This
well has been refurbished by Glen-Ayle Station for pastoral use so stay away from the
well as it is no longer a historical site. This is an active stock watering point. It is a short stroll from here to Weld Spring.The hut was constructed following an armed confrontation between a large group of Martu men and
Forrest’s men. Fearing another attack,
Forrest and his party spent almost two days building a protective structure. The stone hut measured “ten by nine feet (3 x 2.7m), and seven feet high (2.1m), thatched with boughs”. Despite the precaution
Forrest reported no further confrontations between the two groups. It has been suggested that the presence of a large group of Martu men at
the springs indicated that ceremonial business was in progress and the Martu were attempting to move the foreigners away.
Forrest’s journal contains nothing to suggest that he was aware that his party’s presence at
the springs might conflict with Aboriginal uses of the area.
Forrest’s fort stands as a reminder to visitors of the need for reflection on cultural understandings and relationships between black and white Australia.