22 September 1932

MYSTERY 'HOLE' OF EYRE PENINSULA

WEIRD SPOT ON TOD RIVER

There are more strange things in South Australia than most people know of. The Toolillie Water Hole, on Eyre Peninsula, is one of them. It has a sinister history, which is given below.

Bottomless Waterhole.

— The Toolillie waterhole is known as the 'mystery hole' of Eyre's Peninsula. It is near the Tod Reservoir pumping station and within two chains of the main Lincoln-Koppio road. It is a deep, sinister-looking pool, fringed with reeds and rank-growing rushes. The common legend is that it is bottomless.

Many years ago the early settlers persuaded the captain and officers of a boat at Port Lincoln to attempt to find the bottom. They let down all the lines and cables they possessed, but were unable to fathom it. The height of the water in the hole never varies — drought or flood.

When the Tod Reservoir was being constructed nearby, a pumping plant was put on to the waterhole, and the pumps kept working day and night. All the water used in the construction of the reservoir came out of this mysterious pool. Several hundreds of men were employed there, as well, as many horses and bullocks, and all were supplied from this source. During this time the water did not vary in height so much as an inch. In fact, the wiseacres of the district used to say, 'Why build a reservoir?'

The oldest residents recall two tragedies connected with the Toolillie waterhole. One is that of a young girl deserted by her lover. In her grief, she threw herself into the dark, still waters. Her body was never recovered.

The other refers to the tragic death of a bullock driver. He had been away up-country carting supplies to shepherds on the outposts of the then settled areas. It was in the summer months, and he had been forced to travel his bullocks for several days without water. They were famished. As they came over the hills near the hole they scented the water, and set off at a gallop. The driver had been half-drowsing in the bullock dray, and was unable to extricate himself in time to save his life. The banks of the hole take a sheer drop on three sides, and the leaders went straight in, dragging the rest of the team, the dray, and the driver with them. Nothing was ever again seen of the oxen, nor was the body of the unfortunate driver ever recovered. — 'R.V.H.,' Yeelanna. '

Lucky Hit' Mine.

— Gold can be found in small quantities anywhere in the hills and gullies surrounding Birdwood. In the nineties a 'rush' took place there as the result of the finding of the 'Lucky Hit' Mine. In those days the district was known as Blumberg, which means 'Flower-hill.'

A reef had been discovered on Mr P. Hynes's property, and was being worked by Cahell brothers, who were getting a nice quantity of metal from it. The late Mr. Harry Hissey, passing on his way home from work, saw them haul up a bucketful of rich ore. He immediately pegged a claim on the Government land adjoining. This became known as the 'Lucky Hit' Mine. A company was formed to work it. The company consisted of Messrs. Collins (2), Joe Trestrail, Walter Giffen (brother of George Giffen, the famous cricketer), Harry Hissey, and his son Tom.

A fair quantity of gold was won from this claim. Prospectors, flocked to the district and obtained varying results. It was reported that so eager were men to acquire claims, or a share in one, that it was only necessary for the white quartz to bear marks from the brass rivets in a man's boot and the deal was on. — 'R.V.H.,' Yeelanna.

Adventure In The Bush.

— Bessie lived with her married sister, whose husband owned a sheep station in the South-East. On occasions the husband used to go out rounding up the sheep. One day Bessie accompanied him, and they took the youngest child, a girl of eighteen months, with them. They drove in a buggy with a pair of spirited horses. There were miles of ground to cover through rough bush tracks.

After being out all the morning they turned for home. Suddenly a kangaroo crossed their path and startled the horses. The reins were jerked out of the brother-in-law's hand. The horses bolted madly for miles. Realising they were heading for a precipice, the plight of the riders was desperate. The problem was to recover the reins.

The brother-in-law seized the baby, rug and all. Leaning over the back of the buggy he dropped the baby into the middle of a thick bush. Bessie crawled along the pole to try and pick up the reins. This required all her nerve and courage, for the vehicle bounded over the track at alarming speed.

Her brother-in-law held her firmly by her clothes, directing her what to do. She managed at last to seize the reins, and they soon had the horses under control.

Their next anxiety was for the baby. They travelled back miles to look for it, praying it had not wandered away. When they got to the spot the child was still sitting in the bush crying. The couple never told the mother of their terrible ordeal. — Evelyn Jones, Mount Barker.

Courageous Mother.

— On a property at Mount Benson, South-East, there stands an old house, dose to which is a well nearly 50 ft. in depth, and containing about four feet of water. Forty years ago a family named Dalton was residing at this house. One day the menfolk were away, and Mrs. Dalton was inside of the house when she heard screams from the children.

Rushing out, she found that the baby, a little toddler of about two years, had fallen down the well. Fortunately in falling the child had clutched a bucket attached to the windlass, and a hook on the bucket handle caught in his clothing, and thus to a slight extent steadied his descent. The frantic mother found a short piece of rope, and, holding this in her teeth, she slipped down the windlass rope, incidentally tearing the skin from her hands.

On reaching the bottom she tied several half-hitches in the rope to prevent the bucket from sinking, and tied the infant into the bucket with the piece of rope she had carried down. With only the aid of the swinging windlass rope, Mrs. Dalton climbed out of the well; a very difficult feat, since at the top of the well the walls widened out to more than five feet, making it exceedingly dangerous to secure a foothold. On reaching the surface she hauled the child to safety. — 'A.H.B.,' Robe.

Lonely Grave Of An Earl's Son.

— On the range of hills north of Mount Arden, about 23 miles from Quorn, is a scene of beauty hard to excel any where in South Australia. The broad expanse of Willochra Plain, on the one hand, with Mount Remarkable in the distance, and on the other St. Mary's Peak, the highest point in South Australia; towering among the Wilpena Ranges.

Almost 80 years ago a tragedy occurred in these parts, which is commemorated by a little railed enclosure, which contains a grave. A large tablet covering the grave bears the following inscription:—

"Sacred to the memory of Hugh Proby, third son of the Earl of Carysfort, who was drowned while crossing the Willochra Creek, August 30th, 1852. Aged 24. 'Take ye heed, watch and pray, For ye know not when the time is.' —Mark xiii., 33."

This tablet was placed over his grave by his brothers and sisters in the year 1858. This unfortunate young man was drowned while attempting to save his bullocks from a flood in the Willochra.

On visiting the grave one is reminded of the words of 'Gray's Elegy':— 'Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife.' Although this nobleman's son sleeps far from the land of his fathers, his lonely grave in the bush is in a peaceful and beautiful spot. [Arden Vale Road 22 miles north of Quorn - Ed.].

— 'A. C. Jay,' Gordon.

Teaching Biljim a Lesson.

— In the olden days shepherds used to have a lot of trouble with blacks, who used to rob their camps. One shepherd thought he would give them a scare. His camp was a fair distance from a spring, from which he had to get his water. The blacks knew this, and while he was away was their favorite time to rob the camp.

So one day he put a tin of gunpowder in his tent, and laid a fuse from it to the spring. Next day he went for water with his buckets. The blacks saw him go, and as soon as he was out of sight rushed into the tent and started helping themselves. The shepherd was watching with a spyglass, and he lit the fuse. Nothing happened for a while.

But all of a sudden a cloud of smoke shot out of the tent, followed by the blacks, who vanished into the scrub. That was the end of trouble with the blacks. The explosion gave them such a fright that they never again ventured into the vicinity.

— A. E. Haines. Wilmington.