Mount Allott - WA

Mount Allott is actually a protrusion of the surrounding Sutherland range. It does not stand alone as Mount Worsnop does, nor is it as high or spectacular. Even so, its place in history is assured due to its proximity to Alexander Spring, and it has been visited by numerous explorers in the years since first visited and named by Sir John Forrest in 1874. It was named after the then Mayor of Adelaide.

The cairn still stands today, originally built over 141 years ago; this lonely sentinel situated on the south eastern end of the scarp overlooks the vast plains to the south, and Mount Worsnop. Having been last restored by the Geraldton Historical Society in 1974, the cairn is accompanied by a plaque that highlights the visits by both Forrest (1874) and Carnegie (1896). Less than a kilometre to the north, Alexander Spring lies nestled in the bed of a creek that rises from the plain into the Sutherland ranges and runs along the western flank of Mount Allott.


"July 15th, 1974. Rested at Alexander Spring. Went for a walk to a flat-topped hill about South-South-East 50 chains from camp, which I have since named Mount Allott, and placed a cairn on it; another hill close by I named Mount Worsnop, after respectively the Mayor and Town Clerk of Adelaide."
Excerpts from John Forrest’s Journal – Explorations in Australia – J Forrest (1875)



The Hubbe Stock Route Expedition also visited the site during their nine month traverse of the continent from Beltana (SA) to Kalgoorlie (WA). Leaving the telegraph line at Oodnadatta on the 11th November 1895, the expedition reached Mt Allott on Sunday May 3rd 1896 and camped nearby. Hubbe and expedition surveyor William Murray set off on foot to look for Alexander Spring, and the Forrest cairn at the summit of Mount Allott. Reaching the summit they had trouble locating the cairn, eventually finding the remnants, just a pile of rubble only 18 inches (45cm) high. It was presumed that local aboriginals had pulled the cairn down.

They set to work and rebuilt the cairn, and replanted the old pole of mulga, it being still sound after a lapse of twenty-two years since being placed there by Forrest. The cairn and pole were eight feet high above the summit of the hill when rebuilt, and according to Hubbe;

“can readily be seen fully three miles from the east side, when brushes and scrub are cut away”.
Monday May 4th 1896, Camp 73.


Loaded up at 7.25 am and moved camp to the large creek, to a spot bearing 172° from Forrest's Pile from which is a distance of fifteen chains. Established new camp and turned out the camels on fair roley poley, excellent leguminosae, other good herbage and water bush, the herbage including abundance of parakylia and munyeroo. Then sent Mahar, who is a good bushman and most reliable, to examine lower end of creek, Langman with axe and saw to clear off scrub around pile rebuilt yesterday, left Vines to guard camp and repair saddles, whilst Mr Murray and self, taking our riding camels and spades, started to thoroughly examine top end of both creeks left new camp at 8:10 a.m.

It is therefore evident that the soakage where we obtained the water is Alexander Spring... Langman had cleared scrub around the pile for a radius of 150 feet, which now shows up distantly, and can easily be picked up from every direction... .I (Hubbe) proceeded to and marked Mill's tree on the west side- SA TO WA S.R. Baylee 160 m e SGH 4/5/1896

The tree bears from Forrests pile 285° distant about thirty chains…