Callion – Western Australia
AKA Speakman’s Find
Latitude 30° 07′ S Longitude 120° 34′ E
Gold was discovered here by prospectors James Speakman, Cooke and Lukin in 1895, in an outcrop of quartz. The location was initially known as Speakman’s Find, until the town was gazetted as Callion in 1897. This name is thought to be from another prospector in the area, but is uncertain. Callion is about 10 kilometres south of Davyhurst on the Coolgardie North Road. The town contained a hotel, but it ceased to exist after a few years. The only thing that remains are two graves.
Within six months of 1895, the mine had been floated in London as the Speakman Mount Callion Company. They erected a 20-head battery and spent inordinate amounts of shareholder funds. 4822 tonnes of ore were mined for 3785 ounces. Normally, this would be a successful mine, but wasteful expenditure saw them abandon the lease. It was later taken up by a party of working miners called the Swan Syndicate.
The Callion Gold Mining Company reclaimed the lease in late 1908 and erected a 10-head battery, partially subsidised by the State government for public crushing. Prospectors at the time claim the company gave priority to its own ore and did little public crushing. Part of the money for the battery came from a successful reconstruction of the company. Long-suffering shareholders were called upon to contribute more money several times, and then information on the company dried up after 1910.
In 1933, the Adelaide/Melbourne-based Enterprise Gold Mining Company took out a 12-month option. The Gold Fields Australian Development Company took out a 6-month sampling sub-option in 1934, while the mine was under the control of Enterprise. After this, the Enterprise company abandoned the mine. New Coolgardie Gold Mines NL purchased the lease from Western Mining Corporation in 1950 and conducted limited mining until 1956.
The following information was supplied by Rodney SAMSON: William Leslie CALDER was the Grandson of George Speakman, my great-great-grandfather, who owned the Callion Mine and was the older brother of my maternal Grandmother, Elsie CALDER. My Grandmother returned to Vic in 1898 with most of the family to set up various businesses from the proceeds of the Callion Mine. They also set up another mine in Dunnolly, VIC. There is a family story that several gold nuggets were kept, and all the children in the family born after 1898 were each given one. My mother was one of the last to receive one before they ran out.
CALDER William Leslie – died 12.10.1896 aged 3 yrs 3 mths at Speakman Find (now Callion Mine) in the Menzies district. Buried at Speakman Find. He died from convulsions. Born: Dunnolly, VIC. He was the child of Alexander and Annie (nee Speakman) CALDER, he had only been in WA for 3 months, Reg: Coolgardie 42/1897.
Graves at Speakman’s Find – Image SLWA
George Speakman was to return to WA in 1899. He then purchased ‘Coombe Cottage’ in Victoria, and a few years later, he lost it in a card game, and it was bought by Dame Nellie Melba, whose descendants now operate it as a vineyard and live there still.
Grave of William Leslie CALDER – Photo Find a Grave
KENNEY Thomas – d. March 1899 age 12 years (Occ Miner) 10 months -North Coolgardie death cert 15/1899. Cause of death: Hereditary Consumption. Father:- James KENNY, Sawyer, Mother:- Kate Donnelly, Place of Birth:- Gravestown, Huon, Tasmania. He had only been in WA for 5 months. His death was certified by his Aunt May KENNY. It’s interesting that at only 12 years of age, he is given the occupation of a miner.
Grave of Thomas KENNY – Photo Find a Grave
West Australian 17th Mar 1956 by George Spencer Compton
FOOTNOTE: William Leslie CALDER is the nephew of George CALDER AIF, who was killed in Belgium and is buried in Buttes Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
George CALDER – Image AWM
Grave of George Calder – Image AWM
Moya Sharp
Latest posts by Moya Sharp (see all)
- Blood on the Mulga Plains: The Last Day of John Sutherland - 28/02/2026
- A Brother’s Return in Mourning: Tragedy on the Coolgardie Goldfields - 28/02/2026
- The Contract at Old Warden Shaft - 28/02/2026
Hi Moya
Thanks for this interesting history.
I’m the great-granddaughter of James Speakman of Speakman’s Find—his daughter Lillian was my Nana.
As you mentioned, the family story goes that James (not George) lost the property, dubbed Coombe Cottage by Dame Nellie Melba, in a card game. It’s unclear whether he gambled the property directly or was forced to sell it to cover gambling debts. Would you happen to know anything more about how that?
Hi Madonna I’m sorry but I dont have any more details on how he lost the house.