Kimberley Prospectors

[Bobj.]

In the winter of 1969, we (Main Roads Dept) were building 40 km of road north of Hall's Creek, one cold, sunny, Sunday morning, two not-so-bright men told the foreman that they were going prospecting over an area north of The Golden Queen mine and would be back by 6PM . Off they tootled and did not return. The foreman got in touch with the police sargeant, who organised a search party. They scoured the area all the next day, but never even found any tracks, or marks of the men. So, they searched around the Golden Queen, with no luck in finding the men.
On the Tuesday two very dirty men struggled into the police station. The sargeant gave them a real tongue lashing for what they had done. It transpired that these brainless boys had purposely given a wrong area, because one of them did not want anyone else to know where his "golden hole" was. Apparently. they had got so caught up in gold fever that, on the Sunday evening, they started dry blowing creek sand by the headlights of the 4wd at the bottom of the "golden hole" and were so engrossed that the 4wd battery ran down so much, it could not start the vehicle. They tried to start it by using 6 x1.5 torch batteries...They even tried to push start it...In a gully? In the end, they decided to walk across country, some 30 km to Hall's Creek. What they did not realise, was the country is very hilly and, due to the numerous hills, their destination was a longer walk than they anticipated.. And, of course they did not have water.
After giving them a good talking to, the policeman took them back to their wagon, got it started and followed them back to our camp. Gold? not a single speck. But an awful lot of ribbing for being so stupid.
As it was in winter, they lived; had it been summer...
And this sort of thing still happens. I hope it is a timely reminder.
Bobj.

 

[WalnLiz]

In the winter of 1969, we (Main Roads Dept)ere building 40 km of road north of Hall's Creek, one cold, sunny, Sunday morning, two not-so-bright men told the foreman that they were going prospecting over an area north of The Golden Queen mine and would be back by 6PM . Off they tootled and did not return. The foreman got in touch with the police sargeant, who organised a search party. They scoured the area all the next day, but never even found any tracks, or marks of the men. So, they searched around the Golden Queen, with no luck in finding the men.
On the Tuesday two very dirty men struggled into the police station. The sargeant gave them a real tongue lashing for what they had done. It transpired that these brainless boys had purposely given a wrong area, because one of them did not want anyone else to know where his "golden hole" was. Apparently. they had got so caught up in gold fever that, on the Sunday evening, they started dry blowing creek sand by the headlights of the 4wd at the bottom of the "golden hole" and were so engrossed that the 4wd battery ran down so much, it could not start the vehicle. They tried to start it by using 6 x1.5 torch batteries...They even tried to push start it...In a gully? In the end, they decided to walk across country, some 30 km to Hall's Creek. What they did not realise, was the country is very hilly and, due to the numerous hills, their destination was a longer walk than they anticipated.. And, of course they did not have water.
After giving them a good talking to, the policeman took them back to their wagon, got it started and followed them back to our camp. Gold? not a single speck. But an awful lot of ribbing for being so stupid.
As it was in winter, they lived; had it been summer...
And this sort of thing still happens. I hope it is a timely reminder.
Bobj.

"Gold"...it can and often does bring out the irrational in what is normally a rational man.....The Kimberly...especially the Halls Creek area is not a forgiving location at the best of times and to give a false location to the foreman is about as dumb as you can get...Gold is great... but it's not worth losing your life over.

 

[RM Outback]

Great thread Bobj thanks for sharing

 

[Simmo]

I have seen Gold Fever in real life!!
I think I have posted the story here somewhere in the past when I was out with Doug Stone and Iain Aitkin!
The doctor!!
I will hunt back and see if I can find the post!

 

[mbasko]

I have seen Gold Fever in real life!!
I think I have posted the story here somewhere in the past when I was out with Doug Stone and Iain Aitkin!
The doctor!!
I will hunt back and see if I can find the post!

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...gget-you-have-seen-heard-of.9760/#post-122207

 

[Simmo]

Good detective work fella's!!
That is a TRUE story!!

 

[Bobj.]

As I mentioned in another post, it was my job to go out looking for gravel to build the Great Northern Hwy in the Kimberley Region. Two little stories while doing that job; first was near a creek called Frog Hollow, in those days (1970/73) it used to be our lunch area as it was smack in the middle of the area we were building, plus we had a bore drilled for water for water binding. Anyway, I had to look for gravel and went out, stopping here and there and digging a small hole to ascertain the gravel quality. I was well over 10 km from the road and thought how many people had seen this area, stopped the wagon and stepped out to check the gravel... Right by my foot was a 1917 shilling! Yes, I still have it.
Second story was similar but this time we were surveying a route around the proposed dam (later, Lake Argyle), which was a detour of the then Duncan Hwy., starting in the Northern Territory, it joined the Duncan south of Rosewood Stn. Anyway, I had a stop on a low mound, looked around and found several chips of chert which had been fashioned into spear heads and scrapers. Also found a number of hand axes made from basalt. No gravel, though. I also found a really beaut waterhole. in a creek. Today, that creek is called Hicks Creek and I still use it as a campsite when I go west. Years later, I found a 3.5 metre long seam of amethyst in that creek.
Anyway, I reported back to the engineer and a few weeks later, work started by clearing the vegetation etc. Meantime, the boss received a letter from the WA museum asking not to interfere with any native sites...OOPS! We had just obliterated the hand axe site!
Bobj.

 

[LeighT]

As I mentioned in another post, it was my job to go out looking for gravel to build the Great Northern Hwy in the Kimberley Region. Two little stories while doing that job; first was near a creek called Frog Hollow, in those days (1970/73) it used to be our lunch area as it was smack in the middle of the area we were building, plus we had a bore drilled for water for water binding. Anyway, I had to look for gravel and went out, stopping here and there and digging a small hole to ascertain the gravel quality. I was well over 10 km from the road and thought how many people had seen this area, stopped the wagon and stepped out to check the gravel... Right by my foot was a 1917 shilling! Yes, I still have it.
Second story was similar but this time we were surveying a route around the proposed dam (later, Lake Argyle), which was a detour of the then Duncan Hwy., starting in the Northern Territory, it joined the Duncan south of Rosewood Stn. Anyway, I had a stop on a low mound, looked around and found several chips of chert which had been fashioned into spear heads and scrapers. Also found a number of hand axes made from basalt. No gravel, though. I also found a really beaut waterhole. in a creek. Today, that creek is called Hicks Creek and I still use it as a campsite when I go west. Years later, I found a 3.5 metre long seam of amethyst in that creek.
Anyway, I reported back to the engineer and a few weeks later, work started by clearing the vegetation etc. Meantime, the boss received a letter from the WA museum asking not to interfere with any native sites...OOPS! We had just obliterated the hand axe site!
Bobj.

Hi BobJ, you wouldn't have been the 'dirt doctor' for MRD and your office was in the Kununurra office. I think I was the 'drafting assistant' at the time.

 

[Bobj.]

Hello, Leigh, Ya got me…Still corresponding with Ganger and he still corresponds with Val and Jack Eaton and Ernie Bade
Me, my son and grandkids

 

[LeighT]

Hello, Leigh, Ya got me…Still corresponding with Ganger and he still corresponds with Val and Jack Eaton and Ernie Bade
Me, my son and grandkids

Ah, your Michael looks like you, a very handsome bunch

 

[Bobj.]

Ganger sends regards to you and Leslie, same with me

 

[LeighT]

Ganger sends regards to you and Leslie, same with me

Oh thank you, say hi to him from us. Lesley lives in Bakers Hill east of Perth. She has a couple of acres there. She has been driving road trains for the last 25 years. She is about five foot nothing and driving those trucks with three trailers through WA and NT. She is semi retired now. xx