The Goongarrie (AKA Goongarri) area was first prospected, before Hannans was discovered, by Pickersgill, Frost and Cahill in 1893. It was first known as ‘The Roaring Gimlet’ and afterwards, when it was at its most prosperous, The Ninety-Mile.
If you have ever driven up to Menzies, I am sure you will have seen the two fenced off graves on the right side of the road just near the turn off to the Goongarrie Station. This is the first Goongarrie Cemetery in which there are two burials.
In a spinifex plain in the wild Outback,
(‘Twas never a white man’s ground)
A mulga grows by an unused track,
And beneath there’s a lonely mound,
In fancy we kneel by that far-off grave
In the waterless desert drear,
Where the mulga branches in sadness wave
O’er the Goldfields Pioneer.
Cemetery Reserve 10369 (First Cemetery)
GPS Latitude & Longitude 30°02’46”S – 121°09’63” E –
Opposite the Caledonian Mine on the side of the highway and fenced.
First Goongarrie Cemetery – Swann and Timms
SWANN/SCHWANN Albert – d 1894, a young prospector who died of typhoid.
TIMMS John Walker – d 14 Feb 1895, 35yrs, A prospector who died of fever. Born c 1860 in VIC. He had been manager of the Buffalo Station in NSW and was prospecting with Messrs Northmore and Doolette in the country beyond the 90 Mile. Just as their long-continued efforts were crowned with success, striking gold on a good reef, he contracted typhoid fever.
At first, his friends did not know what he was suffering from, but Mr Northmore, who was with him at the time, did everything in his power to pull him through. With the utmost difficulty, being alone, Mr Northmore managed to get the sufferer to the 90 mile where he succumbed before medical assistance which had been sent for could arrive. All the stores at the 90 Mile were closed and a large number of miners attended the funeral, Reg 490/1895, buried in the first Goongarrie Cemetery.
View over the town of 90 Mile also known as Goongarrie, ca.1896 – Photo SLWA
The second cemetery is on the left hand side of the highway and is reached from a turn off not far along the Goongarrie Station road. If you are in a 4 wheel drive vehicle is is possible to glimpse the cemetery from the main road, not far behind the old railway cottages.
Goongarrie Second Cemetery – Western Australia
GPS Latitude & Longitude 30° 03.03’S – 121° 09.33’E
Reserve 3780 – 12 known burials.
Lapsley Grave – Goongarrie Cemetery – Photo Danelle Warnock
BROUGH Emma Elizabeth – d 9 Nov 1896, at Gill Street, Goongarrie, Housewife, 27yrs, Cause: Dysentery, Father: Jabez RAWLINGS (Baker), Mother: Sarah GREEN, Born: Broadford VIC, In VIC 27yrs, In WA 2 months, Married to George BROUGH in Essendon VIC at age 20yrs, no children, Reg North Coolgardie 43/1896, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
North Coolgardie Herald and Menzies Times 17 November 1896, page 2
The first death of a woman in this district occurred, in the person of Mrs Brough at midnight last Monday. The deceased had only a few months ago joined her husband, who is employed at Boddington’s mine. Great sympathy is felt for him in his sad. bereavement. The last tribute of respect was paid to Mrs. Brough’s remains by the attendance of some 200 at the funeral. Our : local P.M.. Mr. J.S. Taylor, read the burial service.
CUSHION Patrick – d 6 Oct 1896, at the Goongarrie Hotel, 90 Mile, Occ: Teamster, 36yrs, Cause: Internal Haemorrhage, Born: Brough IRELAND, In NSW and WA, Single, Reg North Coolgardie 18/1897, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
Grave of Patrick Cushion Goongarrie Cemetery – Photo Paul Doust
GRANT Mary – d 29 Mar 1899, at Goongarrie, 3 months, Cause: Tuberculosis & Cholera, Father: Charles James ‘Charlie’ GRANT, age 45yrs born Aberdeenshire, Scotland, (Railway Ganger), Mother: Tillie KILLEEN, age 30 yrs born Parsonstown, Ireland, Mary was born Kalgoorlie WA, Reg North Coolgardie 21/1899, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
Advert for the Goongarrie Hotel 1896 – Image SLWA
GRENFELL William James – d 16 Nov 1918, at Mr E J McCorkell’s residence, Occ: Wood carter, 66yrs, Cause: Killed accidentally when a tank of water fell on him when the shaft of the dray broke, Verdict of the Coroner, Father: Richard GRENFELL, Mother: Anne Warren NICHOLLS, Born 29 Oct 1854 in Watervale, Burra, South Australia, Reg North Coolgardie 12/1918, Buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
LAPSLEY Alfred Harry – d 3 Sep 1905, at Goongarrie, 2 ½ yrs, Cause: Tuberculosis and Marasmus, Father: Harry LAPSLEY (Carrier) 35yrs born Lockwood, VIC, Mother: Ida GRUGER aged 29yrs, born Germany, Alfred was born in Goongarrie WA, Reg North Coolgardie 38/1905, Buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
Grave of Alfred H Lapsley – Goongarrie Cemetery – Photo Danelle Warnock
MADDEN Michael ‘Mike’ – d 26 Jul 1897, at the Goongarrie GM, Goongarrie, Occ: Miner, 32yrs, Cause: Falling from a skeleton cage in the main shaft of the Goongarrie GM, Father: William MADDEN dec (Farmer), Mother: Mary MOLAN, Born Smythesdale, VIC, In VIC 28yrs, in WA 4 Years, death certified by brother, John MADDEN, Single, Reg North Coolgardie 55/1897, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery. Mine Death – www.wavmm.com
West Australian, 30th Jul 1897 – MADDEN
MAJOR Beatrice Maud – d 24 Oct 1897, at Gill Street, Goongarrie, 1yr 7 weeks, Cause: Gastro Enteritis, Father: Thomas Fergus MAJOR (Engineer), Mother: Margaretta Radcliffe STEVENSON (born Narrandera NSW), Beatrice was born in Goongarrie WA, Reg North Coolgardie 75/1897, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
MIERS Frederick James – d 27 Jul 1916, at Goongarrie WA, Occ: Prospector, 47yrs, Cause: Heart disease, Father: Robert MIERS, Mother: Janet Clemence WIGHTON, Born 29 AUG 1864 in Port Elliot, South Australia, In SA 24yrs, In WA 23yrs, Married to Harriett Ann OXLEY on 31 May 1890 at Wentworth, NSW, Child: Albion MIERS born 1888 in Port Adelaide SA, Reg North Coolgardie 12/1916, Buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
Kalgoorlie Miner 31 July 1916, page 4 – MIERS
MOUNSEY George – d 5 Apr 1899, at Goongarrie, Occ: Miner, 38yrs, Cause: Heart Disease, verdict of Coroner, Father: Jonathan MOUNSEY (Miner), Mother: Ann SOUTHWARD, Born Sebastopol VIC, in VIC 36yrs, In WA 2yrs, Married to Elizabeth Miller RITCHIE in Ballarat VIC in 1894 at age 32yrs, Children: Reginald George 2yrs, 1 female deceased, Registered by John Ritchie (Brother in law), Reg North Coolgardie 20/1899, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
Menzies Miner (WA : 1896 – 1901), Saturday 15 April 1899, page 15
Our Goongarrie correspondent, writing yesterday, says that the funeral of Mr George Mounsey (not Morrissey. as previously reported,) who died so suddenly of heart disease a few nights ago, took place to-day. when a large number of friends and sympathisers followed the remains to their last resting place. Mr J. Unsworth officiated in the absence of a minister, and spoke some kind words of comfort to the bereaved widow and the little boy, who are left to mourn their loss. The deceased had been a resident of Goongarrie for over two years, and was respected by everyone who came in contact with him.
RYAN Edward – d 4 Nov 1899, at Goongarrie, Occ: Plumber and Miner, 34yrs, Haemorrhage of the lungs caused by rupture of the pulmonary vessel, Verdict of Coroner, Reg North Coolgardie 51/1899, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
SAUNDERS Marguerite – d 23 Jun 1897, at William Street, Goongarrie, 19 days, Cause: Inflammation of the lungs, Father: Joseph SAUNDERS (Miner) from Birmingham England, Mother: Alice McAULIFFE from Queensland, Marguerite was born in Goongarrie WA, Reg 718/1897, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
TEMPLEMAN Mary Ellen – d 20 Jul 1901, near Comet Vale, 5yrs, Father: John William TEMPLEMAN (Railway line repairer), Mother: Sarah Jane WARREN, born c 1896 in Watchem, Buloke Shire, Victoria, Reg 726/1901, buried in the Goongarrie Cemetery.
Grave of Mary Templeman – Goongarrie Cemetery – Photo Danelle Warnock
Map by Bonzel
NOTE: Of the fourteen known burials in these two cemeteries there are 8 men, 1 woman and 5 children – Three deaths are from accidents and the rest from natural causes.
Moya Sharp
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Fantastic research, facts and information Moya, thank you.