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This is a roadhouse on the Eyre Highway.
A section of road between
Balladonia and Caiguna stretches 147 Km without a bend
- the longest straight stretch in Australia. The area is only notable
historically for the death of John Baxter who was killed by Aborigines in 1841.
Baxter was journeying with Eyre who wrote about the incident:
"At the dead hour of night, in the wildest and most inhospitable wastes of
Australia, with the fierce wind raging in unison with the scene of violence
before me, I was left with a single native, whose fidelity I could not rely upon
and who for aught I knew might be in league with the other two, who perhaps were
even now, lurking about with the view of taking my life as they had done that of
the overseer."
Baxter had been killed by Aborigines who were members of the exploration party.
They had pressed Eyre to turn back and head for Fowlers Bay. When he refused
they waited until Baxter was alone and killed him before making off with the
supplies and two shotguns. They shadowed Eyre and the remaining native (Wylie)
for a couple of days but Wylie refused their calls to join them. During the
first night Eyre was effectively unarmed as though he had two pistols and a
rifle, he had no ammunition for the pistols and a bullet was jammed in the
barrel of the rifle. He put the rifle over a fire to dry (holding the end of the
barrel) and the rifle went off missing him by inches.
Due to the nature of the ground, Baxter could not be buried and had to be left
wrapped in a blanket at the mercy of the elements. Almost 40 years later William
Graham organised a search for Baxter's remains, which were found minus the
skull. Baxters bones were shipped to Perth but no records remain to tell us what
happened to them. There is a memorial to John Baxter located about 20km south of
Caiguna which was erected in 1930.
The name Caiguna is said to derive from an Aboriginal word meaning 'Spear
track'.
Caiguna is the place where you alter your watch as you cross the country. If you
are heading east you lose ¾ of an hour, if you are heading west you gain ¾ of an
hour.
Anyone considering some off road driving in this area (Ie.
4x4) then make sure you are well prepared as it is isolated and rugged country.
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