Weowanie Tank - Well No. 15 | Explorers' Wells and Tracks

Weowanie is accessed via the gravel road from Yellowdine to Duladgin Rock.

At Duladgin Rock a narrow track leaves the gravel road in a northeasterly direction to Weowanie Tank.

The last section of the track to Weowanie Rock can be very sandy when dry and boggy when wet. This track meanders through a mixture of thick woodland and open scrubland and passes very close to some small salt lakes.

The tank is in Weowanie Nature Reserve (reserve No. 3113) that was originally gazetted in 1896. It is now a Class C Reserve for both water and the conservation of flora and fauna.

Note that there are two tanks on Weowanie Rocks.

The track from Duladgin allows access to the rock close to where an information sign has been erected at the base of the rock. 100+ metres up the rock is a small tank/dam that is not Hunt's Tank. It is strategically located to be an effective water collection point.

A further 370 metres of eastward travel (at the rock cairn veer 45º left) leads to Hunt's Tank. A track that leads around the rock allows closer access (<100m) to the Tank.

There are many other interesting, unnamed granite outcrops in this vicinity.

Charles Hunt first camped at Weowanie on 3 August 1864 during his Exploration Eastward of York.

Between 17 January and 25 September 1865 Hunt was in the field with a party of probation prisoners and Pensioner Guards constructing a series of wells from York to the Hampton Plains - his Wells and Track Expedition.

He arrived at Weowanie from Duladgin on 27 May 1865 and recorded:

– 5pm, finished the well or tank – it may be considered the latter as there is but the least sign of soakage – but for a tank it is admirably adapted, being only ten feet deep by thirteen feet broad – sunk in the centre of gully from the granite rocks about 200 feet distant – I deemed it unnecessary to stem it up – as it was sunk through solid granite – I trust that the first rainfall will fill it in which case there will be a supply for all traveling purpose for some time to come

The tank is located near the southern base of the rock in a small gully bearing southerly towards a chain of small salt lakes.

Hunt recorded the name as Weonanie and it is not known how or when the change to Weowanie occurred although a transcription error would appear to be likely.

Hunt recommended a 20 acre reserve for this tank, as there was no permanent water at Duladgin seven kilometres to the south west.