...........

Gday from WA

KALGOORLIE

Solid Gold, Liquid Gold.

Paddy Hannan (b. 1840) and his mate discuss the history of Kalgoorlie as they explore the town.

Paddy Hannan - Paddy Patrick Hannan
  • G'day Paddy, since you found gold at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia in 1893, things have changed.

Paddy To be sure mate, the town was called Hannans in those days but I didn't care for the attention.
I left seven months after finding gold to enjoy a holiday, I was 53 years old.
I returned to the Goldfields and prospected up north around Menzies and Mt Ida until 1910.
Over the years I returned to Kal for a few short visits.

Kalgoorlie Headframes Poppets
  • You should have seen the skyline twenty years ago Paddy, there was at least ten headframes.

Paddy What happened to 'em? smile
There used to be over 100 headframes marking the Golden Mile.

Crescent Moon and Venus Dayshift

Paddy Hey mate, is that a modern poppet head?

  • It probably was a long time ago Paddy. It's a museum display now.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Kalgoorlie-Boulder
Poppet Heads Old Gold
Palace Hotel Kegs
  • Looks like the Exchange Hotel is stocking up on beer. beer We'll have to come back here tonight, Paddy.

Paddy This looks familiar. The hotel across the road is the Palace. I stayed there on my return visit in 1897.
It was just completed and the first to have electric lighting from its own generators and fresh water on tap from the condensers.
The Post Office in the background was still under construction and completed in 1899.

Kalgoorlie Hotel 1897

Paddy I remember the Kalgoorlie Hotel. It didn't have a balcony then. What's does 'dot com' mean?

  • It's an internet address, Paddy. I will explain tonight.
Grand Hotel 1895

Paddy This is bringing back many memories. There were a few hotels before 1895 but nothing permanent.

  • It must have been exciting watching the town grow so fast, Paddy.
British Arms Museum Shine

Paddy The British Arms Hotel was located at the end of the tram line bringing miners home from the Boulder diggings.

And a thirsty lot they were too. C'mon mate, lets go inside and I'll buy you a beer. beer

  • Sorry Paddy, it's a museum now. smile
British Arms Hotel 1899
  • It was the skinniest pub in Australia.

Paddy I have squeezed in there on one of my rare visits to Kalgoorlie.

  • C'mon Paddy, let's head out to Boulder.
Golden Mile Superpit Superpit
  • This is it Paddy, the 'Golden Mile'. All the leases eventually merged and was swallowed by this Super Pit.
    Sixty million ounces of gold recovered so far.

Paddy I find this hard to believe, my claim was only three miles away.

Super Pit Flintstones Golden Mile Ore Dump

Gold Prospector Prospector
  • This modern prospector is 'working the ground' near the Super Pit. That instrument detects gold under the ground.

Paddy I was a prospector for over forty years and used to dream of something like that.

Gold Nugget Solid Gold
  • Recognise this Paddy?

Paddy We used to throw the wee ones back. smile

Just kidding. In the beginning gold nuggets like these were scattered everywhere.
Tom, Dan and myself picked up over 100 ounces in the first three days.

Say Hannans Hannans

Paddy In my day, not only was the beer named Hannans, but the Brewery Company too.
By 1897 there was the Hannans Club, Hotel, Street, Railway Station, and five goldmines using my name.

  • That's not all Paddy, now there is a Golf Course, Suburb, Supermarket, Shopping Centre, Motel, News Agency and Deli too.
Cornwall Hotel Cornwall
  • This is the Cornwall Hotel (1900) in Boulder.
    Hey Paddy, click on the image and check out the slogan in the window.

Paddy Hmmph... lets go in for a cold beer. beer

  • Sorry Paddy, it's a restaurant now. smile
Mt Charlotte Mt Charlotte
  • The last working underground gold mine in Kalgoorlie. Over three million ounces of gold came out of that hole.

Paddy That's the Mt Charlotte headframe. I found my first gold nugget near there.

Metropole Hotel 1900

Paddy That's a fine looking building mate, I don't recognise it.

  • That's the Metropole Hotel, 111 years old and it's never looked better. C'mon Paddy, me ol' mate, let's go in for a few beers beerbeerbeer before we head back to Kalgoorlie.
Miners Monument Miner

Paddy Who's this fellow then? hic... burp

  • It's the Miners Monument, dedicated to all the underground miners who worked on the Golden Mile. Erected in 1984.

Good to see, in my day only the strongest and bravest men worked on the rock face.

Exchange Hotel Kalgoorlie Exchange

Paddy Ok mate, my turn. This was built in 1900.

  • The Exchange Hotel is still a popular watering hole in Kalgoorlie and if you look closely you will see why.
    C'mon Paddy, lets go in for a beer beer and see the bar named after you.
Hannans Lager Liquid Gold
  • Even though the Hannans Brewery closed in 1982, I found a few cans of Hannan's Lager.
    Nearly forty years old but they should be ok to drink.

Paddy You go first Ray.

Cheers mate.

Cheers.cheers

Kalgoorlie Superpit

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