From the late 1890s until the early 1950s because all heavy machinery was steam-driven, vast quantities of wood were required to fuel the boilers, coal was too expensive. Consequently, Wood Lines were born. The last surviving company was “The Western Australian Goldfields Firewood Supply Limited” which ceased operations in 1964. From early 1946 until the […]
Archives for December 2021
A Bush Christmas by C J Dennis
25/12/2021 By Leave a Comment
The sun burns hotly thro’ the gums As down the road old Rogan comes The hatter from the lonely hut Beside the track to Woollybutt. He likes to spend his Christmas with us here. He says a man gets sort of strange Living alone without a change, Gets sort of settled in his way; And […]
Christmas Tragedy at Day Dawn –
25/12/2021 By Leave a Comment
I have read of many tales of hardship and terrible accidents over the years, but the following story is, without doubt, one of the saddest and most tragic of all I have ever come across. I first read about it some time ago when I was contacted by Ian Leithhead, who asked me to assist […]
Of Christmas Past –
25/12/2021 By Leave a Comment
Of Christmas Past Often in my dreams I hear voices- Whispering tales of shady places With music in the air And old friends calling joyously To join the festive fail And Oh! My heart is thumping fast A-longing to be there Whispering tales of Hannan Street Of whiskey and cigars Of dainty shopgirls are hurrying, […]
The Golden Haired Charmer
18/12/2021 By Leave a Comment
Geraldton Express and Murchison and Yalgoo Goldfields Chronicler – 23 December 1898, page 18 It was in the early, though not the ‘very’ early days, that Cue awoke one morning to find a charmer in its midst with golden hair that put the most glittering nugget to shame, and a sealskin jacket that brought back […]
