Tom McMillan and the Wobblies – by David McMillan

As we commemorate the ANZAC battles of a century ago, it is not generally appreciated today that Australia was bitterly divided over its commitment to the war effort.  The Labor Prime Minister, Hughes, had promised Britain another 80,000 men but was unable to get the necessary legislation through the Labor-controlled senate; two thirds of the […]

A Home in Southern Cross

I was recently sent this wonderful photograph by Jody Harrison, this is what she tells about it: My husband’s Gr Grandfather was Joseph Hall. The picture below was their house at Southern Cross. The children of Joseph and Eliza Jane HALL nee LATHLEAN were: Elsie Lathlean HALL (born 29th May 1890 in Moonta, South Australia) […]

They wished upon a star : a history of Southern Cross and Yilgarn

They wished upon a star : a history of Southern Cross and Yilgarn  by P.T. McMahon. Did you know that ‘MIRRABOOKA’ is the aboriginal word for Southern Cross??? YILGARNIA On that ancient sea bed of Yilgarnia, one of the oldest land surfaces in the world. Yilgarnia, timeless and mysterious, a land of such antiquity, that […]

Pioneer Cemetery Southern Cross -grave tales

Many country towns have more than one cemetery. The reason for this is usually that the original spot chosen became too close to the residential areas, or perhaps the ground proved too hard, or maybe it was too far away from town. The site of the Southern Cross Pioneer cemetery will have been seen by […]

A Man Needs Two Legs – Kevin Moran

This is a true story of the Moran family, who worked a pastoral lease at Mangowine to the north of Merredin in the early years. In those days the closest hospital and doctor was at Southern Cross, and in 1905 James Moran was admitted to the hospital suffering from two broken legs. One leg had […]