Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 Volume 1 Number 1 January- February,1952 Article 5 1-1952 North of the Nullarbor Plain A. R. Tomlinson C. K. Blair Follow this and additional works at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3 Part of the Animal Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Tomlinson, A. R. and Blair, C. K. (1952) "North of the Nullarbor Plain," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3: Vol. 1 : No. 1 , Article 5. Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3/vol1/iss1/5 This article is brought to you for free and open access by Research Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 by an authorized administrator of Research Library. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Jan.-Feb., 19523 JOURNAL OP AGRICULTURE, W.A. 21 g HUUARBOft PLAHJS By A. R. TOMLINSON, Chairman Protection Board, and C. K. BLAIR, Vermin Control Officer. pOR a few hardy dingo-trappers—experienced bushmen able and willing to endure « *^e 7gTrS 0f a nomadic existence in almost waterless country—the area to the ?£•« J e Nul,arbor Plains has long been a favoured hunting ground. In the i»49-50 season bounties were paid on about 3,000 dingo scalps from this area The numbers of scalps obtained varied The Agriculture Protection Board re­ from year to year according to seasonal cently agreed to a proposal put forward conditions. If the season on the plains by the Chief Vermin Control Officer that was good following a spell of wet weath­ a motorised expedition should be organ­ er the numbers of scalps increased, ised and suitable vehicles and equip­ Particularly if this coincided with harsh ment should be purchased to enable a conditions further inland. reconnaissance of this area to be made. The Vermin Control Branch has It was proposed that the expedition watched this situation with interest should travel about 200 miles north of especially in view of the fact that com­ Rawlinna and then turn eastward to plaints of inroads by wild dogs in the the South Australian border. areas to the west of the plains have re­ cently become more prevalent. Informa­ tion obtained from trappers indicated VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT that, although some dogs were breeding It was decided to obtain a large on the Nullabor Plains, there appeared vehicle to act as a mobile base and a to be a definite seasonal influx of dogs smaller vehicle to do the scouting. The and half-grown pups towards the end large vehicle would carry all necessary of each year. It was also learnt that supplies of petrol, fuel, food and other the movement of the dogs was always materials. southerly and westerly and that no As no large "four wheel drive" vehicles northerly travelling was observed at any were available, it was decided to obtain time. Most successful trapping took an "International" five-ton truck with Place to the north of the Trans- eight gears (including four "crawler" Continental Railway Line. gears). Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 22 JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE, W. A. [Jan.-Feb., 1952 A Willys jeep was obtained for re­ local native to act as guide. Unfor­ connaissance purposes while a trailer, tunately, the native declined to go at which was interchangeable between the the last minute and the party was two vehicles, was also included. forced to leave without him. The large truck was equipped with the most up-to-date type of radio trans­ ROUTE TRAVERSED ceiver through which contact was con­ stantly maintained with Kalgoorlie. The party travelled north-east from Water was carried in a 200-gallon tank Rawlinna via Seemore Downs, En­ and smaller containers. Brisket fat deavour Bore and Yellowtail Bore to a and strychnine were taken for bait point approximately 74 miles north of manufacture. the Transcontinental Railway line to west of Lake Nyanga. This locality was approximately 28 miles north of the PERSONNEL Nullarbor Plains. Travelling became Owing to the possibility of water difficult beyond there owing to the shortages, it was necessary to restrict powdery nature of the sand, the thick­ the party to four members. These were ness of the myall scrub in parts, and .Mr. C. K. Blair, the Vermin Control the sandhills a few miles ahead. Clear Officer in Charge of dogging operations indications were seen of the passage of in outer pastoral areas; Mr. W. G. dogs over many years up until recently. Bartlett, a Protection Board dogger; No water was seen, but innumerable dog Mr. H. C. Carlisle, a former resident of signs in the vicinity of dried claypans Rawlinna, who had extensive experience and blowholes indicated that water in dogging on. the Nullarbors, and a would be held at these places at the 1. A native dam among the Myall and Bulloak country Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 Jan.-Feb., 1952] JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE, W. A. 23 2. Camp No. 9 north of Reld on the edge of the Nullabor Plains. right times. The tracks to this most The course of the "lead in" was fol­ northerly point came from the general lowed and exploratory trips to the direction of the Warburton Ranges and north-east and north-west indicated were confined to a course up to 20 miles that the dog migration also came from wide in parts. Two points of interest the north-east in the general direction are that in 1949, when the last major of the Warburton Ranges. When high influx occurred, over 500 dogs were sandhills blocked further travelling in trapped or shot there in a period of a this direction, one of the sandhills was few weeks, and that Mr. Carlisle had climbed on foot and glimpses of lake previously travelled 160 miles further country were seen beyond. Dog signs inland to the vicinity of Mound Springs were plentiful and some were very old. and found dog signs abundant along the whole route. Once again'the nature of the country As it was impossible to travel east­ prevented eastward travelling so it was wards from this area, it was necessary necessary to return southward before for the party to return to the Nullarbor continuing east near the edge of the Plains before turning in that direction. Plains. The next northerly probe was Dog tracks were noticed up to about 30 made 95 miles further east and about 15 miles then no more were encountered miles from the South Australian border. for 60 miles, when the second "lead in" No dog signs were seen in the easterly started. travelling. This was followed for a distance of Although the heavy truck could not approximately 100 miles north of the be taken all the way, the party travelled Nullarbor Plains (170 miles north of the in the jeep to Boundary Dam, which is Trans. Line). The most northerly approximately 100 miles north of the point reached was on a north-westerly Trans. Line. No dog signs were seen exploratory trip beyond Lake Jubilee, during this trip and as a matter of when high sandhills prevented further fact the only indication of game en­ travelling. countered was one kangaroo pad. Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 24 JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE, W.A. HISTORICAL INTERLUDE a dog and three camels for Boundary Near Boundary Dam, the party camp­ Dam about 230 miles in a north-easterly ed on the site of a near-tragedy which direction. Boundary Dam, described as occurred over half a century ago. a small native well, was located by In 1896 Mr. Arthur Mason was com­ Ernest Giles in 1875 on his trip from missioned by the West Australian Gov­ Adelaide to Perth. ernment to ascertain the extent of the When camped about ten miles west of the well, Mason's native guide, ap­ parently in league with "bush" natives, disappeared taking the three camels and a quantity of rations. Carrying eight gallons of water, papers, compass and rations—a total of about 70 lb. each—the two white men, Yonge and Mason, set out to walk 160 miles over waterless country to Eucla. When their food was exhausted they shot and ate their dog, and at one stage they were 40 hours without water before finding a small gamma hole which saved their lives and enabled them to complete the journey. Mason was forced to abandon his tents and equipment at the Boundary Dam Camp and the motorised expedi­ tion found his water drums and num­ bers of metal fittings from camel saddles as well as small screws from his theodolite and other instruments. Natives had apparently smashed the equipment but the dry atmosphere had preserved the metal from corrosion. BAITING The expedition then journeyed south­ wards to the coast at Eucla and west­ »_v?' Members of the expedition on the site of wards to Norseman. During this trav­ ^rthu£ Mason s camP where h's camels were stolen elling very few dog signs were seen ln„18??; Note the damaged water drums buckles and other metal fittings picked up on thfcamp site excepting in the proximity of water catchment tanks about 70 miles east of rabbit invasion, following upon reports Balladonia. Here once again the clearly of the rodents having crossed the South defined migration trail was encountered Australian border in their western continuing in a south-westerly direction penetration. from Rawlinna towards Israelite Bay on the coast. Leaving Kurnalpi on June 17, 1896, During the expedition 15,000 brisket with three white men, eight camels and fat baits, containing alkaloid strychnine some native guides, he travelled to tablets, were distributed.