Stories from West Australian history

A Soldier’s letter from the Great War trenches

From the Meekatharra Miner, Saturday 22 September 1917. . ‘Extract from letter received by Mrs. J. E. Coombes from her son, Private Russell Wheeler, No. 413, 44th Battalion.’ (Of course, the letter home doesn’t tell the full horror of the trenches) ‘I take this opportunity to tell you about the “Big Push.” that I haveContinue reading “A Soldier’s letter from the Great War trenches”

The Story of Western Australia’s Gold Rush: the history behind my novel ‘Gold Town’

Today, Australia ranks second only to China as a gold-producing country. And much of that gold still comes from Western Australia, which was still an isolated British colony, less than sixty years old, when the first gold finds were recorded. In the middle of the nineteenth century, when poverty drove many from their homelands toContinue reading “The Story of Western Australia’s Gold Rush: the history behind my novel ‘Gold Town’”

A Black Swan Event

If you’ve been at all interested in discussions of those drastic events of recent years, like September 11 or the financial crisis of 2008, that have shaken the world economies and had repercussions for ordinary people like you and me, I’m sure you will have heard the expression ‘Black Swan Event’, something world-shaking that isContinue reading “A Black Swan Event”

My New Book

HELLO. I’M BACK. It’s been a long time. But I’ve never really gone away. Just life got in the way of my plans, as it tends to do. Anyway, I’ve finally finished the book I was talking about last time I posted something. It’s an outback historical mystery with a touch of second time aroundContinue reading “My New Book”

GETTING BACK TO WORK

I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted anything here, but over the last year, writing ceased to be a priority in my life and, as Robert Burns said ‘the well laid plans of mice and men aft gang agley’ (or ‘often go astray’ for those not familiar with the Scots way of puttingContinue reading “GETTING BACK TO WORK”

GOLD RUSH

In 1892, Bailey and Ford struck gold at Coolgardie, collecting two thousand pounds worth of gold in one evening. Then, in June 1893, Hannan and Flanagan made the rich discovery at what was to become Kalgoorlie, and the rush was on.