Books on the History of the Western Australian Goldfields

Hundreds of books have been written on the Western Australian Goldfields. From reference books to fiction and most of all the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the quest for gold and the search for adventure. There are also many biographies and history books some on the broader subject of the history of the region and others on a specific subject or town. Outback Family History would like to review some of these that you may not have heard of and to tell you where they can be purchased if you would like your own copy. We also have a monthly book giveaway!

Men of the Goldfields : by V H Colless

Many of you may be familiar with the excellent publication “Men of Western Australia’ but you may not have heard of the following book ‘Men of the Goldfields’ – It covers the years 1934-1935 – subscribers to the book each received a personalized leather-bound copy with their name engraved in gold on the front cover. […]

Cess, the hermit of Oobagooma:

CESS RODERICK, OOBAGOOMA, KIMBERLEY ‘TIL SHE DROPPED HER STRIDES’ This story is an extract from the book “‘Til She Dropped Her Strides” by Roger Garwood and Trish Ainslie published in 1991. The book was one of a series which documented the traditional lifestyles in the Australian outback which were under threat from an increasingly modernised […]

Simply Mavis – by Margaret Hamilton

Book Review: – This book is a biography written by a 90 year old nurse/midwife who was one of a family of eighteen children born on the Murchison Goldfields just after the turn of the century (early 1900’s). From humble beginnings Mavis succeeds in fulfilling her training at Royal Perth Hospital and was to become […]

Gwalia School – book review

Written and Published in 1906 by Arlene Collins nee Puddy. Although the school in Leonora close to Gwalia is well known and still going today, many poeple may not know there was also a school at Gwalia. This excellent book tell its story. In the introduction Arlene says: This year, 2006, marks the 100th anniversary […]

Norseman – books and photographs

Norseman is a town on the edge of the places covered by the Outback Family History web site and blog. If you are interested in the history of the town and the surrounding area I would like to recommend the following three books. There may be others, but there are ones I have myself or […]