The Great Unwashed Preserver of the Peace:

Constable JOLLY – Coolgardie, Western Australia 1909 Nick-named ‘The Great Unwashed Preserver of the Peace’ Constable Jolly blamed the scarcity of water for his economical use of it which in turn, caused some dissatisfaction among his fellow police officers who finally planned to lure him to Silverthorne’s dam and push him in. This drastic step […]

Elephant Advertising Beer

This is one of my favorite photos of an Elephant being used to advertise Swan Beer in Coolgardie, probably would have looked better on a bigger elephant don’t you think?? This pic is from the Book ‘Gold and Liquid Gold’ Obsolete Breweries of the Western Australian Goldfields by Geoff Spiller.

Tragedy and Bravery on the Black Range!

The Eastern Goldfields Miners Memorial has the names engraved of 1492 people who have lost their lives due to an accident on a mine.  Each and every name has a story to tell.  This story is just one of the hundreds. On Anzac Day 1932 an accident occurred at the Old Oroya GM (near Sandstone). […]

A Swine of Sumptuous Proportions

Bunbury Herald and Blackwood Express 4 November 1924, page 3 World’s Biggest Pig One of the most wonderful attractions that has ever been brought to Australia is ‘Billy,’ who is claimed to be the world’s largest pig. Billy is a. Berkshire-Tamworth crossbred, born on the South Island of New Zealand. The monster caused quite a […]

Paddy Hannan’s Statue –

Paddy Hannans Statue Early in 1928 the ‘Kalgoorlie Sun’ newspaper directed the attention of the residents of Kalgoorlie that although a plaque and a tree existed to make the first place where gold was found in Kalgoorlie no permanent memorial to the man who found it, Paddy Hannan, existed. The article suggested that a memorial […]