Poison Rocks

Poison Rocks, historically known as Poison Rock, is a rock formation in Western Australia. It is located at 28°42′S 118°30′E, 100 km south-east of Mount Magnet in the Shire of Sandstone. The explorer Robert Austin named the place after camping there during his expedition of 1854. While he was there, nine of his horses died from eating poisonous plants, and he was forced to leave behind two more who were near death.^[1]

Poison Rocks

Location in Western Australia

In 1869, John Forrest led an expedition in search of the long lost explorer Ludwig Leichhardt. His party met a group of Aboriginal people who offered to take them to a place where the skeletons of many horses could be seen. Forrest travelled with the group for a week, until it became clear that he was being led to Poison Rocks. He then resumed his earlier course.

References

1. The Trove and NLA entries have note/description identifying the event "then north to Poison Rock where the party lost several horses to poisonous plants". Austin, Robert; Hillman, A; Western Australia. Survey Office (1855), Map shewing Asst. Surveyor R. Austin's route into the interior of Western Australia, 1854, Published by Survey Office, retrieved 3 October 2024 Also available online http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-231432143

Further reading

• "Poison Rocks". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
• Forrest, John (1875). Explorations in Australia. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low & Searle. (Project Gutenberg edition)

See also

• List of rocks in Western Australia