Mr. Winnecke's explorations during 1883 : diary of Northern Exploration Party under the leadership of Mr. Chas. Winnecke

Creator
Winnecke, C. (Charles), 1856-1902
Call Number
JAFf 919.42 WIN
Created/Published
Adelaide : Govt. Printer, 1884
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22
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA.  

MR WINNECKE’S EXPLORATIONS DURING 1883.  

Ordered by the House of Assembly to be printed, August 19 th, 1884.  

 

[Estimated cost of printing (650), £l7 7s. Od. Lithographing (1 plan), £37 15s. od.]  

DIARY of NORTHERN EXPLORATION PARTY under the LEADERSHIP of  

MR. CHAS. WINNECKE.  

After various delays at Adelaide, Beltana, and Farina, the party left the latter place on the 30th of July,  

1883. The camels caused some trouble at starting, this being the first time they were fully loaded; each  

■camel carried about eight hundred weight, including saddles, &c. We only made short stage of fifteen  

miles, camping at sundown near Mundowadon Station.  

Tuesday, July 31st. Started after the camels at a.m. and left camp at a.m.; travelled all day.  

Camped five miles north of Mundowadon Station.  

Wednesday, August Ist. —Started at 30, and camped at Nantowarpunna Waterhole. Two of our camels  

have sore backs.  

Thursday, 2nd.—Started at 30 a.m.; travelled all day at very slow pace. Camped at twenty-one  

miles, near Wyeculcuna Waterhole.  

Friday, 3rd. —Started at a.m.; travelled all day. Camped at sundown at Dulkaninna Waterhole;  

twenty-one miles.  

Saturday, 4th.—An early start was made this morning from Dulkaninna. We travelled as before over  

stony plains, the only vegetation being few low bushes of samphire, blue and salt bush. At twelve miles we  

arrived at Blanes Well, the native name of which is Ledracoordaninna. The well is situated amongst some  

low bare sandhills, and near polygonum and boxwood flat, which is subject to inundation. The well is  

95ft. deep, and contains good supply of water, which rises 9ft. in the well. It is surrounded by wall;  

whim as well as windlass'have been erected over it; the latter, however, only is in use. Men are now  

engaged in putting up 100 ft. of double-width iron troughing. The water tastes strongly of soda.  

Sunday, sth.  

Monday, 6th. —We got reasonably early start; one camel was most spiteful, and for long time he  

defied our united efforts to load him. The sandhills only extend about half mile around about the well,  

and we soon got on to the usual stony plains, which now undergo slight change—small hillocks of hard  

compressed sandstone and flint, some of which plainly show the action of fire, are scattered about in all direc-  

tions. At six miles we passed small round hill composed of huge boulders of compressed sandstone.  

At nine miles we crossed the Isa Creek. The stony plains now assume bolder appearance, and resemble  

miniature tablelands with many rough and abrupt slopes. At eighteen miles we crossed tributary or back-  

water of Cooper’s Creek, and arrived at Etadunna, an outstation of the Moravian missionaries; the place ap-  

peared deserted. After time, three very old and feeble blackfellows made their appearance from amongst  

the sandhills. They informed us that the missionaries had all removed to Killalpaninna. After filling our  

water kegs, we continued our journey. The road now runs parallel to and on the eastern side of heavily-  

timbered swamp or creek; the stony undulations recede from the creek for several miles, only approaching  

again at one point. The track passed over level earthy plain, which shows many deep cracks and other  

signs of heavy inundations. At sunset we camped on polygonum flat, several miles south of Kopperamanna,  

having travelled twenty-six miles.  

Tuesday, 7th.—We made rather late start this morning, leaving the polygonum flat about o’clock  

the delay was caused by the camels who had strayed away during the night. The road still continues along  

the creek and over an earthy flooded plain. At about two miles large sandridge approaches the creek.  

The track now leaves the plain and enters the creek, which is about three and half miles wide, and thickly  

timbered with stunted box timber. At two and half miles the road crosses well-defined sandy channel.  

At three and half miles we arrived at Kopperamanna Station, which is now abandoned, and presents very  

dilapidated appearance. It is composed of few low mud huts and several brush sheepyards, and is situated  

in the middle of Cooper’s Creek, close to the station. Kopperamanna Lake extends to the north-west and  

north. The track, which has hitherto been running about north, now takes sharp turn to the east at half  

mile. It crosses another sandy channel of Cooper’s Creek which leads direct into Kopperamanna Lake. Three  

wells have been sunk in the bed of the creek near the crossing, and several more are visible about half mile  

further down the creek; they are all about eight feet deep, and do not hold much water, which is slightly  

impregnated with soda. The track again turns in northerly direction at one and half miles across  

heavily-flooded sandy flat, overgrown with box and polygonum bushes. We entered the cane-grass sandhills  

or ridges, which are devoid of timber and run in well defined and parallel ridges almost due north and south,  

with polygonum flats in between, which are inundated by the overflow of Cooper’s Creek. At two and  

half miles we got clear of all the floodmarks and properly into the sandhills (which are composed of fine loose  

white drift sand). Cane grass becomes abundant. few low bushes of acacia and saltbush grew in the  

valleys between the sandridges. At six miles from the wells we crossed small polygonum flat or shallow  

waterhole. The natives have dug two or three wells here, which are now dry. The flat is surrounded with  

box trees, the only timber within many miles. At eleven miles from the wells, the sandridges, although still  

maintaining  

A—No. 39.  

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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52802100

APA citation

Winnecke, C. (1884). Mr. Winnecke's explorations during 1883 : diary of Northern Exploration Party under the leadership of Mr. Chas. Winnecke Retrieved February 23, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52802100

MLA citation

Winnecke, C. Mr. Winnecke's explorations during 1883 : diary of Northern Exploration Party under the leadership of Mr. Chas. Winnecke Adelaide: Govt. Printer, 1884. Web. 23 February 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52802100>

Harvard/Australian citation

Winnecke, C. 1884, Mr. Winnecke's explorations during 1883 : diary of Northern Exploration Party under the leadership of Mr. Chas. Winnecke Govt. Printer, Adelaide viewed 23 February 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52802100

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  | author1=Winnecke, C.
  | title=Mr. Winnecke's explorations during 1883 : diary of Northern Exploration Party under the leadership of Mr. Chas. Winnecke.
  | year=1884
  | section=16 p., 1 folded leaf of plates : map ; 34 cm.
  | location=Adelaide
  | publisher=Govt. Printer
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52802100
  | id=nla.obj-52802100
  | access-date=23 February 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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