Deeming a Goldfields Murderer? ……. Or was he really ‘Jack the Ripper’? This black hearted Englishman caused mass hysteria in the streets of Perth and Melbourne and began with his arrest by two West Australian police troopers at Southern Cross for the brutal pick axe murder of his newly wed bride. It brought Perth […]
Violence, Murder, and Dispossession – The Human Cost of the Australian Gold Rush
22/04/2014 By Leave a Comment
Contributor of the week – Violence, Murder, and Dispossession – The Human Cost of the Australian Gold Rush – By Outback Family History reader Jenni Hodge Rushing for gold makes a few individual fortunes, and breaks the hearts and lives of many more. While it is undoubtedly true that, on a larger level, the Australian […]
The Tea and Sugar Train
29/03/2014 By 1 Comment
This is a fascinating short film on the ‘Tea And Sugar Train’ made by the Commonwealth Film Unit 1954. Once a week the Tea and Sugar Train leaves Port Augusta and heads west along the Nullarbor with all the supplies needed by the track maintenance workers and their families that live along the route. Everything […]
How it was in 1893:
07/01/2014 By Leave a Comment
Men were certainly tough in the early days How it was… by Gungare of Mt Lawley In November 1893, Hannan’s leases were opening up. My mate and I were working on a shaft 30 feet deep when he called out for me to wind him up as he could not climb the ladder way. When […]
The Legend of Hell Fire Jack
07/12/2013 By Leave a Comment
There was the time that the brokers were negotiating for the purchase of Merton’s Reward Goldmine in 1902 arrived at Menzies by horse drawn buggy at 8pm after the train for Kalgoorlie had left. It was essential for them to reach Kalgoorlie before midnight when the option on the lease would expire. So a privately […]
