and storing it somehow, carting it labouriously over long distances and existing with the absolute minimum to keep themselves and their animals alive. So the 'granites' with their gnamma holes and soaks and then the building of the dams and tanks and catchment walls has enormous importance and relevance for the farmers who have gone on to prosper and succeed.

Physical Description

The first of the big cement tanks on rock catchments in the Koorda Shire, Mollerin Rock Tank AA 428, with a capacity of 170,000 gallons and 12 acres of rock catchment.

History

The Mollerin Soak was gazetted as a Reserve 12596 on Location 752 on 2nd February, 1910 and Mollerin Rock Reserve 13920 on Location 3759 was gazetted in 1911. Reserve 14429 on Locations 769, 771, 778, 1333, 4221 was gazetted in 1912 and is now an "A" Class Reserve and is vested in the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority. The land now known as the Wheatbelt is a dry hot inhospitable land in many years and the early explorers often described the monotony of the flat scrub and timber covered country. However nature has provided a little relief in the large isolated granite outcrops found throughout the interior. On the rock face are found holes and indentations which hold water after the rains. The extent of the wonderings of the early colonists was limited by the number and the extent of these outcrops for at the bottom of the rocks shallow wells or seepage soaks could always be found. It explains the crisscrossing from rock to rock of all the tracks of the shepherds, sandalwooders and prospectors. Sometimes after a very wet year some of the Lakes would be near enough to fresh for a while, some brackish, but most were salty and some would not have water in them for years. Shafts had to be sunk in granite country - there were no boring plants - and there were not many big gnamma holes. The patches of grass were small and surrounding them were often thick patches of box poison. Amongst the early settlers were men, especially those from the Goldfields, who recognised the value of organised pressure. As early as November, 1908 the North Cowcowing Progress Association was formed with a subscription of 10/-. This Association took in all settlers of the Booralaming and Badgerin areas. Another was formed at Cowcowing with A. Van Heurck as Secretary and another early settler in the area, J.A. Jeffrey, as President. Then there was the Central Cowcowing Progress Association with Bert Nilsson as President. As a result of the efforts of these organisations the Water Supply Department decided early in 1909 to excavate tanks at some of the sites judged by explorer and surveyor Marmaduke Terry as good holding ground. Inspector Brown was sent to the district. He was to get as much work done as possible by contract but Engineer Andrew Dunne, from the P.W.D., also organised day work on these dams. They set up camp at Booralaming and travelled about by horse and cart with little, square galvanised iron tanks of water aboard and sparse camping equipment. Numerous trial pot holes were excavated one being at east Cowcowing on Location 1 73. This area was of most concern to Inspector Brown. Everywhere was dry but this was a long stretch of land with no granites. "Brownie" was always in a state of mixed admiration and despair at the bravery or foolhardiness of these settlers going out to such a waterless land with "babies, white hands and total inexperience". The Water Supply Department authorised the following work. They were excavated tanks officially, but always known locally as dams. Such little dams they were, mere mudholes of 1000 to 2000 cubic yards with three in one batters, covered with brushwood, fenced and equipped with a trough, standpipe and hand pump. The work was done with teams of horses or bullocks, sometimes both, using single furrowed ploughs and little scoops, a very respected skill for the times.

Uses

Creation Date

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