Paynesville – ghost town

Paynesville is located  77 km east of Mount Magnet, Western Australia Gold was discovered in this area in early 1898 by Tom Payne and Arthur Waldeck, and by April 1898 the place had been inspected by a surveyor and a plan of subdivision prepared. It was at first referred to as ‘Paynton’, and ‘East Mount […]

Five Little Graves -grave tales

It is of the most humbling experiences  to read through the Boulder Cemetery death register. The stark reality of life on the Goldfields in the later years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th, is reflected in the names, death details and monumental inscriptions of those who lived and died here. […]

A Broken Tale with a Happy End:

Gone but not Forgotten – Annie Bell. An interesting tale about a grave in the Boulder cemetery. I was contacted last by Peter Huntly, a relative of Annie Bell, who died at the Kalgoorlie Hospital on the 24th Oct 1909, and was subsequently buried in the Boulder Cemetery on the 29th October 1909. Peter had […]

Gabanintha Cemetery – Star of the East

Gabanintha Western Australia Latitude : 26 55 S Longitude : 118 39 E A townsite 40 km south east of Meekatharra in the Murchison goldfields, Gabanintha derives its name from the mine located here. Mining leases were taken out here in 1895, 1895-1910 were the peak years for the Gabanintha Mine. In 1897 the Gabanintha […]

When Death Creeps In –

West Australian – Perth WA – 6 January 1934, page 4 WHEN DEATH CREEPS IN A Tale of a Mine. By Ion L. Idriss, author of ‘Flynn of the Inland It is nasty, facing death down below, whether under sea or land. Sam Ure worked doggedly though uneasily, for the ground was creaking, a subterranean […]