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EWENS to Australia

THOMAS CHARLES EWENS

Thomas was a member of the Mounted Police until he resigned to take up contracting at the newly established Port MacDonnell.


East of Port MacDonnell. Prior to July 1939 it was named 'Eight Mile Creek', its present name being adopted at the behest of the local district council.

Thomas Charles Ewens held section 355, Hundred of MacDonnell and one day in the 1870s while out shooting he heard the honking of wild geese and, attempting to locate them, found the ponds.

A Mortlock Library note says:
The original name was "Thomas Ewens Springs Ponds''. The reason for this designation was that his three elder brothers, William, John and Wolford, were also known in the South-East'

General Notes
Thomas Ewens Springs Ponds are described in Parliamentary Paper 112/1878.

EWENS PONDS TODAY - 2007
like so much of our heritage - 
it is in crisis

Ewens Ponds is a unique spring fed system.   It is a diver's paradise.

A series of three shallow basin-shaped ponds that are approximately ten metres deep  are all connected by shallow channels.

The clarity of the water enables plants to grow underwater to a depth of six metres.

A current will carry you along the top of the one point five metre deep channel and float past dense stands of plants while coming face to face with variety of fish.

The tiny, rare Ewens Pygmy Perch is found hiding in the cover of the reeds in these channels.

The  tell-tale bubbling limestone sand indicates where the ground water rises from the bottom. At night or on a cloudy day freshwater cray fish are seen scuttling along the pond's floor scavenging for food.

All plants and animals are protected

It is well worth reading this recent review even if only to see the magnificent photos of Ewens Ponds.

http://www.angfa.org.au/ftp/Save_Ewens_Pond_low_res.pdf