The “Desert Echo’ was a handwritten newspaper published by the workers employed on the Trans Australia Rail Line. It wasnt possible for them to receive updates on contemporary news so they made their own. This small document is an amazing snapshot of the every day lives of the men who worked on this lonely and isolated job.
The Desert Echo 1916
I have been fortunate in receiving a photo copy of this very rare item. Because of it being handwritten and only distributed to the workers at the time very few copies will have survived. My copy was written in Oct 1915 and consist of four pages and was priced at 6d. The following is a newspaper article written in 1948 about the publication.
The Desert Echo – Geraldton Guardian 12 Feb 1948
A Unique Newspaper and Historical Publication – The Desert Echo
Unique among Australian newspapers ,the few remaining copies of ‘The Desert Echo’ the newspaper of the workers who built the Trans-Australian railway, offers quaint comments and newsy paragraphs on current events ranging from incidents in the Great War to an incidents in which a ganger lost a big toe.
Several copies of these historical records of life on the Federal Governments biggest undertaking are held by Mrs J Crocker of Ardagh Ave, Kalgoorlie who was given them by the late Thomas Horn the keeper of a saloon at the main camp.
The size of the paper was 8 inches x 6 inches (200 x 150mm) and was published every Saturday at the cost of 6d. It was written by hand by the editor who displayed no mean ability in penmanship. The written copy was passed through a duplicator and copies were distributed to all the camps along the track.
The issue of August 7th 1915 contains portraits of the editorial staff who comprised of Rev M Harry Weavers – Sub Editor and Victor Penefather, sports editor. An explanation note says that Rev Weavers was a ‘Trans Australian’ missionary.
Typical of the general atmosphere of the paper carrying the portraits of the editorial staff also has a ‘wanted’ notice. This reads ‘Wanted – New editorial staff. The editor and sporting editor are going to war. Applications to be forwarded to this office, must be able to converse fluently in the ‘Navvy’ language’.
The many incidents of camp life, serious and otherwise, found ready expression in the pens of the editorial staff. Here is an article the editor recorded with evident pleasure:- “The Rush Almanac, in some back country of Australia it is considered for a person to become stewed regarding days and dates. Recently an amusing incident occurred at the 319 mile bore. Mr Crawford, who is in charge of boring operations, motored to the bore arriving on Sunday morning he was astonished to see the men working. They in turn were greatly surprised when they were informed it was the Sabbath and almost convinced the boss that he was wrong. Subsequently they found that he was right but not before the day was almost through. However they continued that day and took their Sunday on the Monday.”
The issue of the 24th Jul 1915 contains one of these stories which might easily have ended in tragedy instead of a humorous vein.
It is headed “Torpedoing a Bore” and reads “At the 250 mile, 10 days ago, a startling occurrence took place in the presence of distinguished officials of the road. To finalise the boring operations, 70 pounds of gelignite was lowered, fuses set and three cameras fixed ready to photograph the stream of water expected to burst from the bore.
Mr Gull was asked by the engineer in chief to sit on the bore casing to hold it down but he refused, saying that the casing would not move. The electric spark was sent to do its work. The unexpected happened. The casing instead of water was blown fully 75 feet in the air. An amusing stampede took place; flying figures of various shapes with consternation written on their faces were seen. It is still a matter of conjecture as to who ran the fastest. The remarkable feature of this wonderful incident is that the casing returned to its original position thought it was slightly damaged. The damage will take a fortnight to repair. As a sequel to the above it is understood that a triangular match is to be arranged over a 75yrds course between Messer’s Derbyshire Edwards and Gull”.
The Desert Echo pursued the same policy of bright entertaining reading even to its advertisements. In the first issue printed (24th July 1915) an advertisement for the Sportsmen’s Arms appears:- The proprietor, J O’Connell offers “civility – or otherwise” Another advertisement read:- “The Dead Finish Hotel, Mugs Alley – The snake juice department is personally supervised by our old friend Abe Powell, the Sharpshooter”. Here is another:- The main camp store will supply anything from a two up kip to a Dreadnought, manager and proprietor Arthur McGurk. The XYZ Bakery advertised:- “Light weight scones and short weight bread” Signor McInness advertised his services for “Voice Production, Style, Deportment, Elocution, Electrocution and Extinction.
But in October there appeared a very significant sub header. It read:- “Our re-appearance- several issues of this journal have been allowed to lapse owing to the departure from our midst of the bulk of our staff. We have again been able to enlist the services of others, and from this date we hope to continue without a break a monthly issue. It is not the dearth of news and chatter as the want of helpers to write up that has so far been our difficulty. We extend an invitation for volunteers to aid us with contributions which the editor will be glad to receive and have inserted if the value is of such interest to warrant it. With this apology to our many readers of the early issues we shall endeavour now to conduct this journal in such a manner as to regain our world-wide popularity”.
One wonders what did become of the journal which must have been eagerly sought after each Saturday at the Main Camp where it was printed and along the track. It must have carried its measure of cheer into many camps and to those early builders of the Trans Australian railway who were so far away from civilisation during most of the building of the line.
Geraldton Guardian 12 Feb 1948
Moya Sharp
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