["Shifting Onslow", The Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA), Saturday 21 December 1912, page 3]
SHIFTING ONSLOW
NEW TOWNSITE PROBABLE
AT BEADON POINT.
Our Onslow correspondant writes:--
The s.s. Una arrived here on the 8th inst., and sailed again on the 11th. Mr. E. Tindale, engineer-in-chief of the North-West, made necessary inspections of the various Governmemt buildings.
On Tuesday morning, Mr. Tindale, in company with a member of the Road Board, proceeded to the Ten-Mile Pool, and was greatly surprised to find such a fine pool of water, and the water excellent, considering the pool is at its worst, owing to the now two years's drought. We took a sample of the water for analytic purposes. He also was shown the new crossing, at which place the Board is anticipating putting a 2ft. 6in. dam, for the purpose of preventing the salt water from flooding into the Bend Pool. This he thinks could be done at no great expense.
In the afternoon, Mr. Tindale, with a party of townspeople, proceeded to Beadon Point for the purpose of making an inspection and to get an insight into the possibility of erecting a jetty at the point and of making a tram connection to this town. He was greatly impressed with the spot, and has informed us that a survey party will be sent up about the middle of March to proceed with the necessary survey work.
Soundings were taken by the Una during the day, and it was found tha there is sufficient water at less than a quarter of a mile from the shore. This being so, a jetty could be built at no great cost.
The water for drinking and stock purposes was sampled and found to be of the best. Mr. Tindale has not given us much hope of getting a tramline from the point to the town, as the country is too rough and it would cost a large sum of money. A road has been found through the marsh to the main road, and if a jetty is built at the point, it will mean that the teams and traffic will go that way, which will consequently be the shifting of the town of Onslow.
