Found Stuart’s large dry swamp with reeds. Not the one I’ve been to before. By far the largest dry swamp I’ve seem, maybe one and a half km wide and three km long. Couldn’t really see the other end.

Getting through this area wouldn’t have been too bad for Stuart. He wouldn’t have needed to zig-zag around as much as I expected.

The swales are about one km to three km wide. I was able to pick a low spot to cross the next dune from the foot of the one just crossed. At the foot of each dune that I crossed I set a GPS waypoint so I could find my track over on the way back.

At eleven miles and a half passed a large reedy swamp on our left, dry. At seventeen miles sand hills ceased. At eighteen miles and a half the sand hills again commenced, and we changed our course to north for three miles.

Where Stuart changed his course from NNE to north, that’s where the last sand dune of the area is. Unlike the other dunes, it runs south to north. So he’s followed it to the north. The dune finishes about the head of Crozier Creek, from where the country generally falls to the valley of Crozier Creek, Teatree Creek and Opal Creek, which all run to Lake Torrens.

The high country, though, continues with a ridge between Crozier Creek and Teatree Creek, till it reaches Trig Bluff, and then suddenly drops off. Teatree Creek bends around the northern end of Trig Bluff, heading east to the lake.

So the three miles could be the distance, running parrellal with the dune and a little out past it. He’d have then followed the creek, from up on the eastern ridge, coming down to the creek when it started to look promising.

Pictures, maps and more info coming over the next few weeks, so please check back.

View Larger Map
The present day Todd Well at the bottom of the ariel photo with the start of the first waterhole at the top. Follow the creek north west to see the three waterholes.

I was traveling on the ATV (quadbike) in the reverse direction to Stuart, so that’s the order in which I’ll relate this photography trip.

Saturday, 19th June, The Elizabeth. The sky was quite overcast with cloud during the night, and a few drops of rain fell, but of no consequence. Started at 9.30 a.m., on a bearing of 308 degrees for six miles; changed the bearing to 355 degrees for one mile and a half; next bearing 328 degrees for four miles, to the north side of a dry swamp; next bearing 4 degrees for ten miles and a half; next bearing 350 degrees for four miles to a sand hill. Camped. Distance to-day, twenty-five miles, over a very bad country, with large fragments of a hard flinty stone covering the surface. Salt bush with small sand hills. No water.

Sunday, 20th June, Sand Hill. Started at 9 a.m., on a course of 25 degrees for sixteen miles. At 1 p.m., came upon a creek, in which I thought there might be water; examined it and found two water holes, with plenty of grass upon their banks. The water is not permanent. Our course to-day has been across stony plains (covered on the surface with fragments resembling hard white quartz), with sand hills about two miles broad dividing them. The black did not know of this water; I am very doubtful of his knowing anything of the country. The stony plains are surrounded by high heavy sand hills, especially to the west and north-west; I dare not attempt to get through them without rain. They are much higher than the country that I am travelling through. It seems as if there had been no rain for twelve months, every thing is so dried and parched up. On further examination of the creek we have found a large hole of clear water, with rushes growing round it; I almost think it is permanent, and intend to run the risk of falling back upon it should I be forced to retreat and wait for rain. The creek seems to drain the large stony plains that we crossed; the water is three and a half feet deep, ten yards wide, by forty yards long.

The first of the three waterholes found by John McDouall Stuart. He called this campsite Water Creek.

The description of the route from the Elizabeth to the Sand Hill is so involved, it leaves room for misunderstanding and error. But from there to Water Creek is quite short, direct and easy going. Here’s how I understand it:

From the camp in the small sand hill, Stuart went on 25 deg for 16 miles in four hours. At this point he came upon a creek that looked promising, so abandoned his course and followed the creek down till he came to the first waterhole.

The second of three waterholes. Looks to be quite deep.

Why did he think it may have water? Good catchment of stony country, no sandhills. Small, dry holes in the creek.

Why do I think his distance and bearing are reliable? Fairly flat going, no sand hills to speak of. The one sand area is not high. Except for the odd, limited, high area, it undulates only a metre or two. This is the area a few km north of Hardie’s Dam.

Sunset approaching at the third waterhole, Stuart’s likely campsite.

The first waterhole has water in! It’s in a bend of the creek, up against a cliff, about 6 metres high. Todd well is about 100 metres up stream, just out of the main stream bed.

Next waterhole, also with water, is maybe 200 metres downstream, on the reverse bend, with a similar bank.

The present day Hardie’s Dam with the small Sand Hill just visable in the distance, about a kilometre away.

There’s another hole a few hundred metres further down stream, also on a bend with a bank. No water and maybe not as deep, but longer and wider. I suppose that’s the third waterhole, although you wouldn’t know if there are more waterholes below Whip Well.

If you look at the topographic map you’ll easily be able to identify the two wells mentioned, about eight km south of Andamooka Homestead.

Even more exciting to my mind: If you look closely at Google Earth, you’ll see Todd Well and the three waterholes. The waterholes show up on Google Earth as black. I think it’s the shadow of the creek banks, rather than water at the time of the arial photo.

You wouldn’t know to what extent these waterholes have silted up since Stuart’s day.

So you could quite safely work backwards from where Stuart struck the creek, in order to pin-point the previous camp in the Sand Hill. It’s simply a matter of just where he struck the creek and how far he followed it to the waterholes.

Hardie’s Dam was nearly full. They had 32mm of rain in early February 2008 at Arcoona and Woomera. Only a few mm at Roxby town, none at Andamooka town and none at Bosworth.

There’s a small, isolated sand hill quite near Hardie’s dam, which is the likely campsite, and a couple more small sand hills in the general area. Good feed with grass in head, in the sand hills.

View Larger Map

Well, I reckon I was there yesterday. There are several dry waterholes in the vicinity of a big bend in Crozier Creek, in a general area that fits with the description in Stuart’s journal, the topography of the area and my understanding of his route and campsite.

Tuesday, 22nd June, Andamoka. Started on a bearing of 342 degrees. At seven miles and a half, crossed a low stony range running east-north-east and west-south-west, which turned out to be table land, with sand hills crossing our line, bearing to a high range east of us 93 degrees 30 minutes. About eight miles in the same direction there is the appearance of a long salt lake. At nine miles and a half, on a sand hill, I obtained the following bearings: Mount North-west, 60 degrees 30 minutes; Mount Deception, 95 degrees. At eleven miles and a half passed a large reedy swamp on our left, dry. At seventeen miles sand hills ceased. At eighteen miles and a half the sand hills again commenced, and we changed our course to north for three miles. Camped for the night at a creek of permanent water, very good. The last four miles of to-day’s journey have been over very stony rises with salt bush and a little grass.

Wednesday, 23rd June, Permanent Water Creek. The horses had strayed so far that we did not get a start until 10 a.m. Bearing to-day, 318 degrees. At two miles crossed a tea-tree creek, in which there is water, coming from the stony rises, and running to the north of east. At six miles the sand hills again commence. To this place we have come over a stony plain, covered on the surface with fragments of limestone, quartz, and ironstone, with salt bush and grass. In a watery season it must be well covered with grass; the old grass is lying between the salt bushes. We have a view of part of the lake (Torrens) bearing north-east about fifteen or twenty miles from us; to the west again the stony rises, apparently more open. At ten miles, in the sand hills, we have again a view of Flinders range. The bearings are: Mount North-west, 78 degrees 35 minutes; Mount Deception, 107 degrees. At fourteen and a half miles we found a clay-pan of water, with beautiful green feed for the horses. As we don’t know when we shall find more water, and as Forster has a damper to bake, I decide to camp for the rest of the day. Our route has lain over heavy sand hills for the last eight miles.

Trig Bluff is about three quarters of a round hill, the south side continuing several kilometres and joining other high country to the south, way back near the head of Crozier Creek.

Waterhole in Crozier Creek, one of several likely spots for John McDouall Stuart’s camp.

So Stuart would have picked up Crozier Creek near it’s head and followed it down on one side or the other, maybe crossed it, till he found water and camped.

From there, it fits to go north west and cross Teatree Creek about 1km north of Trig Bluff. Stuart would have gone that way to miss the high country of Trig Bluff.

Following up the west side of Crozier Creek, I came on a reasonable track which led to a point where there is a sign about start of the mining area, so I turned back, sooner than get shot at.

Might give it another go, either on the track or cross country on the east side of the creek.

Although there are areas around that apear to be pretty much as they were in Stuart’s day, vast areas of country appear to have suffered bad erosion in the days of overstocking, rabbit plauges and drought. Accordingly it’s not hard to imagine that Crozier Creek and Teatree Creek may have been fine creeks in a good year, 150 years ago, before silting up of the waterholes and swamps occured.

View Larger Map
Swinden’s Crossing at the southern tip of Lake Torrens. This is where I’ll pick up Stuart’s track and follow his next ten days travel and exploration.

The plan is to pick up Stuart’s route at Swinden’s Crossing at the southern tip of Lake Torrens in South Australia.

Then visit Beda Waterhole, which I understand has caved in and filled with silt. From there I’ll travel up Beda Creek in an attempt to identify the site of Babbage’s depot, visited by Mr Forster, Stuart’s traveling companion.

From there to Pernatty Waterhole, Stuart’s route is rather uncertain, but I believe that my study of his journal and the journal of Mr Babbage makes it fairly clear, within reasonable bounds.

Stuart followed the supply track made by Babbage. North west, past Beda Arm, then north along the present road, swinging north west at or before Willow Creek. North west with the road and then west toward the Elizabeth. Persuaded by his Aboriginal guide, Stuart opted to then swing abruptly north to Pernatty Waterhole on the basis of a misunderstanding about correct, native place names.

From there, Stuart went to Bottle Hill, Elizabeth Creek at Mohomet’s Dam and then toward Arcoona Lake, changing course from north west to north, perhaps because of the heavy sand dunes.

The site of Stuart’s next camp is not certain but it was in a sandhill, somewhere near Hardy’s Dam. I hope to positively identify the next camp at a waterhole, near Tod Ridge Well which is a few km south of Andamooka Homestead.

Stuart’s next camp was at Andamooka Waterhole and from there the route is generally north to Trig Waterhole, near the present day Chimney Hole Dam, east of the town of Andamooka.

Well, in simple terms, that’s my trip.

The aim of the trip is twofold:

• Follow Stuart.
• Photograph the landscape.

Follow John McDouall Stuart
Identify Stuart’s route and camping spots, camp where Stuart camped, make a cuppa billy tea from the waterholes that the great explorer used and document, in photo journalistic style, the country and my experiences.

Photograph the Landscape
It’s hard country, even in modern times. The landscape cries out to me to be captured graphically. The harsh and resilient nature of the country tells my story as I tell it’s story. The landscape and I interact as we share our common experience with the viewer of the resultant images.

View Larger Map
Bottle Hill. John McDouall Stuart climbed the southern peak.

In this photo story I tell of some of my experiences and discoveries while at Bottle Hill.

From Stuart’s journal - Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 June 1858:

Started for Bottle Hill; arrived on the south side of the hill an hour and a half before sundown, found some water and plenty of grass; encamped for the night. Distance to-day, seventeen miles. The former part of the journey was over very stony country; the latter part very heavy sand hills.

Thursday, 17th June, Bottle Hill. Got on the top of Bottle Hill to take bearings, but was disappointed; could see no hill except one, which was either Mount Deception or Mount North-west; the bearing was 51 degrees 30 minutes. There is a small cone of stones on the top, and a flat stone on the top of it, with the names of Louden and Burtt. From here I saw the gum trees in the Elizabeth; course to them 325 degrees 30 minutes, seven miles to the creek. The country from the hill here is of the very worst description–nothing but sand and salt bush.

Well, I really enjoyed Bottle Hill. A great place to camp and a landscape photographer’s delight. My camp was in the sand hills, a kilometre or two back from the base of the hill at the eastern end, giving me a silhouetted view at sunset and a fully front lit view at sunrise.

Bottle Hill at sunrise, from the east.

From both the east and the west, Bottle Hill’s three peaks can be seen as three distinct forms in a row. The central peak is quite conical, with a stone cairn on top. It’s this peak, resembling an old whiskey jug, which gave the hill it’s name.

The northern and southern peaks are flat topped and about the same height. At the top, the northern peak is a cross between triangular and round. The southern peak runs east to west and would be a kilometre or so long by a hundred metres wide on top. It was the southern peak that caught my interest and on which I made the most exciting discovery as you will read presently.

I was up, out of bed, waiting for sufficient light to start photographing, as usual. Then, after breakfast, I got on the bike and started on the track which is shown on the map as circling Bottle Hill.

Behind the bike is the northern peak of Bottle Hill, obscuring the central peak. The southern peak is in the distance.

My research had indicated that the hill may have been a bit steep and that the best approach may have been the north west corner. I didn’t realize at that stage that the three peaks were so distinct. The north west corner of Bottle Hill turned out to be the north west corner of the southern peak.

When John McDouall Stuart said he “got on the top of Bottle Hill,” in such a laid back fashion, he was grossly understating the task.

At times in the early part of his trip, Stuart was very keen to get bearings on known landmarks, which explorers before him had accurately positioned with a sextant and an artificial horizon. But he couldn’t get such bearings every day for various reasons including cloud, other hills in the line of sight and the lack of hills to climb.

Looking east and north east from Bottle Hill, I was unable to see the peaks of the Flinders Ranges, over 100km away.

When searching for Stuart’s campsite on the Elizabeth, I took a compass bearing on Bottle hill from about ten or twelve kilometres away. I also set a GPS waypoint. On returning home to the computer, I found that my bearing was about five degrees out. No doubt Stuart had a better compass than mine, and better methods.

I reckon a bloke who could get more or less from Adelaide to Coober Peedy, then down to Ceduna and back to Adelaide, without getting lost, and live to tell the story, was a pretty good navigator and all round bushman.

After trying a couple of routes, I got about half way up Bottle hill on the bike. The hill was getting steeper and rougher as I went so I parked the bike on a less steep, less rough and less rocky spot and walked. On returning, I rocked up the bottom side before turning the bike around, to avoid a roll over.

All that remains of the small cone of stones left by Louden and Burtt.

Well, you wouldn’t believe my luck! Just where I came onto the summit of Bottle Hill, at the western end of the southern peak, I found a small, tumbled down pile of rocks, less than a wheelbarrow full, I guess, and few of them bigger than a house brick. Laying on one side of the pile of rocks was a flat rock about 300mm by half a metre and say 40mm thick.

In the absence of conflicting evidence, I reckon I found the remains of the same small cone of rocks that Stuart found, left by Louden and Burtt. Louden was the manager of Mr. Thompson’s station, Mount Arden.

There was no sign of writing on the flat stone. Around the area there are lots of slate scraps. If the writing was in slate, then 150 years of weathering could have removed it.

Camping pretty rough under a blue tarp at Gum Creek while searching for Stuart’s Elizabeth Creek camp. Dawn under a threatening sky.

Such a discovery makes all the hardship of the trip worthwhile. I felt so honoured to be looking at an artifact that goes right back to the first white men to see the interrior of this vast country. I doubt that many people would have seen this seemingly insignificant pile of stones, over the past 150 years, and even less would have recognised it for what it is. I felt a great sense of affinity with John McDouall Stuart as I stood there in the wind on top of Bottle Hill, gazing at a tumbled down a pile of stones.

The walk along the top of the southern peak of Bottle Hill was no stroll. With loose rocks underfoot everywhere, the wind blowing and gusting strongly, the flies as bad as ever and the weather changing from warm to cold and threatening rain, some aspects of my time spent up there were most unpleasant. In order to hold still enough to take photographs and look through the binoculars I had to sit on a rock with my elbows on my knees, and still it was near on impossible.

Looking south over Luna Dam to the salt flats of Pernatty Lagoon.

From various vantage points along the hill top I got a feel for the country below. At the eastern end I could pick out my camp. Way to the south there was the salt of Pernatty Lagoon. To the west could be seen Lake Windabout.

And sure enough, at a bearing around 325 degrees 30 minutes, roughly north west, and a distance of about 10 kilometres, I could see the gum trees, river redgums, of the Elizabeth. I don’t think this spot is where Stuart camped on the night of Thursday 17 June 1858 as I shall explain in another post.

So, just where was Stuart’s camp at Bottle Hill on the night of Wednesday 16 June 1858? I doubt that we’ll ever be sure, but here’s my best judgment based on a combination of Stuart’s journal and my observations.

Map of Bottle Hill. © Geoscience Australia.

From the top of Bottle Hill can be seen two creek systems, which between them drain Bottle Hill and the surrounding slopes and sand hills.

These dry creek beds follow a gentle curve that marks the delineation between the gibber plain country that falls away from Bottle Hill and the sand hill country that rises, still further away. The creeks are more or less a kilometre back from the base of the hill.

The creek at the eastern end of Bottle Hill flows north into Yeltacowie Bed Lake, which is a salt lagoon, maybe up to two kilometres across, and a couple of kilometres north east of Bottle Hill. On this creek is a swamp. In the swamp, two dams are built. There’s another dam about half a killometre up stream. My camp for two nights was back in the sand hills, not far from this.

Although this is at the east side of Bottle Hill and not the south, it’s a possible spot for John McDouall Stuart’s camp on the night of Wednesday 16 June 1858. He had an hour and a half in which to find water and grass, between arriving at the south side of Bottle Hill, and sundown.

The other creek system heads west and flows into the Elizabeth Creek.

Bracing myself against the wind, about half way along the south peak and facing south, I found myself looking straight at a dam on the creek. It’s Luna Dam, built about the time of the first manned landing on the Moon.

Luna Dam is built on the edge of a large clay pan which is a part of the dry creek bed. The old time dam sinkers built dams where they would fill with water when the creeks flood, and hold the water. Thus it is likely that the creek, at this point, has a clay bottom and that a whole in the creek bed would hold water.

From Luna Dam, there’s a clear view and reasonable passage to the west end of the south peak of Bottle Hill. The obvious place to climb Bottle Hill when seen from this angle is only just around the corner from where I climbed the hill and would lead to the same spot where I came onto the hilltop, the spot where I found the small pile of stones.

Wherever the exact spot of Stuart’s camp at Bottle Hill, there’s one thing for sure: I’ve looked down upon the spot from the hilltop.

From John McDouall Stuart’s journal - Monday, 21st June, 1858:

At eleven miles we came upon a salt lagoon (Wealaroo) two miles long by one broad.

From the north end of it, on a bearing of 55 degrees, one mile and a half will strike Andamoka.

View Larger Map
Willaroo Lagoon, the ironstone hill and Andamooka Waterhole.

Willaroo Lagoon is quite a sight! It occupies a basin maybe two kilometres by four and sits to the north western side of this low area. There are cliffs of different types for most of the way around, maybe fifteen or twenty metres high.

The ironstone hill refered to by Stuart, extends to the edge of the depression and forms an ironstone bluff, visible for many kilometres. The contrasting form, texture and colour of a white, flat topped hill, of the same height, out in the depression, not all that far away, makes for an eye catching landscape image.

From the cliff top, I saw several willy willys raising the dust in the bed of Willaroo Lagoon, way off in the distance.

On the far side, the north western side, slate cliffs run for a kilometre or two. There was once a slate mine there.

]]> http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/willaroo-lagoon.php/feed http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/andamooka-waterhole-2.php http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/andamooka-waterhole-2.php#comments Sat, 13 Oct 2007 09:21:49 +0000 Laurie http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/andamooka-waterhole-2.php John McDouall Stuart at Andamooka Waterhole

From Stuart’s journal - Monday, 21st June, 1858:

Monday, 21st June, Water Creek.

Started at 9.30 a.m. on a course of 25 degrees. At a mile passed a small table-topped hill to the west of our line; at three miles and a half crossed the creek; at four miles passed another table-topped hill connected with the low range to the east, and passed the first ironstone hill; at seven miles changed to 55 degrees; at eight miles halted at a large permanent water hole (Andamoka).

I can with safety say that this is permanent; it is a splendid water hole, nearly as large as the one at the mouth of the gorge in the John.

The low range to the east of our course, and running nearly parallel with it, is composed of conglomerate, quartz, and a little ironstone.

Part of to-day’s journey was over low undulating sandy and very well grassed country.

There seems to have been a little rain here lately; the grass is springing beautifully.

At eleven miles we came upon a salt lagoon (Wealaroo) two miles long by one broad. From the north end of it, on a bearing of 55 degrees, one mile and a half will strike Andamoka.

I think we have now left the western sand hills behind us; and now that we have permanent water to fall back on, I shall strike into the north-west to-morrow.

The distance travelled to-day was fifteen miles.

The country around this water consists of bold stony rises and sand, with salt bush and grass; no timber except mulga and a few myall bushes in the creek.

On an examination of the creek, we have found salt water above and below this hole. In one place above there are cakes of salt one inch and a half thick, a convincing proof that this is supplied by springs.

Well, John McDouall Stuart had some things right about Andamooka Waterhole and the surrounding area but on others he was mistaken.

On my first visit to Andamooka Waterhole, in August 2006, it was dry and I was told it had been so for several years.

When full, the waterhole would be about 200 metres long, stretching around a bend in the creek and about 10 to 20 metres wide. In depth, for the most part, it would vary from zero to a metre and a half, maybe two metres. At the down stream end is a hole, maybe another metre and a half deeper than the rest.

This hole had a bottom of mud, and was strewn with cattle bones. A little way up the bank was a large, dished rock holding about 20 litres of water from rain a week previous to my visit.

However, on my visit in October 2007, I saw Andamooka Waterhole as John McDouall Stuart saw it, and I drank the water, which despite the area smelling of cattle, didn’t taste too bad at all.

Quite clear, with with a green tinge to it on this warm, spring day, the water rippled in the breeze. I’d have had a swim had I not been alone.

On both trips I found the salt refered to by Stuart, above and below Andamooka Waterhole. How there comes to be good water in between is beyond me.

Myall creek has a catchment extending about 25 kilometres to the south and south east. The water I found in Andamooka Waterhole was from good rain in January 2007.

]]> http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/andamooka-waterhole-2.php/feed http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/andamooka-waterhole.php http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/andamooka-waterhole.php#comments Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:17:30 +0000 Laurie http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/?p=3 Camping Trip to Andamooka Waterhole in August 2006

Contrary to the assessment of John McDouall Stuart, Andamooka Waterhole was as dry as a bone and had been for several years. Bones lay in the deepest part, the remains of cattle unable to get a drink, and stuck in the mud.

On the eastern side of Andamooka Waterhole is a steep bluff; a cliff about 12 or 15 metres high for most of it’s length. The top three metres or so of the ground is of a rough sediment made up of angular rocks and fines.

Some small holes are found well up in the rock face where Cockatoos and Galas make their nests.

Monday, 21st June, Water Creek. Started at 9.30 a.m. on a course of 25 degrees. At a mile passed a small table-topped hill to the west of our line; at three miles and a half crossed the creek; at four miles passed another table-topped hill connected with the low range to the east, and passed the first ironstone hill; at seven miles changed to 55 degrees; at eight miles halted at a large permanent water hole (Andamoka). I can with safety say that this is permanent; it is a splendid water hole, nearly as large as the one at the mouth of the gorge in the John. The low range to the east of our course, and running nearly parallel with it, is composed of conglomerate, quartz, and a little ironstone. Part of to-day’s journey was over low undulating sandy and very well grassed country. There seems to have been a little rain here lately; the grass is springing beautifully. At eleven miles we came upon a salt lagoon (Wealaroo) two miles long by one broad. From the north end of it, on a bearing of 55 degrees, one mile and a half will strike Andamoka. I think we have now left the western sand hills behind us; and now that we have permanent water to fall back on, I shall strike into the north-west to-morrow. The distance travelled to-day was fifteen miles. The country around this water consists of bold stony rises and sand, with salt bush and grass; no timber except mulga and a few myall bushes in the creek. On an examination of the creek, we have found salt water above and below this hole. In one place above there are cakes of salt one inch and a half thick, a convincing proof that this is supplied by springs.

]]> http://www.southimage.net/john-mcdouall-stuart/andamooka-waterhole.php/feed