Tin Dog Hut – Bulong

Tin Dog Hut Bulong Photo © Roger Garwood

This photo was taken over 20yrs ago by my good friend Roger Garwood and is pictured in his book ‘Off Like Flies’ I have been out four times to see it over the last 20 yrs and the last time I went with Roger and my friend Charley Nadin who’s book Fields of Gold by Charley Nadin you will all remember I’m sure. Sadly the hut is a little worse for wear these days. When we went out we had trouble locating it and it took us ages just wandering about the bush and I even managed to get lost and had to climb a dump and shout. It was also raining but we just had the best time ever. We did end up finding it after about an hour and a half. The bush out that way is just amazing and Roger and Charley both took lots of photographs.  Tin Dog Hut got its name from the material it was constructed from. As you will see they are cans which once held meat products and were nicknamed ‘Tinned Dog’, I think this may have been a bit of tongue in cheek as it wasn’t very popular but it was all that could be transported out to remote areas.  The tins were filled with sand and they would have made a solid wall but very hot in summer I would thing.  If you look closely at the chimney you will see it is made from kerosene tins.  Anyone who has ventured out in the bush will have seen that there are thousands of tins scattered around everywhere that man has been which once held a wide variety of products. I have found the most common ones are ‘Tinned Dog’, tobacco and pilchards. Tinned good were so popular as they would keep food fresh. Unfortunately some people succumbed to ptomaine poisoning which was from poorly tinned products.

Both of Roger Garwoods books ‘Off Like Flies’ and ‘Chook on Sundays’ are out of print and have been for some time.  I would love to see it available again as the photography in both is just amazing. He has been able to capture the spirit of the Goldfields in his evocative images. Many of the people photographs have now sadly passed away taking with it some of our rich history.  If you would like to purchase a copy you may have some luck on this excellent site: http://used.addall.com/ it combines all of the various book sites such as Amazon, ABE Books and many others.  It would make an excellent Christmas present for any history or photographers lovers.  I do have an index of all the names featured in the books photographs.

Off like Flies – Book

Chook on Sundays by Roger Garwood

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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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