Outback Graves Markers
Outback Graves Markers
Region: Goldfields-Esperance
Coordinates: -29.99725, 120.5292
Directions: Located in the Shire of Coolgardie on Credo Station,125 kms NW of Kalgoorlie between Davyhurst and Mulline and 55 kms SW of Menzies
Reserve Number: 7609
Number of Graves: 8
First Burial: 1899 - George Barry a 34 year old miner who died of a heart attack on 21 June 1899
Last Burial: 1904 - James Edwin Shiels, a 21 year old baker who died of typhoid fever on 30 November 1904
History
Name
The name is thought to be of Aboriginal origin but the meaning is unknown. It may have come from the Mulwarrie River at Goulburn on the NSW goldfields and in 1900 was the name of the main mine in the area.
Discovery
The site was originally known as Mt Higgins, named after Paddy Higgins who discovered gold here and later at Higginsville, near Widgemooltha.
An alternative version (from Mindat.org) states that the Mulwarrie deposit was discovered by Gibson and mate, prospectors employed on behalf of De Baun in around 1895. One source states all the gold was found in a pipe, with the reef virtually barren outside this, and may explain the lack of interest after De Baun ceased mining here in 1906.
Early History
The townsite was gazetted on 12 September 1900. The main street was spread over ½ a mile with houses and businesses. There was a police station from 1901-1905, a school in 1903 and a hospital.
By 1910, the Post Office Directories show only six residents remained.
Statistics
|
Age at Death |
|||||
|
0 – 1 |
4 |
20 – 29 |
1 |
60 – 69 |
0 |
|
2 – 5 |
0 |
30 – 39 |
3 |
70 – 79 |
0 |
|
6 – 9 |
0 |
40 – 49 |
0 |
80 + |
0 |
|
10 – 19 |
0 |
50 – 59 |
0 |
Unknown |
0 |
|
Occupations |
|||||||
|
Child |
4 |
Housewife |
1 |
Miner |
1 |
Mine Manager |
1 |
|
Baker |
1 |
|
|||||
|
Cause of Death |
|||||||
|
Asthma/bronchitis |
1 |
Colitis |
1 |
Died in childbirth |
1 |
Gastro-enteritis |
1 |
|
Heart Attack |
1 |
Premature/stillbirth |
2 |
Typhoid |
1 |
||
Map of Mulwarrie townsite - courtesy of State Library WA
Main Street Mulwarrie, 1902 (Photo from State Library WA)
Ullaring Hospital, Mulwarrie 1903 (Photo from State Library WA)
Main Reef Goldmine 1903 (from State Library WA)
In 1901, the Moonshine Mine crushed 30 tons of ore at the State Battery for a return of 298 ounces of gold, a record at the time for a state battery.
The 1904 electoral roll contained the names of 130 voters, including a draper, a baker, a postmaster, a teacher, a caterer, several well sinkers and many miners, mostly single men.
