Medicine Corner Coolgardie –

The south-eastern corner of Forrest and Lefroy Streets Coolgardie was the scene of a transaction in the early 1890’s that gave the site the name of ‘Medicine Corner’.

An old prospector and a young man fresh from Broken Hill camped on the site to which came an old man – he was

‘slab-chested, bow-legged, windmill-armed, with an eye like a frozen fish and a mouth like the back door of Destiny’,

howling in pain for medicine. They gave him some Holloway Pills and a bottle of hair oil (not sure how this would have helped him) and then he disappeared into the night.

Some months later, when the two prospectors were camped near Box Soak, they met up with the old man again, who offered to show them ‘plenty gold’ in return for the medicine so freely given to him some time before which had affected his cure. As a result, both prospectors were shown the rich alluvial field that later became known as Lake Darlot. The young man was named Lawrence Allen Wells.

Lawrence Allen ‘Larry’ Wells – Photo Wikiwand

When the two returned to Coolgardie, they found their old camping site had been sold and on it was a Swiss-type chalet tenanted by Dr. Swanson who came to Coolgardie from Sydney. I wonder how many ‘random acts of kindness’ have resulted in great finds?

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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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