An Ode to the Aussie Outback: Coolgardie Graves
Under the harsh sun of Coolgardie, where we stopped for a break on our road trip back to Perth in 2023, I felt a tug towards history. I wandered into the information centre and, on a whim, requested a guide to the local cemeteries. Of course, a visit was in order...
You may be wondering why we were in the area (or maybe not). That is because my partner, who isn't a history buff like me, wanted to go to the Super Pit; the largest goldmine in Australia, which is open to visitors. The location is Kalgoorlie, which is just around 40 kilometres from the cemetery... of course, we had to go!
A Quick History of Coolgardie
Coolgardie is a small town in Australia. Looking at the pictures later on, it might surprise you that this town was actually only founded 1 year before the first burial; it was founded in 1892. It's hard to imagine that Coolgardie, with its current population of around 850, was once the third-largest town in Western Australia, with Perth and Fremantle coming up at #2 and #1.
Prospector, Arthur Bayley is the man to thank for this beautiful place. He isn't around anymore, he passed away in 1896 from lung congestion. Unfortunately, I couldn't find him in this cemetery. That's because he's buried near to where he grew up, in Victoria... Avenel to be exact. In fact, he's buried in the same cemetery as Ned Kelly's dad. Ironically, we paid a visit to Ned Kelly's grave too, but that's another story for another day.
Coolgardie Pioneer Graveyard
Not to be confused with the main cemetery, Coolgardie Old Pioneer Cemetery was first used in 1893 with the first burial of William Farley. Farley would be a part of the next section (missing graves) as there isn't a plaque for him.
The First Burial
Who was William Farley? Surrey-born William, son of Thomas and Lydia Farley was born in 1833. In his adult life, he went on to marry Elizabeth Swain. The pair had a son, Thomas who was born in 1860. He was a miner who was led to unfortunate and tragic circumstances one day at work when he fell to his death on July 23rd 1893.
The next person to be buried at Coolgardie Cemetery was Edward S. Ryder. Unfortunately, I couldn't find much on Edward, who sadly, life got too much for, when he took his own life on September 20th, 1893 at the age of just 30.
The next two people to be interred into the cemetery on September 26th of 1893 were unknown individuals who passed from starvation.
Miner, Thomas O'Gorman was the next person to be buried here. He tragically died as a result of falling earth, also at the age of 40, on November 4th of the same year. Prior to his employment in Western Australia, Thomas had travelled from Cape Foulwind in New Zealand, though it isn't known if he was born here.
Following Thomas' burial, Prospector Julius Johnson was buried here following his demise from heat exposure on March 14th of 1894 aged just 40. A letter from John Tucker clarified that Johnson's money was entrusted to the Coolgardie Police, disputing claims that he had been robbed, and criticized the indifference of two men who abandoned him. Julius' wife, Mary, who lived in Abbotsford, Victoria, received only a small amount from the sale of his possessions, and it is unclear if she ever got the full amount.
An Eternal Bed for Two
A short distance away from the recovered graves is the grave of man and wife, Richard John and Agnes Ann Holland. Agnes was the first to be interred, when she passed at the young age of 25 from Typhoid on May 7th 1894. Richard lived a long life, and he later joined his wife for eternity when he passed away in his 80th year on November 10th of 1936.
Other Graves
Following the burial of Richard Holland, Thomas Hill rests within these grounds. Thomas, also known as Thomas Hall, was a passionate traveller, who was committed to working in different places. He was born in Portsea in the UK, and as a child, he followed his parents to Canada, which is where he grew up. He moved to Australia in the 1850's where he worked as a labourer. He had 6 children to convict, Elizabeth Mellish who was imprisoned for fraud but freed long before she met Thomas.
Thomas' death was believed to be a result of the shame he felt after selling his team for £70 (£7,883.11 in 2025). It is believed that around his death he was robbed as he was only found with £5 in his pocket.
"We are of opinion that the deceased met his death by a bullet wound inflicted by his own hand and no other way." - Jury Statement
William Reginald Cuthbert Crossman was the next person in the of Coolgardie to be buried. He died of lung disease aged just 28 on 25th May 1894. He was the husband of Eleanor M Crossman (nee Panton), and the pair had only been married 4 years. In their short marriage, they had a child together; a little girl called Natalie.
The Final Four Marked Graves of Coolgardie
The fourth to the last person to be buried was James Clark aged 53, who died of Bronchitis on September 22nd of 1894. Following James, Edward Hicks was the next person to be buried. He was an elderly gentleman who died of Paralysis in hospital, where he was transported from the roadside. His time of death was recorded at some point around September and October of 1894.
Michael O'Neil was the penultimate person to be buried in Coolgardie. As the name may suggest, Michael was born in Ireland - Limerick to be certain, in 1851. It is suggested that he arrived in Australia in 1877. Michael suffered from cancer and died on October 29th of 1894.
The last person with a marked grave within the grounds of Coolgardie Pioneer Cemetery was J. L. Power. His real identity has never been confirmed, though it is believed that he may have been James Power, a billiard champion. The deceased estimated age was about 60, he was originally from Queensland and though no cause of death, his recorded date was November 8th 1894.
Other Graves
To prevent information overload, here are some other grave listings. Please let me know if you would like me to carry on research, or if you would like me to look into anyone in particular.
Illnesses Resulting in Death Mentioned in this post - and their meanings
- Typhoid - This is an infection caused by the spread of unclean food and water. Contracted through Salmonella. Some symptoms are fever, headache, rashes around the body, and a white tongue. Today, Typhoid can be treated by antibiotics.
- Pneumonia - This is an illness that is still quite frequent today. Chances are, one of the people reading it will have, or will know someone who has had it. Same goes for the bottom two!
Pneumonia is commonly thought to be a worse version of a cold, but sufferers know that it is much more than that. Symptoms include: Chills, coughing, fatigue, and fever, along with chest pain and difficulty breathing. Most cases, patients can make a full recovery from a hospital bed. - Peritonitis - This is an infection that can be caused by a hole in the bowel or burst appendix. It causes redness and swelling of the lining of the abdomen. Symptoms include, nausea, vomiting, and severe pain.
- Convulsions - This is probably the older name, or more technical name for a seizure (I'm not a doctor). It causes uncontrollable shaking, and the people listed who passed away from this probably had other underlying conditions, but medical tests weren't as advanced as they are now.
- Meningitis - Doctor told me that I could've had this once! I doubt it though. It is the inflammation of the protective membranes in the brain and spinal chords. Symptoms include; fever, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, nausea, vomiting, and confusion.
- Appendicitis - Inflammation of the appendix is often cured by removal but if left untreated can cause a rupture which leads to the leakage of bacteria then death. It can sometimes be treated by antibiotics in mild cases.
