Agreement by Michael Cronin
1893A hand written agreement in black ink on a page of pad paper to which Michael Cronin agrees to taking a 'team' to Gnarlbine. Gnarlbine was one of the places which supplied water to the Coolgardie gold rush. It is approximately thirty kilometres south west of Coolgardie.
Whilst gold was initially found in the Kimberley’s of Western Australia in 1885 and in Southern Cross in 1888, then Arthur Balyley and William Ford discovered gold at Coolgardie in September 1892, however it was not until June 1893 when Paddy Hannan and Tom Flanagan found gold at Mount Charlotte that ‘Gold Fever’ gripped Western Australia. This information was taken from WA Museum website ‘WA Goldfields’.
Refer to the supplementary section which has a number of articles from newspapers on the initial meeting of townspeople willing to pay the expenses of Cronin's party, the accounts of Phillip Whlte and Michael Cronin, details of the route of the track, the Holland Track brochure map which shows the route of the Holland Track and location of Gnarlbine Rock and obituaries of Michael Cronin.
Details
Details
This item is highly significant as it demonstrates the impact of the discovery of gold in Coolgardie and later Kalgoorlie on the opening up of country between Katanning and the the eastern areas. There are numerous newspaper articles that support the payment of twenty five pounds paid to Michale Cronin at the begnning and completion of the task. The article from the Western Mail 16 Sep 1893 summarises the track that Michael Cronin used as well as parts of the Holland track that he utilised.
An article which details the public meeting that was held in the Katanning Hotel in which M. Cronin agreed to find the most direct route to Gnarlbine and that the initial twenty five pounds was raised from those members of the community who attended the meeting.
An article based on information from Mr Phillip White who was a member of Michael Cronin's party finding a track from Katanning to Gnarlbine who returned to Katanning for business.
An article in which Michale Cronin details the route that he forged from Katanning to Coolgardie. There was an overlap of the route with parts of the track that John Holland forged, at one point there is a tree marking 'R.T.K. J. Holland D.K. J.C. 24/5/93' which indicates that Holland was ahead of Cronin in forging a track. There was much discussion about whether Michael Cronin had fulfilled the terms of the agreement, but eventually the meeting agreed to pay the remaining twenty five pounds.
This document shows the Holland track route and shows that location of Gnarlbine Rock.
Information which details the discovery of gold in Western Australia and the impact on its development.
A short obituary on Michael Cronin from the West Australian which records that he blazed a trail from Katanning to the Coolgardie gold rush. He was a foundation member of the Katanning Agricultural Society. the Katanning Racing Club and served on the Katanning Road Board.
Copyright and Reference
Copyright and Reference
Courtesy of Katanning Historical Society.
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