# Bonney Well

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**Bonney Well,** sometimes referred to as **Bonny Well** is a former stock well on the North South Stock Route. It is 90 km south of [Tennant Creek](/source/Tennant_Creek), 8 km north of [Karlu Karlu](/source/Karlu_Karlu_/_Devils_Marbles_Conservation_Reserve) and is on the Lands of the [Warumungu people](/source/Warumungu).[1][2]

Bonney Well is one of only three wells remaining with its stone dumps intact. It is a popular tourist stop for people travelling through the [Barkly Region](/source/Barkly_Region) along the [Stuart Highway](/source/Stuart_Highway) and it offers a carpark, picnic area and public toilet.[3] It was listed on the [Northern Territory Heritage Register](/source/Northern_Territory_Heritage_Register) on 22 August 1996.[4][5]

## History

The waterhole that became Bonney Well was first used by [John McDouall Stuart](/source/John_McDouall_Stuart) in 1860 - 1962 during his expeditions across Australia. He named it after [Charles Bonney](/source/Charles_Bonney), the Commissioner of Crown Lands of South Australia back then.[1]

The well was first dug in 1878 - 1897 by Arthur and [Alfred Giles](/source/Alfred_Giles_(explorer)) when they were [overlanding](/source/Droving) 12,000 sheep to [Springvale Station](/source/Springvale_Station). It was then deepened by staff of the [Australian Overland Telegraph Line](/source/Australian_Overland_Telegraph_Line) in 1884 and a stone dump and whip system were added in 1892.[3] The well's whip no longer remains.[6]

The bore, windmill and tank were installed in the late 1930s and, some time later, a cement tank. These have been protected and they provide an example of the areas industrial heritage.[6] In the 1930s there was interest in Bonney Well from a variety of mining companies but no major mining activity took place there.[7][8] In 1936 the death of a prospector, Charles Simmons, who collapsed in the intense heat on the road to Bonney Well was reported nationally.[9][10][11][12]

In the early 1930s missionary [Annie Lock](/source/Annie_Lock) set up a mission at the nearby Yirrarji Rockhole (Boxer Creek), 35 km north of Bonney Well.[13] During this period she was known as "The good missus of Bonny Well."[14][15]

## References

1. ["Bonney Well, Barkly Region, Northern Territory, Australia"](https://www.mindat.org/loc-294330.html). *mindat.org*. Retrieved 2024-07-09.

1. ["Bell, Diane --- "Warumungu Land Claim: A Fight for Land" \[1982\] AboriginalLawB 58; (1982) 1(6) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 1"](https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AboriginalLawB/1982/58.html). *classic.austlii.edu.au*. Retrieved 2024-07-10.

1. ["Bonney Well"](https://northernterritory.com/tennant-creek-and-barkly-region/see-and-do/bonney-well). *northernterritory.com*. Retrieved 2024-07-09.

1. ["Bonney Well: site details"](https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/heritageregister/f?p=103:303::::NO:P303_PLACE_ID:17). *Northern Territory Heritage Register*. Retrieved 2024-07-09.

1. Reed, Michael Anthony (1996-08-22). ["Declaration of heritage place: Bonney Well heritage place"](https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/heritageregister/heritage_register.get_file?file_id=96&file_type=scan). *Northern Territory Heritage Register*. Retrieved 2024-07-09.

1. ["Bonney Well: significance"](https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/heritageregister/f?p=103:303::::NO:P303_PLACE_ID:17#). *Northern Territory Heritage Register*. Retrieved 2024-07-09.

1. ["Bonney Well field"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article180632023). *[Telegraph (Brisbane)](/source/Telegraph_(Brisbane))*. 3 August 1935. p. 7. Retrieved 10 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Development of Bonney Well mine: English expert arrives with machinery"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40051640). *[The Advertiser (Adelaide)](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide))*. 13 June 1935. p. 16. Retrieved 10 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Died from heat: Bonney Well miner"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127349672). *[The Maitland Daily Mercury](/source/The_Maitland_Daily_Mercury)*. No. 20,225. 6 February 1936. p. 4. Retrieved 10 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Exhausted miner dies"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176984307). *[Shepparton Advertiser](/source/Shepparton_Advertiser)*. Vol. I, no. 542. 7 February 1936. p. 5. Retrieved 10 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Miner dies in Central Australia"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162515446). *[Mudgee Guardian and North-western Representative](/source/Mudgee_Guardian_and_North-western_Representative)*. 6 February 1936. p. 1. Retrieved 10 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Heat causes death of miner"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47912183). *[Barrier Miner](/source/Barrier_Miner)*. Vol. XLVIII, no. 14,512. 7 February 1936. p. 3. Retrieved 10 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. McCarthy, Teresa (2008). ["The Faith Mission at Mer Ilpereny (Arden's Soak), 1927 - 1928"](https://hdl.handle.net/10070/715094). *Territory Stories*. [hdl:10070/715094](https://hdl.handle.net/10070/715094). Retrieved 2 July 2024.

1. ["The "GOOD MISSUS " of BONNY WELL"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59831510). *[The Mail (Adelaide)](/source/The_Mail_(Adelaide))*. Vol. 21, no. 1,067. 5 November 1932. p. 1 (Women's Section). Retrieved 3 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Of Interest to Women"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129055894). *[The News](/source/The_News_(Adelaide))*. Vol. XIX, no. 2,881. 12 October 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 3 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bonney Well](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonney_Well) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonney_Well?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.