Telegraph lines to the Goldfields Region.
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The Goldfields Region is defined, for the purposes of describing the construction of telegraph lines to the Goldfields, as extending:
- from the junction of the Mid West and Wheatbelt regions east of Southern Cross;
- to beyond Boulder and Bardoc in the east to the South Australian border;
- from Mount Sir Samuel, Lawlers and Leonora in the north;
- to beyond Norseman in the south.
- it stops north of Esperance but includes Ravensthorpe so that the line to South Australia can be discussed coherently.
The small map below represents an area of about 230,000 km2 - about twice the size of England, three times the size of Austria and five times the size of Switzerland.
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All construction of the telegraph lines in the region took place in the 1890s. The first discoveries of gold in the Yilgarn region had occurred in 1887 and gold rushes followed at Southern Cross in 1888, Coolgardie in 1892 and Kalgoorlie in 1893. York was the Telegraph Office in the west from which the line extensions were developed. The area was very remote even for those early days - the road from York to Southern Cross through the Yilgarn region was only constructed in the last 3-4 months of 1890.
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The second session of the first Parliament under Responsible Government was opened on Monday 7 December 1891 by His Excellency the Administrator and in his speech he noted that the 162 mile telegraph line from York to Yilgarn was being erected and would be completed soon.
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Many mines opened in the area over the next few years. About 700 companies operating in this area were listed on the London Stock Exchange. Lines were extended to Norseman in 1896 and to Malcolm (more than 200 miles from Coolgardie) and to Leonora by 1897.
The contract for the distribution of telegraph material for the line from Niagara to Lawlers was awarded to the firm of Faiz and Tagh Mahomet. The construction of the line, which was carried out by the Government, was completed as far as Mount Malcolm in April 1897. The West Australian of 31 August 1897 reported:
"Mr. W. H. McGregor, the Post Master at Lawlers, wired the Postmaster-General yesterday that the telegraph line between Niagara and Lawlers had been completed and that the office connection had been fixed at 6 o'clock on Sunday afternoon (29th). The wire also stated that the line was working satisfactorily and that the inhabitants were gratified at the completion of the work".
The Inquirer of 10 July 1896 reported that residents are indignant at the action of the Minister in recommending a telegraph line from Mount Magnet to Menzies, via Mount Malcolm, instead of via Mount Malcolm and Lawlers. If this route were taken it would meet the requirements of almost the whole of the East Murchison district, whereas the proposed line takes in a very sparsely populated country. It is recommended here that the Minister be asked to reconsider the matter, and grant a line as suggested.