Towns and places

The Eastern Goldfields is made up of hundred towns both big and small. Outback Family History would like to bring you a collection of stories about some of these abandoned towns which you may never have heard of. Some may only have been there for a few years and now very little remains of the small thriving communities.

Sigismund Bannan “Barron” SCHLAM, F.G.S

COOLGARDIE had not emerged from the swaddling clothes stage of civilisation before the rich auriferous district of Menzies was discovered. The hardy prospectors did not hang round the spot where Arthur Bayley made his sensational discovery, but moved ever on. They spread out in all directions, and those who took the Ninety-Mile Road faced a […]

The Wood Trains of the17 Mile Camp

The wood trains of the 17 Mile Camp and Gindalbie Wood for the gold mines  by Rod Milne The WAGR terminus at Kanowna dealt with a large tonnage of firewood traffic from the wood line, and these trucks are depicted standing in the middle roads between the station and overline goods shed. The WAGR allowed […]

Jarlach DUFFY – ‘A Dynasty’s Harsh Beginning’

If you were to visit the Perth offices of Eyers Reed Ltd, 45 floors up from the city of Perth with views of the Swan River and Darling Ranges, it takes considerable effort that this modern share broking firm with a turnover of tens of millions had its beginning on the Goldfields of Western Australia. […]

The Welsh Newspaper editor and his Australian Gold Mine

The following fascinating article was written by a reader, Alwyn Evans, a keen Welsh historian. It was first published in ‘Wales Online’ The full story is now published as a book, with supporting references and illustrations by Hesperian Press: From Wales to Gwalia A Swansea editor and his Australian goldmine by Alwyn Evans A long […]

The Atlas Chambers Coolgardie

The site of the Atlas building in Bayley Street is now occupied by Ben Prior’s garage and is used by the Coolgardie Restoration Club, and was described as ‘One of the most striking additions to the architectural features in Coolgardie in the late 1890’s.’ Built of brick with cement dressings the front of the Atlas […]