NEWCASTLE
Gold was found about here in 1887 by Mr. Glass, of Mugakine, who found a piece weighing 11 grains while digging a well. The ground about the hills is very rocky, but the flats are fertile and favourable for fruit-trees and vines, and there is plenty of water in ponds; Mr. Clarkson, in the early days, found sandstone ranges rising 1000 feet; small rivers fall between these ranges into the sea.
New Norcia, the Benedictine’s Mission settlement, is situated on the Victoria plains, about 50 miles from Newcastle by road, and 80 miles to the north of Perth. You can also go to New Norcia by taking the train to Mogumbur on the Cue line, and thence driving 15 miles to New Norcia. Here the late good Bishop Salvado, laboured amongst the aboriginals for over half a century, and died at over 85. The religious community numbers about 60 monks, most of whom are Spanish. The Abbey is called Abbey Nullias, and there are a cruciform church of stone, a monastery, and 51 other buildings. Over 1000 acres of land are cleared and fenced, 800 are under cultivation, and 150 aboriginals are clothed and educated by the monks. The object of these good men of the Mission is to civilise and christianise the natives. Bishop Salvado describes his first interview with the aboriginals thus: “I tried to begin a conversation by signs with these poor Australians, so hideous to view, though mild and almost timid; but all that they would say was ‘Maragna’ (food).” In 1846, Father Salvado and Father Serra, with a few catechists, were guided by some natives to the site which is now called New Norcia. Fifty acres of land had been granted them by the Colonial Government, and thus was laid the foundation of this now well-known and flourishing settlement. In 1848 the first R.C. Bishop of Perth, Dr. Brady, sent Father Serra to Europe to obtain subscriptions and more missionaries for New Norcia, and 1250 acres of land were purchased by him with the collections obtained in this way from Europe. In 1849 Father Salvado went to Europe, taking with him two native Christian boys. There he collected large sums of money, and on his return a number of missionaries, competent in agriculture and trade, returned with him, thus giving new life to the Mission, where they built a chapel, cottages, corn and granary mills, wooden houses, workshops, and quarters for natives. The land was soon cleared by these good and energetic men, assisted by the aborigines whom they had befriended, and to-day one can look around the Mission and see happiness, prosperity, and contentment on all sides. All the aborigines now there are civilised, but, for years before they became so, they looked on the Bishop as a god who possessed superhuman knowledge, especially in doctoring the sick. One native whom he had relieved leaped and danced, and shouted war-cries, and said: “Father, when you die I shall be so sorry that I shall kill, not only one man of the enemy’s tribe, but six kangaroo-hunters, to show everybody the love I have for you.” Many years have passed away, and if you now visit New Norcia you will see 1000 acres of fields, stocked with sheep and cattle; a most prosperous agricultural settlement; corn in abundance; barley, hay, vegetables, tobacco, and acres of vineyard, from which a wine, said by those who have sampled it to be excellent, is made. Fine olives are grown; olive oil, pure and clear, is made; candied almonds, figs, raisins, grapes, and apples are in profusion. The Bishop’s only luxury was snuff, grown at the Mission, which is very aromatic and provocative of much sneezing. Almost everything required and used is made and produced on the spot. The aborigines learn quickly and are most devout Christians. The Mission has a brass band of natives, who have been well trained, and their efforts are most pleasing.
Bishop Salvado was in Perth a few months ago, and received a warm welcome from all creeds and classes; he was then on his way to Rome, in which city he recently passed away.
Progressive Northam, the gateway of the goldfields, in the lovely Avon Valley, was the scene of my next visit. The green undulating fields through which I passed in the train on my approach to Northam showed a perfect blaze of wild flowers in every spot where there was room for them to spring between the well-cultivated farm lands. The rich soil of this beautiful valley is quite different from the deep sandy soil near the coast, or from the loam and ironstone of the ranges of the Darling. Quantities of water are always obtainable by shallow sinking, should other supplies fail. The fat cattle always seem to be waiting to accumulate wealth for their owners, and the comfortable-looking farmhouses impress one with the idea of solid comfort within. Northam has a population of 2000 people, is increasing fast, and prospering more than any other agricultural district in Western Australia; and being the starting-point of the Yilgarn, Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Mount Malcolm and Mount Margaret goldfields, is really the threshold of the fields, as well as the great centre of the agricultural industry in this part of the colony.
A large staff of railway men is employed in the locomotive department, over 400 men being paid every fortnight at Northam. The railway platform is half a mile long, and I believe a magnificent railway station will shortly further improve the town.
Northam has gone ahead with gigantic strides. On my first visit, a little over two years ago, it was a very small place indeed, in fact two places, as I found to my sorrow when I got out of the train at the wrong station (there are both East and West Northam) and had to walk a mile and a half up a desolate country road to get to my destination. Now houses, shops, banks, &c., are built nearly all along that road, and omnibuses ply from one end of the town to the other. Northam bids fair to become one of the most important towns in Western Australia.
There are some charming estates about here, notably that of the Hon. George Throssell, late Commissioner of Crown Lands, and now Premier since Sir John Forrest relinquished office. Mr. Throssell might almost be described as the father of Northam. He has resided in what he so poetically describes as his lovely valley home for 36 years, and it is chiefly due to his strenuous exertions, the devotion of his energies to its development, and his manly spirit of help to all, that Northam is what it is to-day. Mr. Throssell goes home to Northam after his week’s official work every Friday and remains until Tuesday in the company of his wife and numerous and happy family of sons, daughters, and grandchildren. This grand old man has a large and important business in Northam in conjunction with Mr. Stewart, and branches in different parts of the colony as well. The machinery stores are well worth inspection. Every possible kind of English and American machinery for tilling the soil is here to be seen. The drill and fertiliser now coming into use make farming a pastime and pleasure, instead of the weariness and hard work of past ages. With these new implements of agriculture, 600 acres of land can be drilled with only 20 lb. of wheat to the acre, in place of 75 lb., as in olden days.