The Tragic Death of Mollie Smith – grave tales

On the 3rd July 1924, a young teacher aged 18 years, Mary ‘Mollie’ Smith, was tragically burned to death in front of her class of young children. It must have been horrific for the children present. She is buried in the Boulder Cemetery. MARY ‘MOLLIE’ FINDLATER SMITH Mollie Findlater SMITH was born in 1905 in […]

The Loneliest Goldfield in the World –

Daily News – 19 November 1932, page 11 The Granites: A Hard Trek and a Rigorous Existence Where Every Ounce of Gold is Earned Indeed (By F. E. Baume, our Special Representative with the Madigan Expedition to the Granites goldfield. Written shortly after arrival at the field three weeks ago.) ‘The Madigan Geologist Expedition’ has […]

Linden Cemetery – grave tales

Linden Cemetery (formerly Griffithston) Reserve 4683 S 29° 17.32, E 122° 25.28 The first burial was in 1899 when the cemetery was gazetted and it was not until 1911 that the second occurred. In 1915 the local residents wrote to the Dept of Works to ask “ we are enquiring of you as the best […]

Yellowdine – the people on the field (Part 2)

This is Part 2 of the story of Yellowdine – To read the first part go here:  Yellowdine – A walk through a canvas town West Australian 17 April 1935, page 25 YELLOWDINE The People on the Field There is to be found on the purple veldt of South Africa, a certain shrub which, when […]

Linden – ghost town

Linden the wounds of the golden game Linden is an abandoned townsite in the eastern goldfields, 75 km south of Laverton on the southern side of Lake Carey. Gold was discovered in this area in the mid-1890s, and in 1896 Warden Owen suggested a townsite be created. Owen used the name Griffithston for the place, […]