What is a Homestead Lease ???

The Homestead Leases, or more correctly Miners Homestead Leases (MHL), were issued under the mining laws of the time – until the demise of the 1904 Mining Act in 1982.
These laws allowed bonefide miners/prospectors who held a Gold Mining Lease (GML) in the area to apply for suitable land (mostly away from their workings) to live on and take water and timber ect.
More information on these leases can be found by viewing the regulations of the 1904 Mining Act at the WA Battye Library.

Assuming a MHL has been issued under the mining laws a search of the lease would be able to be undertaken using its current number. For example MHL 109 shows that this lease was live from 1907 to 1918 and located towards the old Lakewood townsite and a mile east of the Boulder Cemetery. It appears the average size for each lease was about 20 acres.

A successful search will probably show who owned the lease and weather it was transferred ect. It may also show the GML it was connected to.

From the 1903 Mines Dept Annual Report:-

The number of Miners’ Homestead Leases in force during the year was 180, or more than treble the number in force during the previous year, with an increase in acreage of 10,480, thus showing the increased favour with which these holdings are looked upon. It is satisfactory to know also that the great majority of the lessees have complied with the conditions as to improvements. Of the various goldfields in which Miners’ Homestead Leases have been taken up Coolgardie heads the list with 35, with an area of 859 acres;  then follows Murchison with 26 leases and an area of a 382 acres; then Phillips River, with 27 leases, totalling 2,413 acres.

From the State Government Gazzette for 1943 (as an example). First is the MHL number followed by the lease name then the lease holders name:-

DUNDAS

68  LAKE SIDE: Quinlivan, Stanley.
74  BURNLEY, Bryant, William George.
76  NULLARBOR: Pavy, Edgar.
80  COWAN: Bennetts, Alfred Fontean.
82  LAKE VIEW: Stein, Catherine May.
84  BRAESIDE: Alexander, Robert Malcolm.
90  WOODLEY: Hill, Ethel.

East Coolgardie:-
247   EOXENDALE: Horan, William Henry; Horan, Annie Elizabeth.
253E  HILLSIDE: Laming, Charles William.
266E  HEHIRS FARM: Butcher, Robert Murray.
268E  JACK HEHIRS FARM: Butcher, James Mansoil.
279E  HAPPY ACRES FARM: Laming, Esme Irene.
284E  COLDEN VALLEY: Trythali, William Thomas.
286E  NINGAWALLA: Wagland, Kenneth Rupert.

Wiluna
13J  ZONNEBEKE HOMESTEAD Santina Ernesto.
I 7J  MORRI5SEYS HOMESTEAD: Hayes, Adehine Mary.
19J  PICTON: Hayes, James; Hayes,
23J  BIG CHANCE: Miocevieh, Jose
27J  BUTCHERS BLOCK: Hayes, Adeline Mary.
31J  BEDAN: Kirwan, Stehla Kathlee
33J  CLAYPANS GARDEN: Cooper, Joseph.
35J  VIOLET ABBATIORS: The Lake Violet Pastoral Company Proprietary, Limited.
41J  RONDIN FARM: Haylen, Thomas Herbert.
44J  FAIRVIEW: O’Connor, Michael.
55J  LOMBARDI: Raina, Charles. 58JSERNIO: Lania, Charles.
65J  MILLROSE: Ward, Nicholas Raueit.
66J  CHURCHILL FARM. Geiick, Albert Laurence.
67J  BETTERVIEW: O’Connor, Michael.

Mt Margaret 
46T  THE HOMESTEAD: Fisher, Leonard Joseph

Black Range
360  VICTOR: Gwalia Co-operative Butchering Society, Limited.
380  CARDINIA: Robinson, James Johnstone.
390  MELROSE: Robertson, George Norman.

Murchison
DOMUS: Triton Gold Mines, No Liability.
12SILUS: Triton Gold Mines, No Liability.

Mt Magnet
13  MYARD: Hayes, James.

Meekatharra 
59N  GLENGARRY: McDonald, Alexander Vincent.
61N  H.A.C. Roberts, Charles George.
62N  PEPPERS: Western, Elsie Ada.

Yilgarn
91    VIEW HILL POULTRY FARM: Robertson, Margaret Jean.
92    EDNA MAY POULTRY FARM: Robertson, Margret Jean.
102  MOUNTAIN MAID: Maynard, Arthur.
111  GLANYRAFON: Mount Stephen, Thomas Cooper.
112  DORORIC: Cooke, Hilda May.
116  WOODLARK: Worton, James.
117  CHARLESVILLE: West, George Charles.

• Miners Homestead Leases issues and cancellations were done through the State Government Gazette as per attached sample. If you want to pick one out from this list or others on the net, then I could have a look in SRO to see if there is any info there on it.

https://www.slp.wa.gov.au/gazette/GAZETTE.NSF/gazlist/50FE0FB06DE0378B4825773D0019FDBD/$file/gg040.pdf

Some information supplied by Scott Wilson research by John Pritchard with thanks

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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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