Thomas O’Donnell – grave tales

The Grave of Thomas O’Donnell
one of the Ullaring Pioneers.

O’DONNELL Thomas M, died 12 May 1898 aged about 41yrs, at the Mountain Daisy Lease, Ullarring. He was buried by Police constable Alfred Thompson HOY, Witnesses were John JENNINGS and William LAMB. His occupation was Prospector and it is not certain of what he died from, possibly heart disease or Miners Phthisis. He was the son of Mary O’Donnell, fathers name unknown. Born about 1857 in South Australia. He had been in QLD for 7yrs and in WA for 3yrs.

Ullaring Cemetery – photo S Williamas

ULLARING is noted as the spot through which the Gile’s Exploring party passed in 1874. One of the landmarks, a tree near which the party rested for a few days before proceeding further, has been ruthlessly damaged recently by some vandal. Until then, the inscription cut into the tree by Giles was distinctly visible. Some four miles distance from this landmark is the Skull Rocks, a series of tiny pools, around which Giles found a large number of natives skulls. Here, it is said, that the party were attacked by a tribe of aboriginals. The spot where Speakman found gold is about four miles east of Giles tree, and no doubt, the prospectors followed the exploring parties hasty tracks during the greater part of the journey.

Western Mail – Perth 28 July 1899, page 33

Speaking of the mines around Ullaring, it may be stated that there are several good shows which are now being opened up. The average, from the different crushing’s made recently, will be seen on reference to the list of parcels treated by the Government battery at Mulline, which is given in another column. Ullaring, for the most part, consists of pioneers of the fields. One of the ‘old hands’, Tom O’Donnell died very suddenly about two years ago under sad circumstances. After battling about the country for years, subsisting on the least quantity that would sustain life, he found a good outcrop on what is now the Mountain Daisy GM. O’Donnell dollied off sufficient stone to obtain 4 oz. of gold, and hastened to tell the news to his mates. Between them it was agreed to get up  next morning, and O’Donnell was to make a damper, while his mates undertook to sharpen the tools. The latter, observing next morning that O’Donnell was not fulfilling his part of the contract, repaired to his tent to arouse him.

Thomas O’Donnell’s grave today

The poor fellow, however, just on the eve of success, had expired during the night, of syncope. The “old hands” were all rallied up, and the remains were followed to their last resting place place by the whole of the population. Nor was this all,  they set to work, and, in a few months, with their own hands, constructed a neat fence, and cut a memorial tablet out of a portion of the rocks the poor fellow had traversed frequently. Our illustration shows the grave, together with a few of the pioneers’ most intimate friends. The spot is a sequestrated glade, situated about one mile west of Ullaring, and is adjacent to the road between that place and Mount Higgins.