BULONG – or the I.O.U

Bulong Post Office – Photo SLWA

Excerpts from an interesting account of the early days of Bulong which appeared  in the Kalgoorlie Miner newspaper Monday 16^th June 1952

Bulong, situated about 20 miles east of Kalgoorlie and 15 miles south east of Kanowna, was active from about 1893 to 1908 with various deep leads and alluvial workings, which by 1900 had produced 17,500 ounces of gold.  There are various accounts of who and when , the first gold was actually found at Bulong. One version says May 1894, Arthur Reid in his book “Those Were the Days” says January 1894 but  Jules Raeside in his book “Golden Days” says that an Aboriginal man called Tiger found the first gold –  Tiger was working for Smith and Jack Moher.

From Mines Dept records it shows that in November 1893 a group of prospectors, Kennedy, Hogan, Turnbull, Henry and Holmes were granted a lease which was called the I.O.U. – which gave the area the name I.O.U  – later in about 1895 the name Bulong was starting to be used.

The Bulong townsite was gazetted in 1895 and by 1900 had a population of 620 plus many thousands of prospectors and miners in the surrounding district. The centre become the principal township of the North East Coolgardie Goldfields and was the centre for the transaction of Government business with a wardens court, police court etc. There were six hotels and three stores, mechanics institute, town hall, the government hospital and various churches.

Bulong Hotel 1922 – Photo SLWA

There was also the I.O.U.Brewery. A steam locomotive on a narrow gauge railway was used to transport ore from the Last Chance mine to a battery on the shores of Lake Yundarlgooda: it is alleged that this may have been the first railway used in this way on the Eastern Goldfields. In the early times water was drawn from Lake Yundarlgooda, condensed on the side of the lake, and pumped to the top of Mt Stuart, whence it was piped through the streets of the town.

Natural bush and timber surrounding the town were preserved, giving the place a rural appearance, somewhat at variance with the more or less common rule for many outback mining towns.

In common with other goldfields centres,  Bulong had its share of interesting personalities. One of them was the ‘Mayor of Taurus’

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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