I started reading ‘Where Is Brown Hill’,
having last read it years ago,
people sometimes ask “Is it there still?”
but really deep in their hearts they know.
For Brown Hill is no more, not even a trace,
yet real people and mines there existed,
homes, mothers buying their daughters lace,
and streets and schools in that area subsisted.
All the work, joys, tears and endeavor,
adults and children coming and going,
now their town and mine are gone forever
and over the emptiness the wind is blowing.
No gardens or iron roofs and rain,
for Brown Hill will never return again.
Where is Brown Hill by Amy Moore
Brown Hill was a small mining community t’other side of Kalgoorlie. Now covered with mullock heaps of the new open cuts, this township and its people are recorded by Amy Moore, born and bred in this forgotten goldfield’s village.
Book Available from Hesperian Press:–
Moya Sharp
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We lived on Brown Hill on the Lake View and Star lease. This was around 1950. There were 3 houses there with a vacant lot between us and the other two. I remember the ride/drive down the hill to “The Block” where my father used to enjoy a beer while brother and I enjoyed a squash under the veranda across from the park where we used kick a footy with other local kids. The name Compton immediately comes to mind.
Not far from our place we regularly watched 2 miners working their mine. At our back fence near the steps out into the bush was a massive peppercorn tree, beyond that (later) a massive hole appeared from a cave in, revealing underground workings. Prior to that we lived in Trafalgar, last remaining inhabitants as I remember.
Wonderful memories of those times.