Swearin ‘n’ Spittin – by Arthur Dunstan

Swearin ‘n’ Spittin – Kalgoorlie Goldminers were a great bunch of blokes. Their work was hard and dangerous and most of them spent their leisure time in one of the 37 pubs. They drank beer as if it was their last day on earth. Sometimes unfortunately it was. Besides living from day to day, the […]

And Be Home Before Dark – a book review

Some of you may recall this excellent publication some years back, and some of you may have a copy, or have read it. Published in 2008, Im sure that you will agree with me that is is a wonderful recollection of a childhood spent ‘on the edge of nowhere’. The book has sold 25,000 copies […]

The Sandalwood Puller – a verse

We have another great verse from well know writer and poet John Terrell:- In the rugged goldfields scrub he pulls sandalwood for a living Beyond all bitumen roads in conditions unforgiving He’s a different type of bloke, a recluse some might say But spot a big ‘un in the bush and he’ll holler, hip-hoorah! His […]

A Bushranger of Note – where did Joe go?

Although this is not a ‘Goldfields’ story it is one that I have always had a soft spot for as ‘Joe’ came out on the same convict ship as my husbands Gt Gt Grandfather. I had fondly thought that they may have met on the ship, both being the same age, who knows, maybe they […]

A Lost and Desolate Wanderer –

Evening Journal, Adelaide, 30 January 1894           A Terrible Experience at Coolgardie. A well-known and respected resident of Kent Town has received a letter from his son, who recently went to Coolgardie from Adelaide, from which the following is extracted :— “On December 24 and 25 (Merry Christmas Day) I was dying, […]