Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954), Sunday 11 April 1909, page 1


PROSPECTOR G. WOODLEY

A Pioneer Goldfinder and Pastoralist

Puts Forward a Strong Claim—For a Government Reward

From time to time there have ap-peared somewhat fragmentary ac-counts of the work done by Mr. George Woodley in finding gold on the Mur-chison and in opening other goldfields as well as pioneering the pastoral in-dustry from the Minilya to the Moore rivers. Tom Cue may have found Cue and Paddy Hannan may have disco-vered Kalgoorlie, but there is fairly

good evidence to show that George Woodley specked the first alluvial on the Northern fields. His record is long and arduous, and we reckon that it is worthy of recognition by the State. We hear a lot about prospec-tors and pioneers that makes us tired, for most of the so-called track-blazers are unmitigated frauds who wouldn't venture a mile from a bush pub. Wood-ley, is not that kind, and therefore we are glad to let him enumerate his out-

back exploits.

"About the years 1887-8 the then Government Geologist (Mr. Woodward, reported on the Mt. Kenneth country, and the Government were offering in the papers as well as in the mining re-gulations, a reward for the discovery of a payable goldfield. In consequence of these facts I sold out my half share in the Wago sheep station and went out looking for gold. I paid a man named T. Gompy, of Greenough Flats, £5 a month to accompany me. On my first trip I did not get anything, but on the second I found a little coarse gold about 20 miles north of what is now called Cue. That was

the first alluvial gold obtained in the Murchison country.

"I took Douglass out to Nannine, and I found the 'Home Rule' reef and the 'Mystery,' which we pegged out, my mate going down to Geraldton to report the find and register the claims. Then I crossed the country and found Mt. Magnet, which I duly reported, and sold 23 ounces of gold to Mr. S. F. Moore of Dongarra. I waited a while until the fields got going, and then got a Mr. Lowe of Geraldton to write to the Government claiming the reward. The reply, he read to me in the presence of Mr. F. S. Maley was, 'If Woodley can prove that he was mates with Douglas he will receive £1O0.' Just fancy putting in 'if' when the leases, were registered in our two names.

"I have been writing off and on ever since. About two years ago the Min-ister wrote saying he would make his best endeavor to get me a little re-

compense, and since then I have writ-ten twice, but I fear the Minister has not received my letters. I may ex-plain that on one occasion the Secre-tary for Mines wrote to a constable at Yalgoo with whom I had had a few words about some shares in a lease, when he told me straight that he would, block me from getting any-thing from the Govermnent. There-

fore, what was the use of Mr. King sending to him for a report. Further-more, the man knows as much about prospecting and exploring as a Cock-ney who has never gone out of range, of Bow Bells. If they really wanted to know anything about me, why didn't they write to Warden Troy or Mr. S. F. Moore, or Mr. C. Smith, who are among the early pioneers of this northern part of the state?

"Here are some of the finds I have made : With J. Beswick I found the first alluvial gold in a creek in the Perrin Range, about 20 miles north of Cue; pegged out the first leases, Home Rule and Mystery, at Nannine ; Douglass and I reported the first al-luvial field; I discovered and reported Mt. Magnet; I discovered Pinyalling or Field's Find, also Bothsway and the finds near Mt. Singleton; I found Lake Way and the Cork-Tree Flat; found the first gold in the Montague Range and Gum Creek; also a reef which was the start of Burracoora, and the Jack of Diamonds in the Woodley's Range which led to Reidy's and other finds about that neighbor-

hood.

"With H. B, Mason I found and peg-ged out a reef in the Cosmo-Newbery Range which Carr-Boyd took posses-sion of and did a blow about. I also opened up the district between Yalgoo and Field's Find, besides making other minor discoveries. Prior to prospect-ing. I was pioneering and opening up the country. About 1877 I was out with sheep for Smith Bros., and took the first stock to the Upper Murchi-son for Mr. J. R. O'Grady, of Milly Milly Station. I explored the Woo-namel River, with Mr. O'Grady, who took up the Byro Plains Station now held by Nairn Bros. I took up the Yarra Creek runs, and put stock on them. These are also now owned by Nairn and Sons. I took up the first stock for the Qailberdoo Squatting Co., and with Mr. Howard made the

first track via Carmichael Creek to the Gascoyne River. I landed the first stock on the Minilya River, and ex-plored the Lyndon and applied for the,

Pastoral country now held by Messrs. Lefroy.

"I took Mr. H. B. Mason out to Lake Mason, which country he took up and stocked. I also took Mr. Mason around Lake Wells and Lake

Buchanan, where he took up runs

which have since been stocked. Fur-ther I obtained the native names of

the localities, and sent in to the Lands Office a sketch plan of same.

Now I think that is a fairly good re-cord of pioneering and prospecting. I found the first gold on the Murchison

and am entitled to the reward which the Government offered, and I should like to know, if the Minister will not grant me anything, to whom I am I to

apply?" We believe that if the facts are convincingly shown to the Minis-ter, Mr. Woodley will get his reward.