So you've chosen to travel?

Our friends have always been keen travellers overseas. And now proudly invited us to see their latest purchase parked in their far off shed. So they've been back not more than a few months from their overseas trip, Italy, France and Great Britain. Been there done that! Now it is time to see Australia! You mean join the GREY NOMADS?
Of course! And why not? We're sick of going to funerals! Nine in the last 12 months!
So what is killing everyone, I wondered? Three died going to hospital for treatment. Early release confirmed the notion held by the families that the patient was just not ready to resume the life he had left behind. But two days at home seemed to influence their outcome. 'So before we are called by the big judge in the sky we thought we'd better try to escape too.'
So a home on wheels, it seems, is now the solution. So why not search out some of the history of W.A.?

Sure we've had a President of the USA as mine manager (the 31st of the USA). Yes Herbert Hoover had been not so popular with the workers or the unions of the second deepest gold mine in WA at Gwalia, a suburb of Leonora but he didn't care. He saw the potential and in true far right political spirit he introduced his own working 'troupes', mainly of Italian and Yugoslav origins, explaining to them the lacking conditions of their employment. But he did mention that the hotel above was the first government-owned pub in W.A.(1903). The first passenger tramway (1903) and the first public swimming pool (1943) came along soon after.

The new workers soon established themselves and in 1896 the Sons of Gwalia Lease was registered. Herbert Hoover was appointed manager in 1898. Perhaps 1887/89, the years the gold mine had been registered on the London Stock Exchange proved to be part of the attraction as a starting point for a mine manager of the tender age of 23 years.






Soon a hospital appeared with all mod cons. as the photos taken can support.

The living GHOST TOWN of Gwalia is thus the doorway to a unique experience of a West Australian rich mining era.
The actual mine closed in 1963 is remembered by the contents of a museum in Gwalia. The house in which the mine manager lived is now a B/B and bookings can be made through the tourist office. (But if you have your own bed on wheels ignore this last bit.)