Murder or Suicide – that is the question

Albert Lockner, a prospector who supposedly died of thirst within 2 miles of the later famed ‘chain of water holes’, making the tragedy particularly distressing. Norman K Sligo who had joined in the search for the missing man met the police at the Donkey Rocks, about 120 miles from Coolgardie. Sligo said that in his […]

Tommy Ningebong by Phil Bianchi

My good friend and fellow historian, Phil Bianchi, recently wrote a book on the well-known bushman, tracker, drover and pastoralist Tommy Ningebong. Tommy was a highly regarded Aboriginal man from the Wiluna district. Phil tells me that every person he interviewed about Tommy for the book spoke of how Tommy was a such a genuine […]

So All’s Well that Ends Well –

Western Mail Perth 30 January 1941, page 9 – The Dollypot Over the Plates – A Lucky Shot. by Big Jim Allanson. All sorts and conditions of men were to be found on the Murchison goldfield in 1893.  A number of prospectors were camped at a rocky pool on the west side of the Cuddingwarra […]

Joanni Fidele Scattini – grave tales

Joanni (Joseph) Fidele SCATTINI was born on the 17th Dec 1879 in Strathfieldsaye, Victoria to Giovanni Antonio Fidele SCATTINI (Born in Brione, Verzasca, Switzerland) and Mary Elizabeth GOOD (born Sheep Wash, Victoria). He married Martha Wilson in Kalgoorlie WA on the 5th Aug 1908. Martha was from Adelaide Lead VIC and was the daughter of […]

Broad Arrow Cemetery – Kurawah

For some time I have been working on my database of burials at the Broad Arrow Cemetery. My final total as of now, is 191 burials with 18 headstones (this is never set in stone and can change if new details come to light). Every cemetery provides a snapshot of the community at the time, […]