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.

Two Lonely Graves – grave tales

CALDER William Leslie:- died 12.10.1896 aged 3 yrs 3 mths at Speakman Find (now Callion Mine) in the Menzies district. Buried at Speakman Find. He died from convilsions. Born: Dunnolly, VIC. He was the child of Alexander and Annie (nee Speakman) CALDER, he had only been in WA for 3 months. The following information was […]

Montgomery Brothers Stores

Many of you will know of the Montgomery Brothers store in Hannan street but did you know that they also had stores in Menzies, Boulder, Kookynie and Southern Cross. I was recently sent this great photo which I think was taken in the 1960’s, and shows the Menzies Hotel with the old store still next […]

Bardoc Cemetery – ghost towns

I recently had the good fortune to be take out to the two Bardoc Cemeteries by Kellie Carter from Mt Vetters Station. The first Cemetery has only has one headstone, that of L J Dudley, and there is a memorial stone to Kellie’s Grandfather, Wesley Wallace CARTER. This was the original cemetery which never ended […]

Killed by Lightning – Rody Schwan

Kalgoorlie Western Argus 20 September 1904, page 12 KILLED BY LIGHTNING – R SCHWAN, PROSPECTOR – LAVERTON Sept. 14, 1904 News has just reached Laverton that a well-known prospector, ” Rody Schwan, was killed by lightning yesterday afternoon at the Daisy Belle, a prospecting show about 12 miles west of Duketon. The weather during the […]

The Sons of Gwalia Sunbeam

The following article was written by Peter Ransom and first appeared in the February edition of the journal of the Vintage Car Club Of  Queensland. It is now reproduced with his kind permission. This is one for the car enthusiasts! Apologies in advance for anyone living in Leonora ie ‘The Middle of Nowhere’ (: THE […]