CHAPTER XII. 



REPORT ON THE EUCLA DISTRICT OF WESTERN 

 AUSTRALIA. 



The following report on the Kucla district of this colony was 

 furnished by request to the Commissioner of Crown Lands some 

 months ago, and prior to the expedition being sent out under Mr. 

 Surveyor Mason to define the country infested by rabbits. The 

 writer of the report (Mr. Alex. Crawford) spent some time exploring 

 the Eucla country a few years ago : 



The area described in this report consists of the land lying be- 

 tween longitude 124" and the boundary of South Australia, and the 

 coast line and latitude 30. 



This area may be roughly divided into four distinct districts : 



ist. That extending from the coast to the foot of a low chain of 

 hills or cliffs that run into the sea about two miles east of Eucla 

 township, and generally increase in distance from the coast as they 

 travel westward, until in some places they are 20 miles distant, and 

 then gradually come into the coast a little beyond Eyre. 



Immediately along the coast the country consists of low white 

 sand hills covered with stunted mallee ; but as you go further back 

 the land changes first to grey sand and then to good red soil of con- 

 siderable depth, timbered w r ith peach, sandalwood, and in places 

 mulga, all with a limestone foundation. Some places are heavily 

 grassed, and there is an abundance of salt bush, both the small variety 

 and the " old man" salt bush, blue bush, cotton bush, and, in the season 

 after rain, a great variety of herbage that sheep and horses eat. 

 Hitherto, so far as I am aware, no actual fresh water has been 

 obtained by sinking, although a good many wells and bores have 

 been put down ; but at some places water has been found slightly 

 brackish, but good enough for domestic use, while at other places 

 water has been obtained good enough for stock purposes. At the 

 same time it cannot be relied upon being obtained, except at con- 

 siderable expense, as probably rive or six bores will have to be put 

 down from 70 to 100 feet before stock water is obtained some of 

 the water being much salter than the sea, and going three ounces of 

 salt to the gallon. Good fresh water may be obtained, as a rule, in the 

 sand hills along the coast, at no great distance from high water mark, 

 by sinking just a little below the level of the sea. At the foot of the 

 hills a plentiful supply of water may be conserved by making tanks 

 or darns, as the bare limestone rocks in many places afford a first-rate 

 natural catchment. There would be some expense attached to this 

 method, as the ground is very porous, as is also the rock, and the 

 tanks would have to be cemented. All this country, with the 

 exception of the white sand hills and the samphire flats, is admirably 

 adapted for wheat and barley growing. I had some cleared, and, 



