Bulong Post Office – Photo SLWA
Excerpts from an interesting account of the early days of Bulong which appeared in the Kalgoorlie Miner newspaper Monday 16th June 1952
Bulong, situated about 20 miles east of Kalgoorlie and 15 miles south east of Kanowna, was active from about 1893 to 1908 with various deep leads and alluvial workings, which by 1900 had produced 17,500 ounces of gold. There are various accounts of who and when , the first gold was actually found at Bulong. One version says May 1894, Arthur Reid in his book “Those Were the Days” says January 1894 but Jules Raeside in his book “Golden Days” says that an Aboriginal man called Tiger found the first gold – Tiger was working for Smith and Jack Moher.
From Mines Dept records it shows that in November 1893 a group of prospectors, Kennedy, Hogan, Turnbull, Henry and Holmes were granted a lease which was called the I.O.U. – which gave the area the name I.O.U – later in about 1895 the name Bulong was starting to be used.
The Bulong townsite was gazetted in 1895 and by 1900 had a population of 620 plus many thousands of prospectors and miners in the surrounding district. The centre become the principal township of the North East Coolgardie Goldfields and was the centre for the transaction of Government business with a wardens court, police court etc. There were six hotels and three stores, mechanics institute, town hall, the government hospital and various churches.
Bulong Hotel 1922 – Photo SLWA
There was also the I.O.U.Brewery. A steam locomotive on a narrow gauge railway was used to transport ore from the Last Chance mine to a battery on the shores of Lake Yundarlgooda: it is alleged that this may have been the first railway used in this way on the Eastern Goldfields. In the early times water was drawn from Lake Yundarlgooda, condensed on the side of the lake, and pumped to the top of Mt Stuart, whence it was piped through the streets of the town.
Natural bush and timber surrounding the town were preserved, giving the place a rural appearance, somewhat at variance with the more or less common rule for many outback mining towns.
In common with other goldfields centres, Bulong had its share of interesting personalities. One of them was the ‘Mayor of Taurus’
Moya Sharp
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Hi Moya,
Your post on Bulong interests me.
I have been trying to trace what became of my Great Grandfather’s (Benjamin Jessup/Jessop)) brother William (Jessup/Jessop)
Both were convicted of burglary in the UK and received a sentence of 15 years and transported
to WA in 1857.
Benjamin settled and died in Northam and there is some evidence that Wiiliam did also.
I have a reference to William at Bulong which I believe was a locality of was the name of a homestead or property in the Northam area.
I have many references to Benjamin in Northam and a gravesite and Death Certificate for him.
For William I have been unable to locate a death certificate or gravesite. He seems to have disappeared.
Reading your post on Bulong near Kalgoorlie I wonder if this is the locality/address that was referred to for William.
Do you have any information on the inhabitants of Bulong and or the cemetary where they would have been buried.
I would love to know what became of William.
Regards
David Jessup
I have included your blog in Interesting Blogs at
http://thatmomentintime-crissouli.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/friday-fossicking-2nd-september-2016.html
Thank you, Chris