Four years after the establishment of the Department of Mines, it bore little resemblance to the tiny Mining Branch which had started operation within the Department of Lands and Surveys in Perth Western Australia. Mr. Patrick Pelly, a clerk with the Department, was remembered as ‘a reserved, courteous and obliging old fellow’, however, he was […]
The Fight for the Ida H:
19/02/2022 By Leave a Comment
With thanks to Gary Cowans: Truth 16 February 1930, page 6 THE FIGHT FOR IDA H Who discovered the Ida H gold mine, twenty miles from Mount Margaret, in the State of West Australia? Who got the half-million sterling extracted from it? Whence was its name derived? Ask those questions of old Dick (Richard) Heaphy […]
Hans Christian Biltoft – grave tales
19/02/2022 By Leave a Comment
Hans Christian Biltoft was born on 12 February 1864 in Grindsted, Ribe, Denmark, his father, Thoger Biltoft, was 34 and his mother, Ane Marie nee Hansen, was 24. After completing his schooling in Denmark Hans was involved in seafaring for six years. In 1880 he left the sea and became involved in photography. He arrived […]
Robbery Under Arms – by John Mitchell
12/02/2022 By Leave a Comment
Robbery Under Arms on the Coolgardie Road In the early days of the Goldfields, the escort used to leave Coolgardie every week with parcels of gold varying from £5000 to £50,000 in value. It was a common remark to hear passed by the diggers, who usually gathered to watch the gold being taken out of […]
Pannican – grave tales
12/02/2022 By Leave a Comment
Police Honour Legendary Aboriginal Tracker. On the 2nd of Jul 2008, a memorial was unveiled in Kalgoorlie for one of the state’s most renowned Aboriginal police trackers. Johnny Grey, also known as Pannican, was considered one of the best trackers of his time. He worked for the police in the Laverton-Leonora area from 1942 to […]
