Ryan Well Historical Reserve facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ryan Well Historical Reserve Anmatjere, Northern Territory
Ryan Well Historical Reserve Location in Northern Territory
Nearest town or city	Alice Springs
Established	30 September 1971 (1971-09-30)
Area	2.39 hectares (5.9 acres)
Managing authorities	Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory

Ryan Well Historical Reserve is a special protected area in Australia's Northern Territory. It is located near the town of Anmatjere. This is about 129 kilometers north of Alice Springs. The reserve helps protect important historical sites for everyone to learn from.

What is Ryan Well Historical Reserve?

The reserve is made up of two parts. These parts are located on opposite sides of the main Stuart Highway.

On the west side of the highway, you will find the remains of Ryan Well. This well was dug in the 1800s. It provided water for livestock (like cattle) that were moving along the Australian Overland Telegraph Line. There is also a car park here for visitors.

On the east side of the highway, you will find the remains of a building. This building is known as the Glen Maggie Homestead.

Why is it Protected?

Ryan Well Historical Reserve is a protected area. This means it is a place that is kept safe and preserved. It was first made a "place of historic interest" in 1974. This was done by the Australian government.

The western part of the land was protected first. A few days later, the eastern part was added. In 1979, it was officially named Ryan Well Historical Reserve.

What Can You See There?

In 1980, experts described the reserve. They said Ryan's Well is important because it is one of the wells still left from the old telegraph days. These wells gave water to the people working on the telegraph line. They also watered the animals used for food.

Ryan's Well

Ryan's Well was dug in 1889. It is very deep, about 96 feet (29 meters) down. The inside of the well was built with strong timber.

Long ago, the well had a special lifting tool called a windlass. It also had a camel whip, buckets, and a very large water tank. There was even a long trough for animals to drink from. Today, you can still see the well and a large stone wall built around its top.

Glen Maggie Homestead

The Glen Maggie Homestead was built in 1917. It was made from local stone. The door and window frames were made from local timber.

In 1932, this building was used as a Post Office. It was also a starting point for people going to The Granites gold rush. The building was left empty around 1933.

Important Listings

The historical reserve was listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register in 1995. This register lists places that are important to the history of the Northern Territory.