For many years, a freshwater spring was found on the nearby beach and was an important gathering place for the early Aboriginal community. In pioneering days, commercial and cruising boats replenished their supplies from the freshwater spring.
During the early 1930s, a hand pump and concrete well were constructed to access the underground water. The concrete well structure remains today. Destroyed in storms, the original hand pump has been replaced by a replica, and offers fresh (town) water.
The Ngaro
The Aborigines of the Whitsunday Islands were called Ngaro, and are one of the earliest recorded Aboriginal groups in Australia. They were also often called ‘Island People’, as they were skilled maritime hunters, gatherers and navigators. They managed their environment and the available food and shelter resources.
The Ngaro ‘serpent’ (Mundagola) is a special symbol, ancestral spirit from The Dreaming, which shaped the landscape and islands of the Whitsundays.
Descendants of the Ngaro, their artwork and stories, are an important part of the Whitsundays culture and community.
Community
The restoration of the water well, upgrading of the decking, seating and provision of a yacht sail style shade cover is an initiative of the Rotary Club of Airlie Beach, in close association with Whitsunday Regional Council and Tourism Whitsundays.
