A string of reserves centered on a chain of salt lakes in the Arthur River stretches down from Lake Toolibin (the last remaining wheatbelt freshwater lake). The rest of the lakes are saline, but were fresh or brackish up to the 1950’s.
The area was surveyed for farming from 1904 to 1907. The Nomans Lake hall was built in 1911 and is still in use. The surveyor Oxley passed through the area in the 1890’s, although prior to this, shepherds and sandalwood cutters were in the district. Abundant food and water in the lake must have been very important for Noongar tribes, but no evidence remains. Diseases spread by contact with Europeans decimated these people and destroyed their social structure in the 1880’s, and access to the lakes was progressively reduced by land clearing and farming.
Local farmer Stan Prideaux’s recollection of the lakes during the depression states ‘One pleasant recollection from those days was the state of the environment. The lake systems were generally full each year. Timber in and around the lakes was alive and the water only slightly brackish. Waterfowl abounded in the lakes – swans, ibis, heron, duck, water hen and other. Ground birds and birds of the forest were also plentiful – plovers, ground larks, sky larks, curlew, parrots, galahs, swallows, quail, black and white fantails – to mention some’. Source: Nomans Lake a Collection of Memories. Heidi Astbury and Lyn Chadwick 1987.
Today the lake beds are bare or dotted with dead trees and salt tolerant plants, but vegetation in surrounding uncleared land is often in excellent condition. The area is seldom visited because few lakes can be reached by road and surrounding saline areas are uninviting. With much walking I discovered starkly beautiful and varied salt lakes in a range of landscapes with surrounding areas of saline flats and often attractive healthy woodland.
Local farmer Stan Prideaux’s recollection of the lakes during the depression states ‘One pleasant recollection from those days was the state of the environment. The lake systems were generally full each year. Timber in and around the lakes was alive and the water only slightly brackish. Waterfowl abounded in the lakes – swans, ibis, heron, duck, water hen and other. Ground birds and birds of the forest were also plentiful – plovers, ground larks, sky larks, curlew, parrots, galahs, swallows, quail, black and white fantails – to mention some’. Source: Nomans Lake a Collection of Memories. Heidi Astbury and Lyn Chadwick 1987.
Today the lake beds are bare or dotted with dead trees and salt tolerant plants, but vegetation in surrounding uncleared land is often in excellent condition. The area is seldom visited because few lakes can be reached by road and surrounding saline areas are uninviting. With much walking I discovered starkly beautiful and varied salt lakes in a range of landscapes with surrounding areas of saline flats and often attractive healthy woodland.
Diphysma crassifolia The area is a great example of the WA Wheatbelt’s ‘reversed’ rivers’ - In most areas of the world, rivers start as small active streams in mountains and become larger and more sluggish as they approach the coast, but many large wheatbelt rivers start in subdued plains and become more active as they pass through the hilly Darling Range to the ocean.
The Arthur River is ancient and begins in the old plateau sandplain landscape east of Toolibin before passing between uplands associated with the Binneringie Dyke to the North and a large ridge associated with the Buchanan River to the south. A chain of lakes merges into the extensive Narrogin Valley flats, then narrows as it passes through the Darling Range to Join the Blackwood. The river system tributaries and associated uplands frequently run in northwest-southeast and southwest-northeast patterns, which reflect fractures in the underlying crystalline bedrock caused by repeated supercontinent collision and separation cycles.
The Arthur River is ancient and begins in the old plateau sandplain landscape east of Toolibin before passing between uplands associated with the Binneringie Dyke to the North and a large ridge associated with the Buchanan River to the south. A chain of lakes merges into the extensive Narrogin Valley flats, then narrows as it passes through the Darling Range to Join the Blackwood. The river system tributaries and associated uplands frequently run in northwest-southeast and southwest-northeast patterns, which reflect fractures in the underlying crystalline bedrock caused by repeated supercontinent collision and separation cycles.
Arthur River geology map. Blue=river flats, orange=gravel, yellow=sandplain uplainds of old land surface, grey= exposed underlyng granite
Why are there lakes in this particular area? here are some clues.
There is a paleochannel (buried river) system 300m wide and 40m deep beneath Toolibin lake extending approximately five kilometres upstream in a north-westerly direction. Paleochannel sediments are about three million years old, which coincides with the Darling Range uplift.
The lake system ends above the intersection of the Yilliminning and Arthur Rivers. From that point the Arthur River channel becomes more actively flowing and highly saline. Much of the valley containing the lakes has mostly healthy natural vegetation and mild salinity. A farmer told me that the lakes filled upstream from Little White Lake. Perhaps this coincides with flooding of the Yilliminning River.
An exaggerated terrain map I created shows that from Ibis to Noman lakes water passes through a gap between uplands on either side. I think that faulting and uplift associated with the Darling Range uplift reduced river slope where it joined the Yilliminning River and promoted lake formation. Some lakes are separated by dolerite dykes.
There is a paleochannel (buried river) system 300m wide and 40m deep beneath Toolibin lake extending approximately five kilometres upstream in a north-westerly direction. Paleochannel sediments are about three million years old, which coincides with the Darling Range uplift.
The lake system ends above the intersection of the Yilliminning and Arthur Rivers. From that point the Arthur River channel becomes more actively flowing and highly saline. Much of the valley containing the lakes has mostly healthy natural vegetation and mild salinity. A farmer told me that the lakes filled upstream from Little White Lake. Perhaps this coincides with flooding of the Yilliminning River.
An exaggerated terrain map I created shows that from Ibis to Noman lakes water passes through a gap between uplands on either side. I think that faulting and uplift associated with the Darling Range uplift reduced river slope where it joined the Yilliminning River and promoted lake formation. Some lakes are separated by dolerite dykes.
Exaggerated elevation view up the lake chain. Note uplands on either side and lakes end after intersection with Yilliminning River
Tiny water snail shells Lake Descriptions
The following hyperlinks contain information on Lake Toolibin and salt lake formation as illustrated by Lake Taarblin.
Cars can drive to the southern end of Taarblin from Williams Kondinin and Lakes roads. The lake was a popular water skiing, duck shooting, fishing, and picnic spot before it became saline. Taarblin is a large lake, which is separated from Ibis Lake to the south by a barrier formed by a dolerite dyke and adjoining heat-hardened granite. The dyke is exposed on the steep red clay southeast bank. and boulders from the adjoining granite are artfully scattered on the shoreline. If you look closely you will find shells of tiny snails, which I also found in other lakes in the chain that fill most often. Good spot for landscape artists and photographers
The following hyperlinks contain information on Lake Toolibin and salt lake formation as illustrated by Lake Taarblin.
Cars can drive to the southern end of Taarblin from Williams Kondinin and Lakes roads. The lake was a popular water skiing, duck shooting, fishing, and picnic spot before it became saline. Taarblin is a large lake, which is separated from Ibis Lake to the south by a barrier formed by a dolerite dyke and adjoining heat-hardened granite. The dyke is exposed on the steep red clay southeast bank. and boulders from the adjoining granite are artfully scattered on the shoreline. If you look closely you will find shells of tiny snails, which I also found in other lakes in the chain that fill most often. Good spot for landscape artists and photographers
 Dolerite dyke on southern bank |  Starkly beautiful lake bed |  hardened granite southern end |
Astbury house ruin Taarblin overflow passes through a culvert under Lakes Road into a channel to Ibis Lake. In the early days, the road could only be traversed by a boat in winter. Remains of the old Astbury house can be seen by the water channel. Ibis Lake's name suggests that this lake once teemed with waterbirds (I found shotgun cartridges and snail shells). The lake is now bare and saline. A salty depression East of the lake contains a soak that has become saline. This is bounded by a dolerite rise (which was Bill Astbury's favourite paddock). Water from salt land to the east enters another inlet on the south of Ibis lake and exits again a bit further along.
 Ibis lake south entrance |  Ibis Lake floor |  Saline soak |
From Ibis Lake water enters and exits the south side of Billy Lake. All lakes have surrounding sandy dunes covered by salt tolerant shrubs, Casuarina obesa-Salt sheoak, and scattered paperbark trees and shrubs, but the dunes are larger around Billy Lake. I think this is an indication that the lake fills less frequently. This lake has no defined waterway from the north apart from a man-made drain. Runoff appears to come from the wide valley above in flood years via numerous gilgai depressions covered by paperbark, broombush and salt tolerant vegetation. The lake itself is bleak, with a silty floor dotted with dead trees and bushes.
Once again, water exits Billy Lake and enters Bokan lake from the south, which is repeated downstream. The lake chain also tends to lie on the northern edge of the wide valley.
Aha, this is probably due to another geological influence on the lake system. Likely causes are the South Coast Jarrahwood Axis uplift, and the Australian Plate slowly subsiding beneath Indonesia, causing the continent to tip down to the north. Ancient rock platforms on the south coast indicate that the coast has risen by about 130 metres in the last 20 million years or so.
Aha, this is probably due to another geological influence on the lake system. Likely causes are the South Coast Jarrahwood Axis uplift, and the Australian Plate slowly subsiding beneath Indonesia, causing the continent to tip down to the north. Ancient rock platforms on the south coast indicate that the coast has risen by about 130 metres in the last 20 million years or so.
Image with greatly exaggerated elevation showing vegetation variation and southern connection of the lake chain
Bokan Lake was the first lake in the chain with water I visited, and is quite scenic. It receives water quite often from creeks from a large catchment to the north. I managed to drive down to the lake from Lakes Road through a saline flat on a summer only track, but this is very boggy country.
 Bokan Lake view |  A wind blown spume pattern |  reclining salmon gum on an old dam bank |
Runoff from Bokan Lake reaches Nomans lake, which adjoins the Wagin Wickepin Road. This lake was a popular recreation area in the early settler days.
White Lake is a forbidding site - a large circular and mostly bare area with a compacted floor ringed by low dunes. The lake directly adjoins a rise on its north side and only receives water when the main channel to its south flows. Clouds of acrid dust were blowing fom the lake bed when I visited.
White Lake is a forbidding site - a large circular and mostly bare area with a compacted floor ringed by low dunes. The lake directly adjoins a rise on its north side and only receives water when the main channel to its south flows. Clouds of acrid dust were blowing fom the lake bed when I visited.
 Lake ringed by a low dune then dead paperbark ditch |  Lake floor |  Healthy woodland lining the exit channel |
Little White Lake is the last lake in the chain. Water flows into it frequently from a large and mostly fresh water catchment to the north that flows through a salty flat dotted with dead trees to reach the lake. Despite the forbidding stretch of salt land one needs to cross to reach the lake,it is a very interesting area. I found several old nesting boxes, which had been nailed to trees on the eastern side indicating that someone valued the wildlife here at some time.
Kilpatrick family enjoying Little White Lake 1950's?. Note healthy paperbark fringe
Similar area 2025 fringing paperbarks long dead
The northen end of the lake floor contained typical dead trees and bare saltland, but an aerial image shows numerous mounds in the southern part. The sandy mounds are about 1.4 metres high surrounded by a shallow ditch. The mounds were created by the local branch of the WA Field and Game Association 1n 1983 as a WA Fisheries and Wildlife experiment to grow vegetation for waterfowl habitat. I also found a few old swan nests in clumps of dead trees in the lake.
 Nothern part of the lake has water. Southern part is shallower with numerous raised spots |  Raised sandy mound |  Mounds |
I was surprised by the variation and amount of healthy woodland surrounding the lakes. There was Salmon Gum, York Gum, and Red Morrel woodland most likely growing over dolerite dykes, and mixtures of Wandoo, Salt Sheoak, York Gum, paperbarks and rushes.intermixed with saltland heath. I enjoyed seeing the vegetation changes as I walked through, and would enjoy seeing which seasonal flowers occur in the growing season. It is a pity that the area is difficult to access.
Woodland examples are shown below.
Woodland examples are shown below.
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