Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 10:39
Whilst not a destination in itself, the Old Goldfields Road from
York to
Tammin is an alternate route for those travelling to the eastern wheatbelt or goldfields.
Youndegin was the first
Police Station established to the east of
York and is situated on the Old Goldfields Road between
York and
Tammin.
The
Youndegin outpost was a strong building made of local stone with a thatched roof. It was also
home to the Constable and his family.
The history of the Station is sparse with records only available between 1873 and 1888 with many gaps in between. They do however give an understanding of the nature of police duties and the lives of the Aborigines and Settlers inhabiting this area.
The first encounters with this territory by the Settlers was the expedition of Roe and Moore which left
York on October 2, 1836, accompanied by Constables Heffron, Syred, Craigie and Hampshire.
Charles Cooke Hunt left
York with his party of
John Seabrook, blacksmith and Constable Richard Eaton,
John Cowan, Constable Edwards and Aborigine Cowitich, reaching
Youndegin on the second day at 5pm on Sunday, July 10, 1864.
Hunt sunk a
well at
Youndegin and on his second expedition in 1866 he again pushed eastward with his party of convicts cutting a track. He shored up the
well with circular walls of stone and it became a permanent water source.
The land to the east had already been reached by sandalwood gatherers and shepherds. The murder of Clarkson at Dalbycutting in 1865 precipitated the placement of a Constable at
Youndegin to provide protection from the Aborigines east of the Avon Valley.
Constable Thomas Alley was the first man stationed at
Youndegin. He arrived from Ireland with his wife Sarah and baby daughter Margaret Jane on the West Australian on October 20, 1859.
Further along the Old Goldfields Road near
Tammin is another of Hunt’s Wells which shows a good example of his stonework.
Reference Sand And Stone, Part 2, Pastoralists & Prospectors by Moran
AnswerID:
631683