Westralia Tasmania Gold Mine (Dwyers), Erilstoun Goldfield, Laverton Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Westralia Tasmania Gold Mine (Dwyers)	Mine
Erilstoun Goldfield	Ore Field
Laverton Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The Westralia Tasmania Gold Mine is 70 kilometres north of Laverton, near the former Erilstoun town site. It is about 300 metres east of the Erilstoun Road, and extends for 500 metres north of the Russell Find Gold Mine Road, the workings striking north-south. It is a greatly disturbed area of remnant tailings heaps, some scattered shafts and small prospecting pits, and much intensive modern exploration work.

It was a large but very low grade affair. It struggled from 1900 to 1913, crushing 13 589 tonnes of ore for only 2485 ounces of gold (approximately, some sources give slightly different results).

The original prospectors were not found. Neither was much under the Westralia Tasmania Gold Mining Company, whence the mine got its name. It is said the company took out the majority of gold, and the remaining operators found it a struggle to make the mine payable.

From 1905, brothers Jack and William Dwyer took over the mine. Over a two year period from 1905 to 1907, the Dwyers removed their five head battery from the nearby Baneygo Mine to the Westralia Tasmania. A few months later a cyanide plant was erected. Poppet legs, a winder, overhead tramway and ore bins were also added.

The main shaft was down to 150 feet. Having abandoned the mine in 1913, the Dwyers removed their battery to the Golden Spinifex mine in the Duketon Goldfield in 1921.

A party of prospectors took out some crushings between 1935 to 1938. William Dwyer is noted as one. It is uncertain if this is the same Dwyer as 15 years before.

During the same time as the early Twentieth Century gold mining, the Laverton and Darlot aboriginal tribes were at war. About 30 known people were killed, but it was probably more. A murder would result in retaliation by the other side, in an ever escalating conflict.

There were several incidents, including six of the Laverton tribe killed near the Ida H mine south of Laverton. The local police tried to enact European law, and some were brought to trial.Many escaped using their knowledge of the country and would simply retreat into remote areas. According to reports of the time, both men and women were involved in the fighting, and all including children could be killed.

The European miners were at the periphery of these events, however came in contact, as the tribes would sometimes camp at the mine, and seek food etc. There were some isolated events of both aboriginals and Europeans being killed due to some disagreement. Despite a general belief formed in this country to the contrary, the same laws relating to murder applied to both parties. The lack of convictions of Europeans had more to do with these crimes being committed in remote locations, with no witnesses.

There were also many reports of the tribes raiding mining camps for firearms, food and the like. In January 1908, some of the Laverton tribe had camped at the Westralia Tasmania mine for protection. When the Darlot tribe approached, some women and children ran into the battery. It was being operated at the time by William Dwyer. The battery was besieged, and for an hour was peppered by gunfire. No-one was injured, more by good luck.

In 1910, a Westralia Tasmania mine worker of ten years from the Darlot tribe called Mickey (it was common at the time to give aboriginals Anglo nicknames), was murdered by the Laverton tribe. He had been accused of being a spy for the Darlot tribe, speared in the chest, and buried in a shallow grave nearby.

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