Paine & Barclay Survey Marker - WA

Situated on top of the laterite ridge just above Winduldarra Rockhole, this is one of the original Paine and Barkley Survey marks from their 1931 Expedition to the Warburton Ranges.

The first vehicles up the track that is now the Great central Road followed this series of waterholes as well as the survey markers left by the Harry L. Paine and Hugh C. Barclay Expedition of 1931, the most prominent of which still remains above Winduldarra rockhole.

Some History of the Expedition;

From Paines official report;

It was whilst engaged upon subdivisional and classification work near Nornalup that I received a telegram from the Surveyor-General offering me the leadership of a party which the Department had decided should be equipped for the purpose of making a general exploration and survey of the Warburton Range country, Needless to say, I immediately accepted the job, and the party left Perth on the 26th of May. It was composed as follows: Myself, with Mr. Staff Surveyor Hugh Barclay as second in command, Mr. Frank G. Forman, Geologist, and six men, two of whom were motor drivers and, of course, thoroughly efficient mechanics. My transport consisted of two trucks, but the Surveyor-General had given me an absolutely free hand to add to it. Camels, of course, were essential, but the Government possessed none, and it remained for me to obtain them where I could. Upon arrival at Laverton, I made arrangements for the hire of seven camels and two drays, and was very fortunate in obtaining first-class animals, and a very good driver.


The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Tuesday 13 October 1931

Months Spent Beyond Laverton.
After an absence from Perth of about five months, members of a Government survey party which had been operating in country north-east of Laverton, arrived back yesterday morning by the Great Western express.
Those who returned were Mr. F. G. Forman (assistant geologist in the Mines Department), Mr. H. 'C. Barclay (staff surveyor in the Lands and Surveys Department) and Messrs. Weeks, Keeley, Thornton Smith, and Crutchley. -Travelling in a motor truck, they had moved ahead of the remainder of the survey party, who were limited to the speed of their 15 camels, and whom they last saw at a. point about 180 miles beyond Laverton. The remainder of the party are Messrs. H. L. Paine (staff surveyor, in charge of the expedition), and Messrs. Lysaght (of Laverton), Johns and McKnoe, together with the police squad under Sergeant H. Bake, who have been investigating the reports of murders of two members of an exploration party by natives in the Rawlinson Ranges. These are expected to reach Laverton in a little over a week.


The party has been exploring the country for pastoral and geological possibilities. The results of its work will be the subject of a report to the Ministers concerned, and for the present are withheld from publication. Questioned for further details about their observations on the reports of the murders by natives, members of the party had little to add to what had been published in 'The West Australian' yesterday. They said that they could obtain no confirmation of the reports of the crime from the natives, who were always very friendly. The line of country which they had traversed had become very dry, and the motor truck had been occupied fairly constantly carrying water for the police party.