Welcome to The Neales
Introduction | Special Dates | Centenary of Federation
Aboriginal Connections | Photo Gallery

John McDouall Stuart discovered this area west of Lake Eyre in April 1859. Of the Neales, a river, spring and lake system, Stuart wrote: '...the flow of water from the springs is immense, coming in numerous streams, and the country is beautiful.'

In November 1871, Charles Todd's advance surveying party passed through this area forging the route for the Overland Telegraph Line. The overseer of the southern section of the line, A.T. Woods left the main party and moved out with a light party and one of the express wagons. His job was to find a suitable route to the Hugh River for the bullock drays, which in turn would make a road for the horse teams.

Woods crossed both branches of the Neales, which were running well, on the same day. A few days later six teams of bullocks, with ten bullocks to a team followed. The remaining teams left two days later.

It was an uncompromising landscape that took its toll on many of the construction workers health. Beckwith, an overseer had become very ill with sun stroke. Todd replaced him and sent him back with one of the returning transport teams to Adelaide over 600 miles away. It was an agonising journey and he died shortly before reaching Adelaide.