Namelcatching Well
Namelcatching Well is located approximately 100 metres within Namelcatchem Nature Reserve. It’s the earliest European built structure in the area and was built prior to 1865.
It was initially built to supply water for explorers and prospectors heading to the Goldfields, then become an important watering place for horse teams transporting wheat to Minnivale rail siding. Seasonal variations in rainfall affect the ‘height’ of the underground water level, but this stone well was described in 1888 as holding ‘enough water for 70 horses’.
Wells make use of groundwater and in these times, dug wells were excavated to below the water table until incoming water exceeded the diggers’ bailing rate. They were then lined with stones or other material to prevent hydrostatic pressure causing them to collapse. Hydrostatic pressure increases in proportion to depth measured from the top of the water table.
Find more sites of interest across the region on the Wheatbelt Science Trail and GeoTrail, you can find more information or other sites of interest across the region on the map.
The Cache
The cache is a bison tube