The name for this rock was first recorded by C.C. Hunt (1832-1868) during his Eastern Exploring Expedition. In his Report of the expedition, for Friday 19 May 1865, he wrote:

…. 2^h 30^m p.m. halt at Boorabbin, this rock I had not before visited it being a few miles to the southward of last years track, it certainly is a very remarkable point and can be seen many miles and being situated on the highest summit of the sand plain from whence may be contained the widest view of the country I know of eastward of Kooganobbing [Koolyanobbiong]. At this place I think I shall be able to make a good well in the gully there being a large number of black wattles about generaly [sic] a sure indication of water, and there being tolerable good grass though much of the ground has been recently burnt but of course will afford the better grass after rain. There are some large hollows on the surface of this rock and appears to hold water for many weeks after a good rain fall….

It is an aboriginal name of unknown meaning.

The rock is on the western edge of the Boorabbin National Park, part of the Great Western Woodlands.

Boorabbin Rock was used for water catchment and storage for steam locomotives dating from the 1890s. Walls on the rock direct water along a sluice into a dam and then an overflow dam.

The quarry at the rock was used to source ballast for a later narrow gauge railway that was in use up until the 1960s.

It was also used extensively as slabs for the channels that form an integral part of the water harvesting system. The high standard of workmanship evident in the stonework is typical of that at other rock water catchment schemes throughout Western Australia.

 

The reports of the various trips, tours and travels on the Adventures website have a lot of information about place names – their naming and features – toponymy. More information.

© Kim Epton 2016-2024
372 words, one photograph.

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