Albany, Denmark & Surrounds, Western Australia

On November 1 1914, the first convoy of Australian and New Zealand soldiers, soon to be known as the ANZACs, steamed out of King George Sound in Albany. There were 38 ships in total in that first convoy – 36 of them leaving Albany on the 1st of November 1914. The remaining two steamed out of Fremantle.

Beach Access, Waterfall Beach, William Bay, Denmark, Western Australia

Wikipedia History

Images of Mining & Life from the Past – VII


The final contribution of the collection of old images of the early mining days in the northern goldfields of Western Australia, mainly the old Sons of Gwalia Mine at Leonora but also many of other surrounding places.

See this link for a map showing Leonora and Gwalia


Sonsa Dean Din Ras 1909

An Afghan who lived along Nambi Road and had his own personal mosque

 

Oroya Black Range Gold Mine, Sandstone 1908

 

Smoke Stack

(The State Hotel in Gwalia is visible to the left)

 

Machinery Shed, Sons of Gwalia Mine

 

Sons of Gwalia 1977

The mine was liquidated in 1963 and did not reopen again until 1982. The new entity operated the mine until its being placed into administration in 2004

 

Images Circa 1963

 

Maintenance near Headframe 1941

 

Mine View 1941

 

1907

 

Working Underground

 

Tool Sharpeners

 

Train Station, Gwalia

 

Mine 1926

 

Underground Shift

 

Atop the Gas Producers, Looking Towards the State Hotel

 

Tower Street 1905

The building to the right is the National Bank of Australasia – Now the Tourist & Information Bureau (See Here for today image)

 

“Ken”

Woodline locomotive in what today is the rear car park of the mine offices.

Ken’s Parking Spot During a Rainstorm in 2012

 

 

Images Associated with the Woodlines

Woodlines

Large quantities of timber are required for the development and running of the gold mines. This timber was not available locally and so a transport problem arose. The material required had to be shipped from its source to the lease and the best way considered to do this was by a small railway. An application was made for the constructing of the tramway and this was later granted to the Company.

The total area covered by the woodline was approximately 800 square miles. 4000 miles of 20″ gauge track. Only sufficient track was maintained to operate a few spur lines at one time. As an area became exhausted, the track was lifted (in sections complete with mulga log sleepers) and relaid in another area. The spur lines were laid 2 miles apart so that woodcutters were always within 1 mile of the track. The mulga cut was the fuel source for Sons of Gwalia Mine. About 30,000 tons of mulga of wood per year. The wood was used as fuel for boilers producing steam for the winder and to make producer gas for the engines in the power house. These engines drove the alternators generating the mines electricity and compressors producing the compressed air required. Woodline camps were very spartan. Each woodcutter had a small canvas hut with iron roof, which could be lifted onto a railway timber wagon and moved to the next campsite. Bough sheds were erected around the huts for additional shade and pens for chickens and goats were re-erected at each new campsite. Now, remains of bough sheds indicate the location of a campsite. Although a predominantly male occupation, some woodcutters had their families with them.

Washout of the Line at Lake Raeside

Railing Water 1941

Aerial – State Hotel in the background

The current mine offices are today located in the vacant plot in the centre of this image

Winder Wheels

Gold Pouring 1906

 

The Winder

Before the Fire in 1921

Leonora

 

Sons of Gwalia Mine 1949

 

Wooden Head Frame

 

Tram Car and Barn 1905

 

Tram 1903

 

Station Creek Homestead 1904

 

Trucks in Tower Street, Leonora

 

Todd Bros Coach Factory

 

The Mail Car

 

The Workers Club 1920

 

The Old Hotel Murrin Murrin 1905

 

The Smelter, Annaconda Copper Mine, Eulaminna 1900

 

Tatterstalls Hotel Mt Morgans

 

Sandalwood Cutters, Wilsons Patch

 

Unknown



Images of Mining & Life from the Past – VI


Part 6 of the continuing collection of old images of the early mining days in the northern goldfields of Western Australia, mainly the old Sons of Gwalia Mine at Leonora but also many of other surrounding places.

See this link for a map showing Leonora and Gwalia


Work Shed, Sons of Gwalia Mine

 

Stripping Timber for Transportation to the Mine

 

Underground Ore Cars

Timber for Boilers on Rail Cars

Workers Taking a Break

Woodline Steam Engines

 

Timber Stockpile

 

Woodline Trains Used for Staff Picnic

 

Sleeping Outdoors?

 

Parade Outside the White House Hotel, Tower Street, Leonora

Car Outside the White House Hotel

 

Mine Sites

 

Unknown Goldfields Hotel

 

Sons of Gwalia Mine 1963

 

Battery Fire 1921

 

Railway Hotel, Murrin Murrin

 

Gathered for a Race Meeting at Darlot

 

Gwalia Mine Manager’s House late 1920s

 

Police Party

 

P Hill’s Central Hotel, Tower Street, Leonora

Ore Carriages at the Decline

 

Parade Tower Street, Leonora 1903

 

Full Load on the Leonora Tram 1908

 

Gwalia Open Cut

 

Similar View in 2015

Mine Manager’s House Behind Open Cut

 

Similar View in 2012

 

Headframe on the Edge of the Open Cut

 

“Zion City”, The Miners Camp, Mertondale, Western Australia, 1905

 

Yundaminderra Battery 1937

 

Arrival of Morgan’s Minstrels, Yundaminderra



Images of Mining & Life from the Past – V


Another installment of the collection of old images of the early mining days in the northern goldfields of Western Australia, mainly the old Sons of Gwalia Mine at Leonora but also many of other surrounding places.

See this link for a map showing Leonora and Gwalia


Views of Sons of Gwalia Mine over Many Years

 

Gwalia Landscape from Mt Leonora

 

Bulldozer Clearing Land

 

Car Outside the White House Hotel

 

Outing on New Year’s Day 1914

 

Gold Display, National Bank of Australia, Malcolm (Pistols on table!)

 

“Painless” Haircuts at Murrin Murrin

 

Donkey Cart Murrin Murrin 1905

 

Headframe at Mt Morgans Mine 1896

 

Mt Morgans Volunteer Fire Brigade

 

Mt Morgans Mine 1930

 

Magazine (Explosives Store) Mt Morgans 1896

 

Mt Morgans Cricket Club

 

Camel Train Hauling Firewood, Mt Morgans (not a tree in sight)

 

Hill’s Malcolm Hotel

 

Moving Town, Malcolm (Always take the pub with you)

 

Donkey Team Transporting Firewood

 

Mine Workers

 

Wood Train

 

Mine Workers at Mt Morgans

 

Mine at Lawlers

 

Gwalia Aerials 1956

 

Mine Workers 1930

 

Retail Centre

 

“Midland”

Convent of Mercy School 1932

 

Bank of New South Wales

Built 1939 – closed 1943 and then occupied by National Bank of Australia until 1966

Leinster Mine



Images of Mining & Life from the Past – IV


More of the collection of old images of the early mining days in the northern goldfields of Western Australia, mainly the old Sons of Gwalia Mine at Leonora but also many of other surrounding places.

See this link for a map showing Leonora and Gwalia


Leonora 1910

 

Aerial of Hoover House

 

Earlier History of the Sons of Gwalia Mine

The Gwalia mine was originally established in 1897 by Herbert Hoover, who later became the 31st President of the United States.
St Barbara restarted mining at Gwalia in 2008 and has produced more than two million ounces of gold
Mining at Gwalia is planned to reach a depth of 2,300 metres below the surface by 2031

 

Captioned: Fowler with Mr P Franchine & Mr W Allen

 

Flooding at Malcom in 1927

 

Captioned: First Motor Car – Dr Bertram Will & Bob Thompson

 

Merton’s Reward – Note the Pistol!

 

Views of Merton’s Reward

 

Mertondale Football Club

 

Butcher in Mertondale 1905

 

Menzies Volunteer Fire Brigade 1909

 

Rail Workers

 

Mine Workers

 

Mary & Doreen

 

Malcolm Townsite

 

Malcolm Hotel

 

Malcolm Brewery 1902

 

Lawlers 1929

 

Mail Runs

 

Underground Miners

 

Leonora Early Days

 

Leonora Tramway

 

Leonora Railway Station

 

Leonora State School – Opening 1908

 

Leonora State School 1910

 

Tree Planting

 

Watching the Game – Leonora Sports Ground

 

School Bus Run in front of The State Hotel, Gwalia

 

Manoeuvering a Building into Place – Leonora



Images of Mining & Life from the Past – III


Continuing the collection of old images of the early mining days in the northern goldfields of Western Australia, mainly the old Sons of Gwalia Mine at Leonora but also many of other surrounding places.

See this link for a map showing Leonora and Gwalia


The Underground Access – Sons of Gwalia Mine

 

Horse Rider is Les Willey, with the Owner Bill Biggs Circa 1940s

 

“Dick & Mary” in Mine Manager’s House Swimming Pool

 

Mine Manager’s House Swimming Pool

 

Mine Manager’s House

It was much later named after Herbert Hoover the first future president of America who was the first mine manager. It was completed after he left Leonora and never lived here.

 

Sons of Gwalia Mine Headframe

 

The Sons of Gwalia Mine – Late 1950s

 

The Gwalia State School 1948

 

School Master’s House 1948

 

Aerial View of the Public Pool, Gwalia

This was reputedly the first public swimming pool in Western Australia. It also doubled as a fire fighting water supply for the mine.

 

Aerial View of the Gwalia Open Cut

 

Early Days of the Open Cut

 

Gwalia Methodist School Picnic 1919

 

Groups of Sons of Gwalia Employees

 

“Italian Motor Racing Cyclists” 1932

 

Gwalia Heaframe Beyond a New Pit

 

Crash!

 

“Gum Creek”, Lawlers.

Prospectors left Cue in the Murchison Goldfields and found gold at what is now Lawlers in 1892. Lawlers is about 160 km (100 miles) north of Leonora

 

Scenes from Great Western Mine, Wilson’s Patch

Wilson’s Patch was about 70 Km (42 miles) north of Leonora on the road to Agnew.

 

Outside Great Western Hotel

 

“Gold Dinner” – Mt Malcolm

 

A Group of Well Dressed Gentlemen

 

The 4 o’clock Shift

 

Engineering

 

Fitters’ Shop 1932

 

Leonora Municipal Tramcar 1903

 

The Last Tram Run in 1915

 

Lawlers Hotel

 

Small Steam Engine used on the Mine

 

Lapsley’s Drays, Doyles Well

 

Jack Mahomet’s Camel-Train 1930

 

Inside the Gwalia Mine Manager’s House 1921

 

Imperial Hotel, Malcolm

 

Great Eastern Hotel, Lawlers 1921