A Payable Claim – by Dryblower Murphy

Although the Sydney Bulletin claimed businessmen at Coolgardie were on more payable claims than the diggers, they were not the only ones, according to E.G. ‘Dryblower’ Murphy, who wrote: A few of the lucky have dropped in on a patch And gone on … [Continue reading]

Kurnalpi Jack – on his lonesome

The Sun Kalgoorlie - 12 June 1904, page 10 KURNALPI JACK One of the Early Day Men Always operate on his Lonesome by J Drake We regret to hear that Jack Reidy (Kurnalpi Jack) is, as our American cousins would say, playing in hard … [Continue reading]

“Can I shave you. Mr. Smiler.” ???

From the pen of 'Smiler Hales' - Alfred Arthur Greenwood HALES (1860-1936) "You can't whip a mining camp for novelties". I was walking along Bayley street the other afternoon, feeling like a poet and looking like a tramp out of luck, when I saw … [Continue reading]

John Shrews TALBOT – grave tales

John Shrews TALBOT ― aged 70yrs, died on 26th August 1907, at Mulline, He was both a Battery Hand, Night Watchman  and a Journalist, The cause of his death was suicide, a revolver shot, self-inflicted during a period of temporary insanity, This was … [Continue reading]

The 1942 Boulder Bombings – By Peter Skehan

BOULDER BOMBINGS "GHASTLY TRAGEDY" "TERRIBLE SCENES OF SLAUGHTER" "FOURTEEN MURDERED" … [Continue reading]