CUDDINGWARRA
Latitude 27° 22′ S Longitude 117° 47′ E
Cuddingwarra Street Map
Cuddingwarra was a townsite in the Murchison goldfields near Cue. When gold was first discovered in the area in 1888, the place was known as “Dead Finish”, but when the government gazetted a townsite in 1895, Cuddingwarra was the name chosen. Cuddingwarra is the Aboriginal name of a nearby hill, first recorded in a pastoral lease application by Lacy Brother’s in 1878-79. The town was first prospected by M Bourke after he discovered gold at Bierin in 1888. Unfortunately for him, the area had recently been through an exceptionally good wet season and the high thick grass effectively screened the quartz-covered slopes, making it impossible to speck alluvial gold.
A Home in Cuddingwarra – Photo James Parker
At the time that McPherson and James Peterkin were still working their claim at Nannine, Mr. M J Fitzgerald and Thomas Cue were making their way to Annean Station from Geraldton to join the rush. Stopping at H Townsend’s Coolgardie Station, they were given information to look at some country some distance SSE of the homestead of the
owner. Being fairly well equipped and being determined to find something, the pair drove their horse and cart to the area. They camped near a dry soak where they dug a 6-meter shaft for water and set out to prospect the surrounding area. Finding Coolgardie Reef (later to become the Blue Bell) soon after. Fitzgerald first pegged it out and then they both went into Nannine to obtain Miners Rights. They returned to Cuddingwarra with Jack Simpson, who, when helping to unload stores, specked a handsome nugget, the first alluvial gold in the district. Word spread, and an alluvial rush set in. Townsend’s old Aboriginal helper picked up a 10 oz nugget while Fitzgerald and Cue found many hefty specimens. It was the finding of the 10oz nugget that lead to the founding of Cue. It was at this time Cue and Fitzgerald had a difference of opinion that split up the partnership but they remained friends.
Among the 40 or so diggers at Cuddingwarra at this time was Edward (Ned or Ted) Hefferman who became friends with Fitzgerald before the area had to be abandoned because of bad water. Hefferman went back to his old camp at Jack’s Well about 32kms to the North. Tom Cue and Townsend took their rich specimens to cash in and buy more stores. Fitzgerald stayed near the homestead and the other diggers returned to Nannine, the Cuddingwarra Rush was over.
The main gold producer in the area had been the Victoria United GM between 1897-1900 who crushed 21,000 tons for a return of 31,500 ozs of gold. The only ‘official’ mine to produce alluvial gold was the Mad Mull Lease which amounted to 10.5 ozs found in 1912. Until the discovery of Cue, Cuddingwarra was considered the center of the district for many of the prospectors looking for their pot of gold.
William’Bill’ DIGGINS pioneer of Cuddingwarra and unofficial mayor.
Bill Diggins is one of the few prominent Murchison men left who have been continuously resident in Cuddingwarra for forty years. Most of the rest have gone through the final battery test, and are planted in alien cemeteries. In 1900 Bill was the unofficial mayor and chief citizen of Cuddingwarra. His was the general store and other interests in a town of two hotels, and a few other mines, and a generous sprinkling of prospectors. Today (1935) Cuddingwarra is only a name on the map. The hotels, stores, and other buildings don’t exist even in dilapidation. They have vanished —
W R Diggins Store, Cuddingwarra – 1900
In Cuddinwarra there was no progress committee, but a strong football club was formed, also a race club, and for a time two pubs were maintained. A football match against Cue was played on one of the coldest days experienced in any sojourn there, ice remaining on the water in the lake until late in the afternoon. So providing the basics of life, sport, beer, and food, the men were satisfied.
J R Driscolls Victory United Hotel Cuddinwarra.
Moya Sharp
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