Maurice Spring - Sturt Creek
Submitted: Sunday, Aug 16, 2020 at 14:55
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equinox
Travelling down
Sturt Creek last year, I took a quick detour to visit Maurice Spring. This is south east from the
Homestead. Take the track south of the
airstrip to get there from the HS.
Bordering the
Tanami Desert, the spring provides permanent water.
There are a number of Petroglyphs on the walls of
the gorge, they are quite unusual and would be quite antique.
Maurice Spring
Maurice Spring
View from atop
Relatively new painting
Petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyph
Reply By: Mick O - Sunday, Aug 16, 2020 at 17:08
Sunday, Aug 16, 2020 at 17:08
What's the European history of it Al?
Is it named for, after or by Richard Thelwell Maurice. I know he passed through that area in 1902 on his Cambridge Gulf expedition but I could find no mention of them locating a spring in their journals?
The closest I've been able to track them was their
camp 66 on 23 August 1902 which I figured to be 12.5 km to the north east of the spring. They hit the Lewis creek the next day and then on to the
Sturt Creek Station.
Much earlier in the expedition, the party had located and named Thomas Reservoir in the
Cleland Hills where there are hundreds of similar engravings.
Would be keen to know the details.
Cheers
Mick
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Follow Up By: equinox - Sunday, Aug 16, 2020 at 17:32
Sunday, Aug 16, 2020 at 17:32
Hi Mick,
It is named after Maurice. He noted the feature as "Palm Spring" in 1902 expedition.
Talbot described it as "a fine palm spring in a gorge", in 1909.
As there was two
Palm Springs within 10 km of each other (
Talbot Spring was also called Palm Spring) -
the springs were renamed
Talbot and Maurice Springs in 1977.
I did visit
Talbot Spring but did not see any art / petroglyphs
Cheers
Alan
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Sunday, Aug 16, 2020 at 17:42
Sunday, Aug 16, 2020 at 17:42
Thanks Al. I was going to ask if you also visited
Talbot Spring but presumed you would have.
Cheers
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - J&A&KK - Monday, Aug 17, 2020 at 20:02
Monday, Aug 17, 2020 at 20:02
Hi Equinox.
Very interesting. Assuming all is dry do you think I could get to these sites with a Prado D4D towing a 2.1t
Kimberley Karavan? We would be travelling alone, in our 70’s, and not at all interested in any debogging. However am very experienced in serious off-road travel with the KK.
If so would access from Wolf Creek be best on the road north or south of
Sturt Creek?
Finally how does one go about seeking permission from the station owners?
Sorry for the bunch of questions but the site looks too interesting to ignore how to get there.
All the best
John
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: equinox - Tuesday, Aug 18, 2020 at 15:01
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2020 at 15:01
Hi
John,
With the land dry there would be no dramas taking your rig. It's fairly flat country.
As I travelled down the creek from Duncan Highway I actually cannot provide advice on the best way to cut in to the station, though the track from near
the crater would be the obvious choice. From memory there is a decent stock track heading west maybe 20 kms north of the
homestead.
For permission contact Ruby Plains Station as
Sturt Creek is an outstation nowadays.
While you are there also
check out
Talbot Spring - whilst there is no art or petroglyphs that I could see, it is the better of
the springs as far as the amount of water goes, with flowing water and fish.
Cheers
Alan
Part of Talbot Spring
Fish at Talbot Spring
Talbot Spring from air
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Follow Up By: Member - J&A&KK - Tuesday, Aug 18, 2020 at 19:32
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2020 at 19:32
Hi Alan
Many thanks for the information.
Talbot springs looks interesting also. It’s amazing what some permanent water will do in an arid landscape.
I will put it on the visit list for next years dry season
Cheers
John
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