William Burke – grave tales

The following photographs are of the impressive memorial on the grave of William Burke who was buried on 4th November 1909. The first was taken not long after the memorial was erected and the second some 117 yrs later and as I am sure you will agree, it has stood the test of time very […]

Not At Watsons !!! – pub tales

The Sun Newspaper 15th Nov 1903 Mr J R Watson, licensee of the Boorara Hotel, referring to a couple of ‘They Says’ ( like ‘Heard on Hannan’) pars in last weeks paper, writes:- ‘Mine is the only licenced house at Boorara and we see nothing of fighting and gambling and see considerably less of feminine yelling […]

Once a Starr always a Star!

These days most local residents expect airconditioned houses and cars and an annual holiday as a matter of course, but this was far from the life that confronted Millicent Rose Starr for most of her life. She was born in 1910 in the Gold Mining Town of Mt Morgans as Millicent Rose Buckman. Young Rose came […]

The Dirty Acre – The Boulder Block

Rather rowdy, Dingy, cloudy, Dusty, dirty, dim and dowdy, Thirsty throats to mock. Can’t mistake her, Good drought slaker, Six pubs to the bloomin’ acre, Weary hummers, Beery bummers, Cadging ‘deeners’, ‘zacks’ and ‘thrummers’, Mooching in a flock, Frontispieces hard and chilly, Sparring pots off ‘Dick’ and ‘Billy’ (‘Nough to drive a barman silly) On […]

The Grand Hotel Kookynie – Sepia Saturday