Latitude and Longitude – 27° 30′ 14” South , 119° 31′ 13” East
Edward Buzza’s Birrigrin Hotel – State Library of WA
Birrigrin is 120 km from Wiluna and is in the Black Range District near Sandstone. It was known in the early days as the ’50 Mile’ as it was about 50 miles from Nungarra. The main mining in the district is gold and tungsten. Birrigrin was a small group of gold mines active from 1905 to 1910, about 15 kilometers south of the Montague group of mines. Alternatively, it is halfway between the Montague Range and the Lake Mason salt-pan. on or near the Sandstone-Wiluna Road.
It can refer to a small settlement established during the active mining days, consisting of a few shops and Buzza’s hotel. Or it can refer to Spencer and Thompson’s five-head battery at or near the same location. This was subsidized by the government to crush for local prospectors both at Montague and Birrigrin.
The Birrigrin hotel closed in 1913. The building was later used as the main homestead on the pastoral lease at Gidgee Station, 1950, when the station was sold, the building was demolished and moved to the north end, Jonesville, where it became new shearing shed. Now all removed and part of Gidgee gold mines. It was the last remaining building to show that the Birrigrin township had ever existed.
Black Range Courier and Sandstone Observer 30 July 1909, page 3
The general opinion expressed the majority of the business people and other residents of Birrigrin is that matters, from a mining point of view, which, of course, is the direction in which our prosperity lies, are looking healthier than for some time past a number of old shows, thanks to the advent of increased crushing facilities and consequently cheaper rates for reduction, are now receiving attention, and with encouraging initial results.
Mount Magnet Miner and Lennonville Leader 24 February 1906, page 2
Birrigrin Visited
On Sunday. 11th inst, I left Black Range en route for Birrigrin and Montague Range. There are some fine stretches of pastoral country, well grassed along the road to Birrigrin, and at Montague, I had the pleasure of seeing large patches of bright green waving grass, especially pleasing to the eye at this time of the year. Rabbits are said to be plentiful at Montague. I arrived at Birrigrin on Sunday evening and found a commodious wood and iron hotel, the property of Mr. E. J. Buzza, where hospitality equal to anything on the Murchison is dispensed by the genial host.
For so far back, the accommodation afforded came as a surprise. At this centre there is a general store (owned by Mr. W N. Cock), also a butcher and a baker. One great drawback to this district is the entire absence of postal facilities, no provision whatever being made in that direction by the powers that be. lt is hard at any time for a body of men to be entirely cut off from civilization and since the authorities appear inclined to ignore the claims of the pioneers for mail service, it is difficult to see how the back blocks of W.A. are to be opened up. There are a large number of men working at Birrigrin and Montague, who are entirely dependent upon teamsters, or casual visitors, to bring the mail to those centres or convey it to Black Range.
As the Commonwealth authorities appear to be callous in matters of this sort, surely the State Government could step in and do something towards lightening the burden of the men who are opening up the backcountry, by providing a regular mail service once a week at least. Matters were quiet at Birrigrin on my arrival, owing to Messrs Spencer and Thompson’s five head mill having been hung up since the early part of December, through the breaking of cams, which, unfortunately, have not yet been replaced. The residents of the district are full of hope for the future, and with all due respect to other centre?, I can safely say that never have I met a superior or more courteous body of men than those away back at Birrigrin and Montague, and with reasonable encouragement from tho government, the future of those centres is assured.
Bonzie Map showing Birrigrin
The Birrgrin Cemetery has only one occupant.
Thomas HALL, who died on the 10th Jul 1908, aged about 60yrs, Witnesses at the burial were Edward Buzza (Hotel Proprietor) and A Cornwall. His death was registered by George Davy (Nephew). Thomas was a miner who died of natural causes. He was born c 1848 in Adelaide South Australia, son of Thomas HALL (Farmer). At the age of 28yrs, he married Martha Ann LOFTER in Gwaler SA. They had the following children: Mary 28yrs, Elizabeth 26yrs
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