While researching details on the burial of a mining death for the Western Australian Virtual Miners Memorial, I came across the cemetery of Gum Creek. This was a new name for me so I looked into it further, I was also able to add another name to my collection of hotel names.
The Book ‘West Australian Lonely Graves‘ states – the Gum Creek cemetery is located on the Murchison Station at the 309 mile peg on the west side of the Rabbit-Proof Fence, approximately 600 meters from the fence line. Gum Creek was where No 1 and No 2 Rabbit Proof fences met. No 1 stretched 1827 km from Starvation Boat Harbour to the 80-mile beach, (completed in 1907) – No 2 fence stretched 1164km from Point Ann on the south to 30km north of Yalgoo then NE to join No 1 fence at Gum Creek (completed in 1905).
Rabbit Proof Fence – Photo SLWA
The burial took place as follows:
Robert SLOANE — died on the 10th October 1905, he was 59yrs, born c 1846 in Belfast, Ireland he was the son of Robert SLOANE (Hotel Keeper & farmer) and Mary nee FLEMMING. He married Janet Richardson HOPE in Victoria in 1865 and at the time of his death, his children were, Robert 35yrs, Alice 33yrs, Rose 31yrs, Alberta 27yrs, Arthur 25yrs , Lily 20yrs, Walter 16yrs and Elsie 14yrs.
He had lived all his life in Victoria before coming to Western Australia 6 years prior to his death. He was a miner owner who was crushed to death by an fall of earth at the Cardigan North Mine, Gum Creek, Meekatharra, five miles south of the Gum Creek Hotel, a well known watering hole on the Rabbit Proof Fence. At the time of his death his wife was living in St Arnaud, Victoria. The family may have travelled to Western Australia as his wife died in Perth WA in 1926.
Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette 22 December 1906, page 3
Witnesses present at his burial were John Benson and John Augustus Davidson. His death was registered by his oldest son Robert Sloane. The grave is marked by tin nailed to a post, the nail holes were painted while and a cross of white stones was laid on the ground. (this tin marker incorrectly states he died in October 1904).
Grave of Robert SLOANE – Gum Creek Cemetery – Photo Ancestry.com
Robert Slone is buried in solitary splendor as the only burial recorded for this cemetery. In 1999 Roberts granddaughter, Joy Morgan was taken to the grave by Colin Howden of Yarrabubba Station. They had to travel 50kms through Murchison Station country to reach the Gum Creek mine shafts and the isolated grave. They returned to the grave 12 months later and erected a metal frame (as above) around the grave made by Ross Howden, Manager of the Murchison Station.
Kalgoorlie Western Argus 17 December 1912, page 23
Bonzle map showing location of Gum Creek
Moya Sharp
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How interesting. It makes you wonder about all the similar, lonely graves there must throughout not just our West Australian Goldfields but our huge country.