The town of Woodarra was surveyed and gazetted on January 14, 1898. It was also known as Darlot, Lake Darlot, or Ballangarry, all names were used at different times. It was located between Laverton and Leinster.
Woodarra is the name given by the local Aboriginals to a line of Granite rocks from which a supply of water for the residents had been derived, so the name seemed quite appropriate. The streets of the town were named after nearby mines, except for Bowden, who was one of the earliest prospectors and was a reputable man.
Business in the town in 1899 consisted of three stores owned by W M Beale, Haley, and the Metzke Brothers (Alfred, James & Frederick). W Pearce was the butcher and J L Simon was the baker. The Dew Drop Inn was the first hotel.
In 1901 O’Connor & Co and John Dillon were advertising in the East Murchison News as general storekeepers. The Ballangarry Hotel was opened by Denis Mackey and the Metzke Brothers opened the Woodarra Hotel. F A Crew & Co were the local mail agents who also delivered to Mt Magnet, Lawlers, and Darlot.
Ballangarry Hotel – Woodarra
Mr. Denis MacKey became the new proprietor of the Ballangarry Hotel in 1907, leasing it from Mr. William Beal. The hotel had four bedrooms for guests. Three of the bedrooms were 12ft x 8ft and the fourth was 18ft x 12ft tall with 10ft high walls. There was stabling outside for 6 horses and there was a small hall attached to the building for dancing, smoke social and rollerskating, etc. The Ballangarry Hotel had a billiard license and sold Swan Ale and Bunbury beer.
Woodarra Hotel – Lake Darlot
In 1907 Alfred, James, and Frederick Metzke entered into an agreement with their brother John Metzke to lease the Woodarra Hotel for two years at a weekly rent of £7. There was a hall attached to the building and a billiard licence as held. Carlton Draft beer was on tap.
Each New Year, a sports program was held in the main street. The two hotels made an ideal starting and finishing post so participants could whet the whistle at both the start and the finish. It was believed that the Woodarra Hotel closed in the late 1930s, the Ballangarry Hotel having closed sometime earlier.
A local progress committee had been active since the early days. They approached the Government to improve the facilities of the town. Several approaches were made concerning the water supply. In March of 1903 the water boring plant, promised by the Government, arrived. The locals thought that the age of the supplied plant may render it useless. A rumor was circulated that the plant was brought to Australia by Captain Cook, and by its appearance they thought it well may be true.
Woodarra Town street map
Telephone service was also requested between Lawlers and Darlot but the Government deemed it too expensive to install and it would not pay for itself as the average monthly revenue from the local post office was £6, 18s, 9d per month.
Woodarra Location Map
The above map shows the location of the Darlot Cemetery:-
Resident of the town of Woodarra in 1898-1899 were as follows:
ASHWIN Frank: Mine Owner
BEALE W M: Storekeeper
MACTEAR James: British King GM (Manager)
CHRISTIE : Mine owner”
CONWAY E
COUSINS William J: Miner
CURTIS : Dew Drop Inn
GARDINER George: Surveyor
GODDARD William W
HALEY: Storekeeper and Newsagent
HURST William
KAVANAGH E: Engine Driver
LANGFORD Frank: Battery Proprietor
MANSBRIDGE W O M : Registrar
METZKE Brothers : Storekeepers
MILLS Charles C
PEARCE W: Butcher
ROWAN Val & Thomas
SHIPTON Thomas: Miner
SIMON J L: Baker
SPENCE James: British King GM Manager
WILDE J M: Agent
In the early days, there was no police presence in the Darlot area. If an offense was committed, a judge was elected and a court held to punish the offenders.
LYNCH LAW.
Mt. Leonora Miner 11 January 1902
It happened at Darlot (a much-neglected place, which someday in the future will be known as a thriving mining centre), some 60 miles north of Leonora, over three months ago. The miners and bullock drivers, there are a colony in themselves honest, hard-working fellows and will brook no interference with their mode of government on the part of intruders. There were no police nearer than 50 miles from Darlot, and when the necessity arises a Judge is elected, a court held and punishment administered to the delinquents.
On this particular occasion, four men, headed by the well-known “Ginger” – raided the local store during the absence of the manager. Their presence was discovered and a cordon of residents was formed around the building. The amateur burglars were called out, and as they failed to come forth, a Goliath from the cordon ran the gauntlet and fetched them out. The four were bound hand and foot and carried to a gum tree possessing a thick, strong branch leaning towards the rising sun. Here, one Hurst was elected a judge, and a jury of four good men and true were sworn in. The evidence disclosed that the four burglars had threatened to take Darlot by storm, and thought,the store a “soft snap” After summing up, Judge Hurst directed the jury to bring in a verdict of guilty, which they did. Judge Hurst then finished a sententious speech by sentencing the prisoners to be hanged by the neck to the gum tree limb till, they were
dead, dead, dead. !!!!!
All hands, except court officers, assisted in the preliminaries, and soon the ropes were adjusted around the necks of the prisoners, and the other ends were thrown over the limb of the tree, and drawn taut, leaving the prisoners to rest on their toes. At this point, the Judge called a halt and harangued the assembly on the folly of outsiders coming to Darlot who think they could take the place by storm. He was voraciously cheered and eventually, the foreman of the jury prevailed on the Judge to show clemency. The prisoners were released and given four hours grace to leave town.
Oh! Who could paint a Goldfields, and paint the picture right?
As old adventures saw it in early morning light.
The yellow mounds of mullock with spots of red and white
The scattered quartz that glistens like diamonds in the light
Hear the fall of timber from distant flats and fells
The pealing of the anvils as clear as clear as little bells
The rattle of the cradle, the clack of windlass poles,
The flutter of the crimson flags above the golden holes
Ah! Then their hearts were bolder and if Dame Fortune frowned,
Their swag they’d lightly shoulder and tramp to other grounds
Oh! They were lion-hearted, who gave our country birth
Stout sons of Stoutest Fathers born from all the lands on earth.
Those Golden Days have vanished, and altered as the scene,
The diggings are deserted now, the camping grounds are green.
The Roaring Days by Henry Lawson
Moya Sharp
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