Adec Preview Generated PDF File - The Sydney eScholarship ...

1.4 Research Site
1.4.1 Location of Milparinka
The location of Milparinka is shown on Map 1, together with the location of
Wilcannia, a town which was closely associated for much of the period
under consideration in my research.
Milparinka is in the far north-west of New South Wales, about 80
kilometres from both the South Australian and Queensland borders. The
town was established in 1881, and is sited adjacent to a watercourse
known as Evelyn Creek, which originally contained a number of
waterholes. Roads and landing grounds gen_erally for at least two hundred
and fifty kilometres in all directions are presently of natural formation, being
simply a graded route through the natural sands and gravels. These rapidly
become impassable after rain. This situation is likely to alter in the next few
years, as all-weather roads are finally encroaching upon the area.
There is no railway within three hundred kilometres of Milparinka, and no
permanently flowing watercourse. With the exception of Chinaman's Well
and more or less reliable artificial catChments, there is only one major
source of potable water. This water, which was quarantined from general
use by virtue of a selection dating from the mid-1860s, is twelve kilometres
from Milparinka at Depot Glen.
An urban community of perhaps 150 persons is now located 42 kilometres
to the north. This town, Tibooburra, was established at almost the same
time as Milparinka. Major population centres are all at least three hundred
kilometres distant, these being Bourke and Broken Hill in New South
Wales, and Cunnamulla in Southern Queensland.
The locality arguably remains as it always has been, the most isolated in
New South Wales.
1.4.2 Topography
The country is comprised of rolling hills with occasional low cliff faces,
interspersed with dry watercourses and associated flood plains. Vegetation
is sparse, consisting primarily of saltbush communities. Along
watercourses species of Acacia and Eucalyptus are present, and various
grasses and herbs also appear under favourable conditions of rainfall and
season. There is some evidence that a greater diversity of flora was
present prior to European occupation of the vicinity.
Soils are sandy and highly alkaline, with a calcareous layer generally within
SOOmm of the soil surface. Large areas are decomposed 'duricrust'
material, the sand in these being dispersed amongst 'gibbers' of duricrust,