THOMBY ROCK WELLS
The visitor driving out of St George along the Moonie Highway (towards Dalby) can see, approximately 37 km from town, a rock well which is typical of many such wells made by Aboriginal people for water storage when other water was not available. Closer to St George, Aboriginal people used to make circular fish traps of stones along the water courses. After heavy rain, when the high water levels receded, the fish would be ‘stranded’ in these constructed ‘ponds’ and easily caught for food.
Interpretive signage at rock well on Moonie Highway, near St George
Rock well on Moonie Highway near St George
Another important fishing and duck-shooting place for Aboriginal people here was Lake Munya, a lagoon on a watercourse beside the Balonne River. However it was then approved as a flood zone ‘out-take’ for farmers to store and then take out water after heavy rain and use it for irrigation. The area is now flooded regularly and as a consequence there are no longer grassy banks for fishing, and a number of significant scarred trees have either died or been felled. There is regret among Aboriginal people that this beautiful area is no longer available to them.
Interpretive signage at rock well on Moonie Highway, near St George
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Lake Munya in flood as it appears today
