Outback Trip West of Lake Torrens
G’day. I’m heading off for my next outback trip in a few days, traveling the country west of Lake Torrens in South Australia.
I’ll be following the route, as far as it can be established, of the explorer, John McDouall Stuart. He traveled in the area in 1858 and once he’d been on the move for a week or so, he was the first white man to see the country he traveled over.
Traveling on the ATV to the southern tip of Lake Torrens, I’ll pick up Stuart’s track at Swinden’s Crossing.
From there it’s less than 20km north west, along a track, to Beda Waterhole, where Stuart camped on the night of 13 June 1858.
Sunday, 13th June, Mudleealpa. Started for Beda. Some of the horses would not drink the water, and others drank very little: they will be glad to drink far worse than this before they come back, or I am much mistaken. Arrived at Beda at sundown. I was right in my opinion; no fresh water to be found; nothing but salt, salter than the sea. I can see nothing of Mr. Babbage’s* encampment; he must be higher up the creek. All the country we have come over to-day is very dry. (* It will probably be recollected that Mr. Babbage was sent out by the Government to make a north-west course through the continent, but, when at the Elizabeth, he made an unaccountable detour, and found himself at Port Augusta, his original starting-point. On my return from this journey he called on me at Mount Arden, when I furnished him with such information as he required, and he again started, and made Chambers’ Creek, which I had previously found and named after my old friend, Mr. James Chambers, but which he called Stuart’s Creek in acknowledgment of my information, etc. J. McD. Stuart.)
Monday, 14th June, Beda. This morning we have searched all round, but can find no fresh water, although there are numerous places that would retain water if any quantity had fallen. Mr. Forster, whom I had sent up the creek to Mr. Babbage’s, to inquire if there was any water at Pernatta, has returned with the information that Mr. B. was up there with all his horses, and that there was still a little water, but not much. Started at 11.30 a.m. for that place; camped in the sand hills one hour after dark. Here we found some pig-faces* which the horses eat freely. (* These pig-faces belong to the Mesembryaceae, of which the common ice-plant of our gardens is an example.) There is a great deal of moisture in them, and they are a first-rate thing for thirsty horses; besides, they have a powerful diuretic effect. I was unable to fix Beda Hill, all my time being taken up in looking for water, but I hope to get its position at Pernatta. The country was very heavy–sand hills.
Beda Waterhole is a couple of kilometres up Beda Creek from the mouth.
Beda creek follows the edge of the sandhill country for several kilometres. There are a couple of likely spots that I’ll visit in order to identify Babbage’s depot.
Babbage had several wagons with the bulk of his supplies at the depot, no doubt with a couple of armed men to keep them safe.
At the time of Stuart’s visit, Babbage had a camp at Giles Waterhole, with all of his horses and most of his men.
Every week or so, a team of two men with several pack horses would travel the supply track to keep Babbage and his crew in food.
So why did Stuart fail to find any trace of Babbage when he first arrived at Beda?
Babbage came with his wagons and men on horseback, from Port Augusta. Studying the map and Google Earth, I reckon he’d have followed pretty much a northerly route, finding suitable country for the wagons, other than through the sand hils. It looks like it was the sand country that stopped the wagons at Beda.
Stuart traveled roughly south west, from Oratunga, rounding the southern tip of Lake Torrens and then north west to Beda. Information filtering back to the settled areas would be sketchy and so the exact location of Babbage’s depot and fresh water was not available. And of course, since the two explorers arrived in the Beda area from different directions, Stuart didn’t find Babbage’s tracks till Forster came upon the depot, further up Beda Creek.
