“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 […]

The Man they Bathed in Beer

The Countryman 16th Oct 1958 – ARTHUR BENNETT. Bill Faahan’s name creeps into most stories of early Coolgardie days. Bill ran the Club Hotel, he was the town’s mayor in its heyday, and he was known to every prospector east of Southern Cross. One of his many yardmen was a runaway sailor from a ship […]

Menzies to Kalgoorlie Bike Race – 1930

Australia’s Richest Handicap Cycle Race Cycling has been part of the Goldfields since the courier cyclist in the 1890’s carried messages around the Goldfields before the telegraph line came to the region. This year’s Minara Resources Goldfields Cyclassic will continue as a two-stage handicap race across the rich and historic landscape of the Western Australian outback from Kalgoorlie-Boulder to Menzies […]

Leonora Golden Gift & Coolgardie Easter Races 1893

This long weekend of the 30th May to the 1st of June marks the richest bike race in Australia, The Leonora Golden Gift. The Leonora Golden Gift has 1 mile open, 1 mile elite, and 120 metre sprint events as part of the Golden Gift Carnival in Leonora, Western Australia. In the small outback town […]

Little Boy Lost – Wallace Cocking

From the Kalgoorlie Miner 27th Jan 1921 News was received today from Menzies of a sad fatality which occurred at Mulline between Friday and Saturday. Wallace David Cocking, 11 yrs of age and son of Mr Joseph Cocking, sandalwood contractor, was sent at 5am on Friday with an urgent message to his father. Mr Cocking’s […]