Description

The monument commemorates the pioneers of the Great Artesian Basin and the first commercial bore sunk at Back Creek in 1886. European settlers first discovered artesian water from the Great Artesian Basin in 1878 when a shallow bore sunk near Bourke in New South Wales produced flowing water. Many bores were soon drilled and by 1915 over 1,500 flowing artesian bores had been drilled throughout the Basin. The Back Creek Bore, 38 kilometres east of Barcaldine, which was drilled in 1886 in the search for water for the advancing Central Railway, was Queensland's first artesian bore. Artesian pressure was low, however, and it soon required pumping. The Railway Department drilled the Town Bore a year later and free-flowing water promptly filled the waterholes of Lagoon Creek. The bore continued to be Barcaldine's source of water for over a century. Hundreds of bores have subsequently exploited the aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin. This is a point of interest. No camping or overnight parking allowed.