Location
378 kilometres (straight line) east of Perth.
344 kilometres along Hunts Track.
7 kilometres (straight line) north of Southern Cross.
GPS Coordinates
UTM
50J
720324 metres East
6549167 metres Northing
DMS
31°10'3.50"S
119°18'48.29"E
To eliminate doubt over the position of the well, on site investigations were carried out in October 2021.
Directions
From Great Eastern Highway
Head north-west on Antares Street out of Southern Cross. This becomes Bullfinch Road. As the road sweeps to the left to skirt Lake Koorkloordine, the turnoff to the Southern Cross Golf Course and Hunt’s Well is on the right 6.7 kilometres from town (31°10'43.88"S 119°18'35.90"E). It is signposted. The well is a further 1.4 kilometres in on a dirt track, overlooking the usually dry lake.
Along Hunts Track
Condition
Restored. Fenced with a gate.
History
Hunt used Kookoordine as one of his major depots. On 30 March 1865 he recorded, ‘bulk of party engaged at Kookoordine and beyond, sinking wells’. On 11 April 1865 he recorded:
… the remainder of party en route from Duladgin to Kookoordine, having directed them to fall back to that camp and make another depot untill we can get everything up from Kercanie, having left directions with Corporal Martin to begin making two commodious huts to receive the five months stores and to lodge in, like wise to have the well sunk as deep as possible and stoned up, to make all snug for the rainy season; if we are going to have one,
When Hunt returned to Koorkoordine in July 1866 he recorded:
halted at Kookoordine … found the three huts in good repair and the well containing 2 ½ feet of water – about the mark it stood at last year – this place had been one of my best halting places for upward of two years...
The well was built 10 feet (3.3m) across, 10 feet deep and could supply 10 bullocks, 10 horses and 15 men for a month. It was filled by water from a nearby native soak.
Koorkoordine Well was indirectly responsible for prospectors Thomas Risely and Mick Toomey finding gold in the area because when they reached the well it was dry and they had to keep moving. Following the Southern Cross in the night sky, they discovered gold.