Washed out Overshot Crossing

Called an overshot the hand built crossings have survived well, however this one has seen tests of time. Others have survived in better condition.

Note mention in the sign text that no mortar was used. There are some parts of the pitching that have had rough mortar added, possibly many years later to lock in dislodged stones after flood damage.

**** Text from an info Sign. ****

Stone overshots paved a more dependable future

Before these overshoots were built for Dagworth Station around 1890, precious waterholes dried up just a few months after summer rains

Now floodwater streams over the walls until the water drops to overshot level and is captured in Combo and numerous other waterholes, about one metre higher than the natural level.

A sunburnt country

Months of dry days under a pitiless blue sky are broken by an average rainfall of just 400 mm, falling mostly in summer. In drought years less than ton mm may fall.

Then steady soaking rain

When good rain does come it may come in torrents. The mighty Diamantina River's shallow braided channels unite, and water stretches over vast areas.

Harnessing droughts and flooding rains.

Grazing was not viable without permanent water to supply more than 100 000 sheep already in the region by the early 1890s. The Macpherson. brothers bought Dagworth Station and faced the challenge of improving the supply of water.

Combo Waterholes provided a reliable water source for wildlife, drovers, travellers, swagmen and locals alike. The waterhole remained useful even with Artesian bores.

Ancient skills

Dry stone walls have been built in many countries. Perhaps the Macpherson brothers or the Kynuna contractor (Mick Fahey) or the labourers (probably Chinese or South Sea Islanders) could have told us from which country's ancestors they took their dry stone wail secrets.

Over 100 years ago, a team of men used horse and dray and baskets to cart in stones and sod carefully selected stone after stone laid them in tightly packed and interwoven row strengthened by keystones (no mortar to withstand the mighty force of flowing water and so transformed the interaction of people with this land.Read more