Page 1 of 47 pages
(373 stories)
  • Weeroona was the name of our House in Griffith: As a child in the 1950's I lived at 4 Hyandra St, Griffith. It had an old ... read story
  • Family Mine: This family mine was named after the Three Sisters in the family. I will add their names when I ... read story
  • Hardway Mine: My father Allan Stewart, owned this mine and worked it for copper product for many years. He supplied ... read story
  • Snow Queen Mine : My father Allan Stewart at one stage was part owner in this mine. I my uncle George Sanderson may ... read story
  • Iandra: Mount Oriel homestead (colloquially known as 'Iandra castle') was commissioned by George Henry Greene in the early 1900s. He ... read story
  • Will Tyson: My great grandfather who was born in Maryport North Western England, came to the Victorian goldfields in 1864. Had ... read story
  • Windarling Peak: Windarling Peak is not the mine (iron ore) site. The Peak is approximately 10ks south of an un-named range ... read story
  • The Brown Family: I think that this Brown family are my ancestors. Some of them were from Ipswich, Qld, Clifton,... read story

Living water. (20 April 2012)

contributed by JoeFurulyas
(contact JoeFurulyas about this story)

Weeli Wolli Creek Above the false waters of Weeli Wolli Creek.

Weeli Wolli Creek is substantially important in the traditional land owners history.

Weeli Wolli Creek ~ pipeline Rio Tinto ~ Hope Downs mine de-watering pipeline feeding ground water from under the mining operations, into the water course below the natural spring fed waters of Weeli Wolli Creek.

The Nyiyaparli and the Martu Idja Banyjima people believe that the spirit of the Yurduba ( rainbow Serpent ) is in this water.

Yurduba travelled from the Kimberley and now lives in the surrounding hills, he is the guardian of all permanent waterholes, watches all people who come here and we have an obligation to respect him.

Weeli Wolli Creek Where on Earth.

Sadly the mining industry is changing the true nature that is the Weeli Wolli Spring ~ Creek system.

Weeli Wolli Creek The "Gabion" ~ this rock and wire sluce/drain is the terminal end of the de-watering pipeline from Rio Tinto's Hope Downs mining operations, this de-watering process dumps something like 40,000 kilolitres per day into the natural spring fed creek, quite simply the mining industry is manipulating nature. ( 2003 approx)

Rio Tinto is dewatering the underground water table below their Hope Downs operation, the water is being pumped back into Weeli Wolli creek to a point below the natural spring(s) that since creation times has been feeding the creek.

Weeli Wolli Creek information deck This structure with information on Flora and Fauna indigenous to the area. The concept is admirable but it's an attempt to distort the true purpose of this man made structure. (My personal view) This information deck is actually built over the Gabion, so you have a massive amount of water discharging under you as you read the information boards.

The artificial inflow of water at first glance looks rather beautiful, but the end result at some point in the future, is that the natural spring(s) may dry up and only the artificial water flow controlled by the miners will feed the stream.

The near by sink hole is believed to be the lair of "Yurduba" this belief is still quite strong amongst the traditional owners of the land.

Is this story rude, offensive or defamatory; spam; or not about and/or of the place? If so, Report it