Outback Family History - Page 294 of 447 - Family and Local History of the Goldfields of Western Australia

The Great Goldfields Flood of 1948 – a verse

17/08/2019 By Moya Sharp 3 Comments

The heaviest rainfall in Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s history occurred 70 years ago—during the weekend of Saturday-Sunday the 21st and 22nd of February 1948. Nearly 300 millimetres of rain fell in less than 36 hours, causing widespread flooding and severe property damage. A massive clean-up operation followed. It was nature’s kind of anger, a weekend of solid rain […]

Reminiscences of Kathleen Mary Byrth

17/08/2019 By Moya Sharp 1 Comment

The following story is with the kind permission of Kathleen’s family, in particular thanks Kevin Imms (Kathleen’s Grandson) and Robyn McLean (Deceased). THE SMITH/DUDLEY FAMILY AT BARDOC, W.A. Reminiscences of Kathleen Mary Byrth (nee Smith) On August 25 1893 Mary and Lionel Dudley, with their four children and Mary’s brother Timothy Steedman, left Victoria for […]

The One Armed Cameleer – Murderer or Madman ?

10/08/2019 By Moya Sharp 4 Comments

From the Sunday Times 11th May 1941:- A Tragedy Recalled Elderly, venerable, Said Mahomet Yar first spread his praying mat and commenced his morning with Allah then rolled and strapped his blankets and dismantled his self made wind sheet. Before continuing his journey he carefully counted the contents of two leather pouches which swung at […]

Tribute to a Bushman – a verse

10/08/2019 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Where the hills are steep and rugged And the wattles bend and wave By a bend in the creek in the ranges Lies a bushman’s lonely grave; Gone are the rails that marked it And many summers have found The last resting place of the bushman Is only a weed-grown mound. In this lonely place […]

Typhoid : digging for gold often ended in digging a grave

10/08/2019 By Moya Sharp 2 Comments

Typhoid Lives on the waterless goldfields were lost not only from thirst alone but also from typhoid. In the 1890s, typhoid was endemic throughout Australia. It struck at Perth, Western Australia’s capital itself, in established outlying centres such as Northam and at temporary townships on the road to the goldfields such as Woolgangie. But the lack […]