The wheatbelt east from Slater Homestead has a rich and varied history that weaves elements of survey, exploration, pastoralism, gold rushes, agricultural and entrepreneurial interests. The wells of that era contributed significantly to the region.

In 1837 surveyor JS Roe traversed the area and recorded springs at Mangowine and Yarragin. Surveyors Hillman and Lefroy recorded the spring at Goomalling (Slaters) in 1847, and A. C. Gregory at Benjaberring.

The first settlement beyond the Avon Valley was by George Slater at Goomalling Spring in 1857. A few years later, further east Charles Glass established at Mujakine and by 1869 a road connected through to Charles Adams at Yarragin.

The ‘Leichhardt’ Forrest expedition of 1869, camped at Slater Homestead, Nenin Well, Naang Well, and Yarragin Homestead.
Wells were commissioned by the Toodyay Roads Board: Trayning Well by Charles Adams (1879), Monembudding Well (1881) and Wyalkatchem tank (1881) by John Haywood.

In 1884, five reserves including Trayning and Wyalcatching were designated as stoping places for teams and travellers.

In 1888, gold was discovered and the Yilgarn Goldfield was declared. Gold seekers trekked along the Yarragin Road, camping at the wells and homesteads as designated by a map that was published to provide prospectors with details of water and provisions. By 1889, inns had been established at Goomalling, Mangowine, and Yarragin. In 1892, with the Coolgardie goldrush, the focus turned to rail transport, and the route was all but abandoned.

Goomalling Well
In Parry's 1888 survey report he stated:

Surveyor Alfred Hillman first marked Goomalling Spring on a map, when he and Gerald de Courcy Lefroy made an exploratory trip to the area in June 1846. Lefroy was looking for pasture lands and wasn't impressed with the district, which comprised mainly sand plains and scrub, although Hillman noted on his exploration plan that the area around the Spring contained rich grassy country.

On 1 January 1855, George Slater took up the 20,000 acre Avon Lease 539, centred on Goomalling Spring. As a young man, George Slater worked as a labourer and shepherd on farms in the Northam area while building up his own flock, a common method of 'getting ahead' at the time. He entered into a partnership with James Oliver and began sheep farming at 'Marda' on the Victoria Plains. After hearing reports of good sheep country further east, he took up the lease at Goomalling Spring and moved his sheep to the area. Slater established his homestead, farm buildings, gardens and vineyard at the Spring and in January 1858, he acquired two freehold blocks covering the water source and his improvements. The acquired land comprised Avon Locations 206 (20 acres) and 256 (10 acres), surveyed by Robert Austin in January 1858.

In 1889, George Slater opened the Goomalling Inn beside the Spring, to cater to the prospectors on their way to the Yilgarn goldfield.

Namalcatching Well
Namalcatching Well is one of the five Reserves gazetted on 19 June 1884 as a Stopping Place for Teams, at the request of Charles Adams.
The Shire of Dowerin describes the place as being a large stone well, which held sufficient water for 70 horses.
H. E. Parry's 1888 survey report noted:

Benjaberring Well.
A. C. Gregory recorded a permanent spring named Binjermaring at the site in 1846. In 1854, Robert Austin recorded the place in his journal, referring to it as 'of granite and trap formation, called Binjermarring, where natives report kangaroos are numerous’. John Forest camped at Benjaberring Well on 23 April 1869.

In 1892, while a bank manager at Northam, John Forrest took a trip to Yarragin Station and on the way back spent a night at Benjaberring Well. At that time, it was described as a rock-hole on a granite hill with two soaks at the foot.
George A. D. Sinclair held the lease of the land for several years from 1895. The lease then passed to James Giblett in 1898. Giblett sunk a deep well a little distance below the rock. The Benjaberring Well made good water and Giblett allowed everyone to use it.Wyalkatchem tank

The water supply on the Wyalkatchem Reserve was a stone tank, which was constructed by John Haywood for the Toodyay Roads Board in 1881. Haywood was an expiree who farmed at Toodyay. Wyalkatchem Tank gazetted in 1884 as a Stopping Place for Teams.

In 1915, Reserve 688 was vested in the Minister for Railways as a railway water supply. In 1917, the Chief Engineer of Railways wanted the Wyalkatchem Well closed to prevent teamsters and stock from polluting water running into the railway dam. Steam locomotives required high quality water for their boilers.

Trayning Well
In 1869, John Forrest named the local water source at Trayning, which was his spelling of the local Aboriginal name Duri-iring, a combination of two words meaning to crawl and a camping place. 'Duranning' was eventually corrupted to 'Trayning'.

On 1 March 1879, the Toodyay Road Board accepted the tender of Charles Adams for the sinking of a well at Trayning.

In the 1887 survey, the place was described as:

Mujakine Well
Charles Glass and family took up residence at Mujakine in about the early 1880s, having previously been at Yarragin. He applied to purchase the area around the well and homestead. This led to correspondence to the Commissioner of Crown Lands from Charles Edward Dempster in his capacity as MLC for the East Province.

Yarragin Well
Septimus Roe recorded the water source at Yarragin in 1836. In 1867, Henry Twine and Charles Adams took up several pastoral leases in the district. By 1869, Charles and Jane Adams and James and Janet Ward were occupying Yarragin and held a tillage lease where they would have grown wheat for their own use.
John Forrest arrived at Yarragin on 26 April 1869, and formed a base camp, for his journey to establish the fate of the Leichardt party.