The Underground Miner – a verse

     Miners they wait above the deep shaft             |
Laid-back, and not keen for a start
They’re yakking and reflecting on life
Of girls, sport and staying out of strife

Bells ring as the cage door swings open
They step inside for a job they’ve chosen
Dropping to a world darker than night
In gloomy tunnels without much height

For some of the boys, it’s a cool retreat
Far from the sun and the goldfields heat
Dusty by gee, some struggle to breathe
Hard on the lungs, many do seethe

Sometimes reflecting on tragedies past
Of rock falls, floodings and mining blasts
Many grateful to’ve lasted this long
Job wise, they’re not here to prolong

With good wages, it is hard to knock back
Only for family, there’s no time to slack
Pushing on with air-leg and shovel
Nearby dangers and would-be trouble

This way-of-life ended in ‘eighty-nine
When the Mile became a Superpit mine
We still sense the spirit of old-timers below
Yesterday’s miners, our praise we bestow

By John Terrell

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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.

Latest posts by Moya Sharp (see all)

• Blood on the Mulga Plains: The Last Day of John Sutherland - 28/02/2026
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