so 



Massula. Xtitirc Water U'clls al Maryhon>u<ih 



["Vict. Na 

 I Vol. 78 



Na 



cast side of MacCallum's Creek Road. As the photograph - ..\vs, it 

 is a series of four holes or pits excavated in the rock on the ledge 

 at the hase of a large outcrop. Three of these holes unite under the 

 surface, and form, as it were, one large tank with three openings. 

 The excavation was not carried straight down, hut on an inclined 

 plane, and at one end the tank is 51 inches deep on the incline and 

 nearly four feet vertically helow the surface. 



The choice of this ledge at the foot of the rock i.s of the greatest 

 importance, hecause it forms a natural catchment for the rain falling 

 on the rock. The narrowness ot the mouths of the holes, onlv six 

 to eight inches, is ideal for 

 protection against pollution by 

 animals and wind, as they can 

 easilv he covered with a .-dab of 

 stone, and the inclination of 

 the excavations would natur- 

 ally tend to prevent loss of 

 water hv evaporation. The local 

 people assure me that this rock 

 well has never heen known to 

 dry up. 



The other two wells, situated 

 one on the right or west side 

 of the road to Amherst (C on 

 map), just hefore the road 

 crosses the ( )possum Cully, 

 and the other in a shallow 

 gullv at Mosquito Flat on the 

 left or east side of the Craigie 

 Road (H on inapt, are quite 

 small in comparison with the 

 first (A i. the former having 

 hut two shallow holes and the 

 latter three. It is noteworthy, 

 however, that in each case the 

 holes were heing excavated 

 diagonallv into the rock, helow the 1 surface, and that the hole> are on 

 a ledge at the foot of the rock. Clearly, these two were in process of 

 manufacture. 



Although such wells are known from other states, these, to the 

 writer's knowledge, are the only artificial rock wells reported from 

 Victoria. Hut as the people formerly inhabiting Tuaggara ( Mary- 

 borough ) were the Jajaurung, one of the many tribes forming the 

 Kulin Nation, which collectively occupied the country from Colac to 

 the Baw Haws, and from Wangaratta and Alurchison on the north 

 to Port Phillip and Western Fort to the south, it r*j possible that 

 this idea mav have spread and that more will come to light. 



Photo: Cha^ 



Maryborough Water Welts 



( Marked "A" on map. ) 



Will. 



