Retracing the Canning Stock Route

OVERVIEW

In July seven surveying students spent 16 days retracing the footsteps of Surveyor A W Canning on the southern section of the Canning Stock Route in remote Western Australia.

Alfred Canning surveyed the route in 1906 and in March 1908 set out from Wiluna to construct 52 watering points on the 1900 km journey to Halls Creek. He completed the task by 1910 and the first cattle were driven south that year.

On this centenaray expedition the students developed a work plan to locate some of Canning's original survey marks; resurvey them; and upgrade them. Some additional survey work was conducted for sponsors along the way.

The students were accompanied by two University staff, four experiences industry surveyors, two Aboriginal monitors, and two media students.

The party heads east from Newman along the Talawana track to the Stock Route, following that from Georgia Bore to Wiluna, camping along the way.