South Kalgoorlie -How it came to be

Western Mail 26^th Dec 1946
Ex-servicemen have banded together for a building project at Kalgoorlie

The Housing Problem   –    Enterprise on the Goldfields        by K, Douglas

DUE to the initiative and willingness of a band of ex servicemen, a model community centre is well under way to being completed at Salisbury-road, South Kalgoorlie, The area is adjacent to the Kalgoorlie racecourse, and in the heyday of the goldfields was a well built on area.

A Basic House

Those responsible for the scheme are members of the 2/28th Battalion Association, and the 24th Tank Attack Association, who found they had men in their associations who had no accommodation for housing their families.

WITH other goldfields men who had served in the A.I.F,  R.A.N., and R.A.A.F., a total number of 22 formed themselves into a mutual help organisation, with the Intention of providing homes for themselves and their families.

Many Hands Make Light Work

By each man contributing to a fund, £1,300 was. raised. This purchased the land, and by dispatching two of their members to Wiluna, the Lake Way Hostel, a dwelling of 22 rooms, was bought. Materials from this dwelling will complete the first six homes.

The first foundation stump for the first house was sunk on September 20 and, of a total of 22 homes to be built, three are now occupied with two more in course of construction. It is hoped to have the 22 completed by June of next year.  The South Kalgoorlie School is adjacent and, in the plan for the area, trees and hedges are to be planted. Provision is also made for a recreation centre and park, this making it a complete centre in itself.

Material for the houses is carted by road from Wiluna, where further purchases have been made, to complete the 22 as planned. There is no set plan for the homes; the men may build to their own individual designs, these being such that in the majority of cases extensions can be made if the occasion arises, and when additional material becomes more plentiful, The only restriction laid down is the limit to the floor space, this being 800 square feet. This has been done because of the shortage of floor boards.

Work Done in Spare Time

The designs chosen have been original. One has the kitchen at the front of the house, but mostly they are of the normal design for a three or four roomed home. Erection of the buildings is being carried out by two experienced tradesmen, on wages, while the remainder of the work is done by the men themselves in their spare time. Each man averages about 20 hours a week, which is credited to them at a flat rate, and a book entry is made of the time put in. The credit shown reduces the ultimate cost of their home.  Experience has shown up to date that this idea will work, and the men will each obtain a home for between £300 to £350 which, at present-day cost, would be at least £500.

The homes are drawn for in lots of five. Every man in the scheme will work until the 22 dwellings are complete. Financial assistance was made available by the district Repatriation Committee by way of a loan, and further assistance is promised by this committee as required. The loans will be secured by a mortgage on the assets of the members’ fund, and will be repaid from the rent obtained by the eventual occupants of the 22 homes.  Recently the public were afforded the opportunity of seeing what has been done up to date, when the houses that have been completed were thrown open for inspection.

Mr. J. R. Hylton, president of the Kalgoorlie Sub-branch of the R.S.L., and a member of the Repatriation Committee,  Said –   “The Lord helps those who help themselves. The young men who were in the last war are coming back and finding it difficult to house their families, so they have set about helping themselves. Due to the enthusiasm and initiative shown, the Repatriation Committee has been pleased to assist them in this scheme,”

Those who looked through the completed homes expressed the opinion that they were indeed a credit to “the men concerned, and wished them luck in their enterprise.

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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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