Erlistoun – ghost town

THE ERLISTOUN
by V. Clausen

Where is Erlistoun??? Latitude 27″ 59′ 03″ S Longitude 122″ 20′ 25″ East Mt Margaret Goldfields. Located 71.5 km north of Laverton at Borodale Creek once known as Mistake Creek.

Erlistoun usually referred to as ‘The Erlistoun’ was never gazetted as a townsite under the Lands Act, but was surveyed as a Business and Residential Area under the  Mining Act in Oct 1897. The name was taken from the Erlistoun Creek nearby which had been recorded and named by L A Wells during the 1891-1892 Elder Exploring Expedition. The origin of the name is not known.

The main mine in the area was the King of Creation discovered by Peter McNee and Bob and Bill Clarke in 1897. In Jan1898 an inspecting surveyor, Harry King, advised the Surveyor General that no townsite should be declared at that time. He also included a list of mines:

The King of Creation Mine
The Mistake Mine
The Gladys Mine
King of the Erlistoun Mine
Little Doris Mine
Golden Boulder Mine
The Famous Mine
The Mount Maiden
Baneygo Mine

Kirkpatrick’s Littly Battery, Erlistoun – Photo V. Clausen

The bush at the time of my visit to the Erlistoun was full of birds and song and flowers, also, incidentally, flies and mosquitoes. Starting from Laverton our first halt was made at the Cork-Tree Hotel. Angus Milne, the landlord, is an old coach driver and drove the first coach from Coolgardie to Hannans Find. Next we arrived at the Little Doris mine – a show in which Dr. Laver is interested, it has a 5-head battery. A few miles further on we reached Kirkpatrick. A good bit of work has been done here, and a three-head mill is kept going on rich stone. The Kirkpatrick family have worked this claim for the last seven years, and are getting nice dividends from it.

Little Doris GM, Erlistoun – Photo V. Clausen

We passed Cox and Co’s. station, where shearing was in full swing. Close to the homestead was mustered a mob of cattle, mostly cows and calves. steers and heifers. The young cattle are all bred on the run. There was a good ‘spread” on them, so it was not easy to guess at their numbers, but I am not oversteppind the mark if I put them down at between four and five hundred head. To look at them they form a splendid contradiction to the assertion of ‘croakers’ who are always maintaining that our goldfields pastoral areas are only “fit for goats” and of no use for stock raising purposes.

Sam Keane’s Wayside Hotel, Erlistoun – Photo V. Clausen

The Baneygo mine. with a five-head mill, is a striking example of what good management will do for a mine. Some four years ago it was held by a syndicate of workers. Mr. Dwyer, who was working manager, held certain theories as regards the way it ought to be worked, but was overruled by the other shareholders. He promptly sold out his share. The syndicate, after working it for years without success, offered Dwyer a tribute, with option of purchase. He accepted, and made it pay right from the “jump” thus proving his theories to be correct. Mr. Dan Keane dispenses good cheer and hospitality at his wayside inn, close to the ‘Baneygo mine’.

Baneygo GM, Erliston – Photo V. Clausen

Duketon, so called from the Duke Bros, who are the pioneers of the place, is about 80o miles from Laverton. The Golden Spinifex and the Lauriston gold mines are the two most important mines. They are located on the main line of reef, which runs for about seven miles north and south. Some very substantial and satisfactory crushings have been put through from these claims at the five-head battery of the Golden Spinifex, but a great drawback is the very treacherous ground and a perfect deluge of water at a very shallow depth, to cope with which very powerful pumping plants are required.

Group of workers at the Golden Spinifex GM, Erlistoun – Photo V. Clausen

The township of Duketon consists of three stores, one hotel, and, two banks. The banks are the W.A. and Bank of Australasia. A Government battery is being erected about two miles from Duketon, and should be in full swing before the end of the year. I must not forget to mention Gallagher’s newsagency business, where all sorts and conditions of literary matter is obtainable, from the “Western Argus” and Kalgoorlie Miner ” to the latest ‘Deadwood Dick’ stories.

J J Gallagher’s Newsagency, Duketon – Photo V. Clausen

Five miles from Duketon is the Mount Maiden Reward, G.M. with about 20o tons of stone at grass waiting for the completion of the Government battery. The The Mulga Queen, 18 miles west of Duketon, has a very compact plant, consisting of a 1o head battery, stone crusher and cyanide works. Two miles from the Queen is the Famous Blue mine, over which Mr. A. E. Morgan holds an option.

BROSNAN Daniel Patrick– died 26 Feb 1903 – aged 1 year (Born in Laverton WA in 1902) – Son Jeremiah BROSNAN and Hannah nee WALSH who were married in 1882 in Canterbury NSW.

Survey Peg Erlistoun Cemetery – Photo Andrea Lewis and Jill Heather.