ARTESIAN WELLS IN AUSTRALIA.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 10 April 1901, Page 4

ARTESIAN WELLS IN AUSTRALIA.

The South Australian Commissioner of Public Works has received information of the striking of a valuable supply of artesian water in the dry north-east. For some time boring lias been proceeding under contract on Yandama Creek, about forty miles east of the southern end of Lake Callabonna, where Dr Stirling found the bones of the diprotodon some time ago. Artesian water was reached at a depth of 1,560 ft. Boring was continued, and at a dcptli of 1600 ft a strong flow was tapped, and rose fresh water to the surface at the rate of 20,000 gallons a day. There is every prospect of a largely increased quantity being obtained by sinking a little deeper. This discovery is particularly interesting and decidedly important, because the bore is the most northern one m South Australia, in what is known as the Central Australian artesian basin, which extends practically from Yandama Creek right to the Gulf of Carpentaria, a distance of about 1000 miles. As the depth at which water was secured was so considerable, the officials consider it as an indication that the artesian area extends much further southwards, towards Lake Fromc, and that a How may ho secured at Lake Elder and Lake Boolka. The value of the supply is almost incalculable, because the locality was previously one of the driest in the Stata, and teams wore frequently unable to travel for perhaps more than 12 miles at a time.