Darwent’s Waterhole Reserve

Posted on 17 December 2017 Written by Leave a Comment
Clearing in the scrub

A clearing and camp site in the scrub

Darwent’s Waterhole Reserve is about three kilometres south of Willalooka on the western side of the Riddoch Highway. The early history of Willalooka is recorded in the book ‘Wedgeholes to Windmills’, but unfortunately I have mislaid my copy.

 

The Wedgehole

The Wedgehole

It is just a small area of scrub that contains a wedgehole that was dug in the early days of settlement for watering stock. A wedgehole is simply a wedge shaped hole dug down deep and long enough to collect water from the under ground water table.

 

Hitching rail site

Site of a hitching rail for horses

Nearby to the wedgehole are these two posts which have brackets on them for the hitching rail for tying up horses while the stock (probably sheep) were drinking. With dryer seasons in recent decades very little water is now visible in the wedghole, but I have seen enough moisture in the bottom for bees to get a drink.

 

Lady Finger Orchid

Lady Finger Orchid, rarely found this dark a colour.

This small area of scrub contains some very special plants, among them is the Lady Finger Orchid. The flower is usually white and occasionally pink, but rarely as dark a pink as this one that I found in this reserve in October 2017. This orchid can also be found at Mt Monster Conservation Park closer to Keith, South Australia, and probably in other natural areas in the region.

 

Written by

David

 

Filed Under: Conservation Parks, Historic, Photo Shoots Tagged: , , , , ,
About David

David grew up on a farm in the South East of South Australia. After leaving school he worked on the farm for 14 years before managing another family property for 8 years. He then worked for the South Australian government inspecting Certified Seed Crops for 24 years. He is now a Carer for his wife and guardian for a grandson.

His late father had often had a camera not too far away, back when film cameras were all manual. David himself first used a box Brownie camera in his teens. In recent years David has used a compact digital camera and more recently a Digital SLR. A pick selection of his later photos can be found in http://www.redbubble.com/people/davidjc website for purchase as post cards, greeting cards, canvas prints, framed photos, or as posters as large as A0, equivalent to 16 A4 pages laid out together! Use the link available in the "Outside Links" on the right.

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