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The Golden Graveyard:

20/06/2020 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Western Australian Goldfields Courier, Coolgardie  9 February 1895, page 4 WESTERN WANDERINGS. CAMP FIRE and FOREST TRACK. A GOLDEN GRAVEYARD. [BY A. G. ‘Smiler’ HALES] Michael William Kelly had thrown a seven. No one knew exactly what it was that killed him. Some of the boys at Kurnalpi, where he had worked long and well […]

Filed Under: Grave Tales, Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales Tagged With: Australian History, Cemeteries, Kurnalpi, Western Australia

The Giantess – Coolgardie Miner 1898

13/06/2020 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

The Giantess – This lady traveled the country, made a lot of money and was much admired. It seems the female form was viewed quite differently 122 yrs ago! From the Coolgardie Miner Aug 1898 In Bayley Street last night, for the first time in the Goldfields, there was seen ‘Mademoiselle Rewald’ who has come […]

Filed Under: People, Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales Tagged With: Australian History, Coolgardie, Goldfields History, Western Australia

The Publican and the Pig

23/05/2020 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Coolgardie 1905 Paddy Murphy ran a ‘Shypoo’ (sly grog) ranch unbeknownst to the authorities. His establishment was always identified by Paddy’s favorite pet pig. Paddy could not read or write, nor could his wife Bridget. Their system of accounting didn’t apply the rules of double entry it answered all practical accounting purposes well enough. It […]

Filed Under: Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales Tagged With: Australian History, Coolgardie, Western Australia

A Case of Emu – a true story

16/05/2020 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

This story was related by Clarence ‘Clarrie’ Frank MAKIN We were sitting on a bench outside the Grand Hotel (Kookynie), idly watching Horace, the emu, scratching around the yard. ‘Snowy’ Bruce, the hotel publican, was saying why we couldn’t have a dance to raise funds for the school, – ‘There ain’t enough sheilas, but what […]

Filed Under: Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales Tagged With: Australian History, Kookynie, Western Australia

Murty Broderick – He threw a seven!

09/05/2020 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Coolgardie Miner Saturday 23 June 1894, page 5 He Threw a Seven by Smiler Hayles He came to this field amongst the first army of gold-seekers who swept inland from the sea coast, intent upon burgling the treasure chests of nature. He was only one of the rough but gallant band of pioneers who, leaving […]

Filed Under: Grave Tales, People, Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales, Towns and Places Tagged With: Australian History, Cemeteries, Coolgardie, Goldfields History, Mining Accidents, Prospector, Western Australia

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