Pannican – grave tales

Police Honour Legendary Aboriginal Tracker. On the 2nd of Jul 2008, a memorial was unveiled in Kalgoorlie for one of the state’s most renowned Aboriginal police trackers. Johnny Grey, also known as Pannican, was considered one of the best trackers of his time. He worked for the police in the Laverton-Leonora area from 1942 to […]

Underworld Character – conviction in Kalgoorlie

Infamous Sydney crime figure, Tilley Devine, portrayed in the TV series Underbelly, had a link to Kalgoorlie Boulder after being arrested and jailed on the Goldfields. Matilda ‘Tilley” Devine, was born in England in 1900 and became a prominent crime syndicate figure involved in sly grog dealing and razor gangs, but most notably as a […]

Thomas RYAN – The King of Meekatharra

Some time ago I was contacted by Sue Hartley who is the Great Granddaughter of Thomas Ryan and his wife, Henrietta Ryan nee Kane. Their third child, Mary Daisy Ryan, known as Dais, was her grandmother. Meekatharra Ryan” or the King of Meekatharra as Tom was known, did much to build the town amenities as […]

Siberia Cemetery –

SIBERIA CEMETERY /WAVERLEY Cemetery 30°14’19.0S – 120°57’01.5”E       ANDERSON  James,  known as ‘New Zealand Jimmy’, d 25 April 1895, age 40, was a condenser owner who was speared by an aboriginal. He was from Aberdeen Scotland (Book Jacky, Polly, and Jimmy) James’ death was never registered and the native who supposedly speared him was found […]

Macquarie’s Dog –

Geraldton Advertiser 13 November 1896, page 3 That There Dog o’ Mine From Henry Lawson’s ” While the Billy Boils.” Macquarie the shearer had met with an accident. To tell the truth, he had been in a drunken row at a wayside shanty, from which he had escaped with three fractured ribs, a cracked head, […]