SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
MR WINNECKE’S EXPLORATIONS DURING 1883. 
Ordered by the House of Assembly to be printed , August 1 9th, 1884. 
[Estimated cost of printing (650), £17 7s. Od. Lithographing (1 plan), £37 15s. Od.] 
DIARY of NORTHERN EXPLORATION PARTY under the LEADERSHIP of 
MR. CHAS. WINNECKE. 
After various delays at Adelaide, Beltana, and Farina, the party left the latter place on the 30th of July, 
1883. The camels caused some trouble at starting, this being the first time they were fully loaded; each 
camel carried about eight hundred weight, including saddles, &c. We only made a short stage of fifteen 
miles, camping at sundown near Mundowadon Station. 
Tuesday, July 31st. — Started after the camels at 5 a.m. and left camp at 8 a.m. ; travelled all day. 
Camped five miles north of Mundowadon Station. 
Wednesday, August 1st. — Started at 8-30, and camped at Nantowarpunna Waterhole. Two of our camels 
have sore backs. 
Thursday, 2nd. — Started at 6-30 a.m. ; travelled all day at a very slow pace. Camped at twenty-one 
miles, near Wyeculcuna Waterhole. 
Friday, 3rd. — Started at 8 a.m. ; travelled all day. Camped at sundown at Dulkaninna Waterhole ; 
twenty-one miles. 
Saturday, 4th. — An early start was made this morning from Dulkaninna. We travelled as before over 
stony plains, the only vegetation being a few low bushes of samphire, blue and saltbush. At twelve miles we 
arrived at Blanes Well, the native name of which is Ledracoordaninna. The well is situated amongst some 
low bare sandhills, and near a polygonum and boxwood flat, which is subject to inundation. The well is 
95ft. deep, and contains a good supply of water, which rises 9ft. in the well. It is surrounded by a wall ; a 
whim as well as a windlass have been erected over it; the latter, however, only is in use. Men are now 
engaged in putting up 100ft. of double- width iron troughing. The water tastes strongly of soda. 
Sunday, 5th. 
Monday, 6th. — We got a reasonably early start ; one camel was most spiteful, and for a long time he 
defied our united efforts to load him. The sandhills only extend about half a mile around about the well, 
and we soon got on to the usual stony plains, which now undergo a slight change — small hillocks of hard 
compressed sandstone and flint, some of which plainly show the action of fire, are scattered about in all direc- 
tions. At six miles we passed a small round hill composed of huge boulders of compressed sandstone. 
At nine miles we crossed the Isa Creek. The stony plains now assume a bolder appearance, and resemble 
miniature tablelands with many rough and abrupt slopes. At eighteen miles we crossed a tributary or back- 
water of Cooper’s Creek, and arrived at Etadunna, an outstation of the Moravian missionaries ; the place ap- 
peared deserted. After a time, three very old and feeble blackfellows made their appearance from amongst 
the sandhills. They informed us that the missionaries had all removed to Killalpaninna. After filling our 
water kegs, we continued our journey. The road now runs parallel to and on the eastern side of a heavily- 
timbered swamp or creek ; the stony undulations recede from the creek for several miles, only approaching 
again at one point. The track passed over a level earthy plain, which shows many deep cracks and other 
signs of heavy inundations. At sunset we camped on a polygonum flat, several miles south of Kopperamanna, 
having travelled twenty-six miles. 
Tuesday, 7th. — We made rather a late start this morning, leaving the polygonum flat about 8 o’clock ; 
the delay was caused by the camels who had strayed away during the night. The road still continues along 
the creek and over an earthy flooded plain. At about two miles a large sandridge approaches the creek. 
The track now leaves the plain and enters the creek, which is about three and a half miles wide, and thickly 
timbered with stunted box timber. At two and a half miles the road crosses a well-defined sandy channel. 
At three and a half miles we arrived at Kopperamanna Station, which is now abandoned, and presents a very 
dilapidated appearance. It is composed of a few low mud huts and several brush sheepyards, and is situated 
in the middle of Cooper’s Creek, close to the station. Kopperamanna Lake extends to the north-west and 
north. The track, which has hitherto been running about north, now takes a sharp turn to the east at half a 
mile. It crosses another sandy channel of Cooper’s Creek which leads direct into Kopperamanna Lake. Three 
wells have been sunk in the bed of the creek near the crossing, and several more are visible about half a mile 
further down the creek ; they are all about eight feet deep, and do not hold much water, which is slightly 
impregnated with soda. The track again turns in a northerly direction at one and a half miles across a 
heavily-flooded sandy flat, overgrown with box and polygonum bushes. We entered the cane-grass sandhills 
or ridges, which are devoid of timber and run in well defined and parallel ridges almost due north and south, 
with polygonum flats in between, which are inundated by the overflow of Cooper’s Creek. At two and a 
half miles we got clear of all the floodmarks and properly into the sandhills (which are composed of a fine loose 
white drift sand). Cane grass becomes abundant. A few low bushes of acacia and saltbush grew in the 
valleys between the sandridges. At six miles from the wells we crossed a small polygonum flat or shallow 
waterhole. The natives have dug two or three wells here, which are now dry. The flat is surrounded with 
box trees, the only timber within many miles. At eleven miles from the wells, the sandridges, although still 
maintaining 
