Day 8 – 24 May 2025
Tour of Old Widgiemooltha
The first activity of the day was a tour of old Widgiemooltha and the first stop was at Nullarbor Links, the world’s longest gold course. Widgiemooltha Hole 15 is a par 3.
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- The 15th Hole of the Nullabor Links. Note the antique mining dongas in the background. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Remains of the Widgie Hotel. It was gutted by fire around the time the highway was realigned. Photo Richard Carver.
Widgiemooltha Dam
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- Widgiemooltha Dam. Photo Richard Carver.
I’ve seen enough ropes leading leading into waters of a dam to know that a yabbie trap or similar was at the other end. So I pulled it in.
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- Eric watching Kim pull in a rabble trap. Photo Tassy Epton.
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- All undersize. Photo Tassy Epton.
It was an ‘Opera House’ style trap. Plenty of bait, plenty of yabbies. But all undersize. It was thrown back for the owner to make the same discovery.
Widgiemooltha State Battery
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- Widgiemooltha State Battery. Photo Richard Carver.
Widgie 3 Open Pit
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- Widgie 3 open pit with shaft. Photo Richard Carver.
The abandoned Widgie 3 Open Cut nickel mine is located three kilometres south of Widgiemooltha. The Imperial, Cardiff Castle, and the Mount mines are also in the immediate area. As with Widgie 3 their remediation/reinstatement is abysmal/non-existent. Legislation aside. Typical of much of the gold/nickel fields.
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- At Widgie 3. Photo Rod Dally.
One for the Aficionados
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- A quarts vein is visible in the ultramafic in the Widgie 3 pit wall. Photo Richard Carver.
Willy’s Sandalwood Camp
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- Eric, Jan, Ivan and Esme at Willy’s Sandalwood Camp. Photo Richard Carver.
Pioneer Dam
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- Tour group at pioneer dam. Photo Rod Dally.
Regent Mine
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- Regent Mine Headframe. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Rod checks out the winder at Regent Mine. Photo Richard Carver.
The abandoned Regent Mine is on Pantoro Gold’s active mining area. It wasn’t long before a very understanding and friendly Pantoro representative kicked us out – in a very understanding and friendly manner. Nice guy.
State Battery
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- The State Gold Battery at Norseman. Photo Richard Carver.
Another site under active surveillance. Not long before an angry bull ant arrived and kicked us out. A tour guide has their challenges!
Norseman Tailings
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- The iconic Norseman Tailings Dam. It has become such a featture of the Norseman landscape that any moves to interfere with it are resisted. Photo Richard Carver.
Norseman Beacon Lookout
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- Pantoro Gold has created a flyover at their operations so the public can readily access Beacon Lookout. Photo Tassy Epton.
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- Remnants of Lake Cowan (disconnected from the main lake) to the east of Norseman, viewed from Beacon Lookout. Photo Tassy Epton.
Norseman
Norseman is a sprawling town, 600 kilometres east of Perth, its existence driven by mining and tourism. It has a population around 1000.
It is geographically important as the midpoint between Kalgoorlie (194km north) and Esperance (203km south) and the start of the Eyre Highway.
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- Corrugated iron camels in the main street of Norseman.
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- Camels in Norseman. Photo Tassy Epton.
Campfire
When we asked the Manager of the caravan park if we could have a campfire he replied, “I leave at 5.30.”.
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- Campfire on a couple of sheets of iron so no mess was left behind. Photo Tassy Epton.
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- Kim at campfire, Norseman. Photo Tassy Epton.
Day 9 – 25 May 2025
Golly’s Prospect
Golly’s Field is five kilometres north of the Eyre Highway, about one kilometre east of the Mount Monger South Road.
Ivan arranged for the Tour to visit the site and meet veteran prospector, Golly.
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- Golly’s Shed. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Wayne, Ross Jan and Golly. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Just some of the equipment at the site. Photo Richard Carver.
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- At Golly’s site. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Phil, Pip, Ivan and Golly. Photo Richard Carver
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- Golly, prospector and raconteur. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Old shaft and workings at Golly’s site. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Golly divining for gold. Photo Richard Carver
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- Ross tries his hand at gold divining. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Open pit north of Golly’s Camp. Photo Richard Carver.
The Tour left Golly’s and returned to Norseman.
Dundas Heritage Trail
This Heritage Trail follows the Cobb & Co coach route from Norseman to the abandoned historic gold mining town town of Dundas. It incorporates a series of 10 interpretive sites.
Lady Mary workings
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- Eric, Esme, Wayne, Esme, Ross and Ivan at the workings. Photo Richard Carver.
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- A large boiler used for condensing water at the Lady Mary workings. Photo Richard Carver.
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- The grave of James Dennis near the Lady Mary workings. Photo Richard Carver.
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- Prickly pear growing in the ore chute. Photo Richrd Carver.
Mary Bell Mine
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- Headframe at the Mary Bell Mine. Photo Richard Carver.
Break O’Day
The small hamlet of Break O’Day was established in 1895. The most visible remaining sign of its existence is this cricket pitch.
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- Break O’Day Cricket Pitch. Photo Richard Carver.
The Tour continued south to Lake Dundas before heading out to the highway and returning to Norseman.
Summary
Having conducted about 260 trips as a ‘tour guide’, paid and unpaid, since 1981, but now winding down, I contend that I have a reasonably experienced and qualified perspective of any ‘Tour/Road Trip/Excursion’. With very few exceptions, way more than the people running them.
The information and real life experiences of former times in exciting mining areas shared with others is something rarely found and rarely able to be found. It is to be valued. Indeed, the opportunity to interact, onsite, with people who were actually there was my principal driver for being part of the Tour. And in that respect I was completely satisfied and happy that I was part of the Tour.
Great experiences, great information. From the historical aspect it was unique, really. Stuff not able to be accessed otherwise.
Wayne presented an Itinerary packed full of worthwhile encounters supported by expertise from qualified and experienced participants – thanks Jeff, Richard, Ivan, Rod, Jan, Wendy, Scott, and Don (and of course Wayne himself).
Thanks again to the photographers who helped in making this Mining History Tour a piece of history. Pics or it didn’t happen!
© Kim Epton 2025
1042 words, 37 photographs, two images.
Photographs
Richard Carver
Tassy Epton
Rod Dally
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