Archives for July 2015

GUDARRA (Paddington)

Gudarra is a an abandoned Eastern Goldfields townsite located approximately 30kms north north west of Kalgoorlie. Gold was first discovered here in 1892, the place firstly being known as the ‘Sore Foot Rush’, a reference to the tired limping diggers who first arrived when the rush began. This was soon changed to Paddington, the reason […]

The Australian Horse Bazaar

The Australian Horse Bazaar was located on the corner of Brookman and Porter Street, Kalgoorlie.  The spot is now the premises of the Dept of vehicle licensing. It was known also by the name of Kennedy and Brougham at the same time. Western Argus 1st October 1896 (Advertisement). Two energetic and enterprising gentlemen, Messrs G. […]

Bardoc Ghosts

Back in 2004 I corresponded for a time (the old fashioned way by letter) with a man who spent time in Bardoc as a child and he was in the process of writing his memoirs Frank Kilpatrick from Bassendean.  He wrote:- “Greetings, my daughter, who has access to the internet , tells me from your […]

Sly Grog Shanty – Florence Menon

Sly Grog Shanties sprang up where ever people settled and the police were hard pressed to keep a check on the offenders. The record from the Morgans Courier details just such a case that would annoy the local constabulary.  I wondered if this term of incarceration for Florence Menon would have made her tread the […]

“The Challenge’ for the ‘Belle of Coolgardie’

In the days of early Coolgardie it was often the case that when a disagreement occurred it was settled in the time honoured way by bashing each other senseless.  This was welcomed by the general population who were somewhat starved for entertainment. It also ensured your ‘disagreement’ was well and truly ‘settled’. Coolgardie drew to […]