As often happened in the early days, the first site considered for a cemetery ground became unsuitable usually because of things such as proximity to the living areas or water supply or perhaps the ground was too hard to dig. This happened at Wiluna, and after less than five years of use and 20 burials, […]
Michael Tobin – a grave in the wilderness
Michael TOBIN died on the 7th of April 1907 aged 33 years at Wadda Waddah Well or No 40 Well on the newly proposed stock route from the Kimberly called the Canning Stock Route. He was buried on a sandy ridge 250 metres from well No 40. His burial was confirmed by A G […]
Tommy Ningebong by Phil Bianchi
My good friend and fellow historian, Phil Bianchi, recently wrote a book on the well-known bushman, tracker, drover and pastoralist Tommy Ningebong. Tommy was a highly regarded Aboriginal man from the Wiluna district. Phil tells me that every person he interviewed about Tommy for the book spoke of how Tommy was a such a genuine […]
The Cole Boys – a family story
Sunday Times: 6 June 1920 COLE’S FIND NEAR WILUNA – HOW A RETURNED SOLDIER DISCOVERED A GOLDFIELD – By Horace Stirling George Cole, the discoverer of Cole’s Find, 11 miles south of Wiluna, Is a scion of a family of 15, four of whom first saw the light within an interval of eleven months. […]
The Parched Dry Desert of Tragedy
The Truth Perth 11 January 1931, page 11 GRISLY SUICIDE PACT OF THE OUTBACK Parched, Sun-Scorched and Mocked By The Cruel Phantom Of Water TRAGIC END OF KANGAROO SHOOTERS Henry Dyer, 55, of New Zealand and Laurie Raunio/Raunis, 31, native of Orimattila, Finland, died on November 3, 1930 about 100 miles north-west of Wiluna from […]