BALLA BALLA Cemetery - West Australia :: FamilyTreeCircles.com Genealogy
<< Previous - Next >>

BALLA BALLA Cemetery - West Australia

Journal by ngairedith

Balla Balla was once located near the Balla Balla river mouth which acted as a port for the Whim Creek Copper Mine

The traditional owners of the area are the Ngarluma peoples, who inhabited the region around the Balla Balla, the Maitland and the Sherlock Rivers

The river name was recorded in 1878 by John Forrest (1847-1918), who was surveying the area at the time.
The name is believed to be aboriginal in origin and is thought to come from the Kanyarra word Parla which means mud

The river rises on the southern side of Yirrakulanna Hills and flows in a north easterly direction crossing the North West Coastal Highway near the Whim Creek Stranger mine then finally discharging into Balla Balla harbour near Depuch Island in the Indian Ocean.

The river is ephemeral and can be completely dry in the summer months, but during periodic flood events the water level can rise over 5.5 metres (18 ft). It has three tributaries including; Whim Creek, Louden Creek and Caporn Creek


on 20th March 1912 the "Crown of England" was wrecked on a reef during a cyclone off Balla Balla, Depuch Island. Eight of her crew were lost

the Balla Ball Cemetery is located on the track to Balla Balla on a small hill prior to going down onto a mud flat.
It is about 18km from Whim Creek (Whim Creek was renowned for its alcoholic camel which used to drink patrons' beers before being relocated to Wiluna, suffering from cirrhosis of the live)

Some of those buried here were witnesses to a murder. The murder victim was Thomas Henry DARLINGTON who, on 23 December 1911 aged 33, was stabbed in the neck by Frenchman Joseph SALENO during a drunken brawl. Thomas Darlington is buried at Whim Creek cemetery
Saleno was arrested and sent to Roebourne Gaol and witnesses to the murder were sent by ships to Perth to give evidence. The ships never arrived as they foundered near Depuch Island when a cyclone came roaring in. After all the carnage he had been responsible for Saleno only received a 3 year sentence


Andriasen, C. P.
- 22 March 1912 aged 56
- he was a Sailor on the Crown of England

Boloe, H.
- 14 April 1914 aged 20
- a sailor who died aboard the schooner 'Merlin' off Depuch Island

Gron, H.
- 22 March 1912 aged 17
- he was a cabin boy on the Crown of England

Hammand, J. H.
- 11 January 1898 aged 53
- he was a labourer who drowned accidentally at Balla Balla

Harris, W.
- 10 October 1912 aged 30
- he was a fireman, he died from a back injury

Hill, T. J.
- 22 March 1912 aged 33
- his is the only headstone at this cemetery

McHenry, V. J.
- 26 November 1901 aged 33
- he was an accountant and died at the Balla Balla hotel from a heart attack

Maginius, E. P.
- 22 March 1912 aged 36
- he was a wharfinger

Pitsikas, J.
- 22 March 1912 aged 23
- he was a sailor on board the Crown of England.

Surnames: ANDRIASEN BOLOE DARLINGTON GRON HAMMAND HARRIS HILL MAGINIUS PITSIKAS SALENO
Viewed: 2367 times
Likes: 1
by ngairedith Profile | Research | Contact | Subscribe | Block this user
on 2011-07-18 19:06:28

ngairedith has been a Family Tree Circles member since Feb 2008.

Do you know someone who can help? Share this:

Comments

by janilye on 2011-07-18 23:07:39

I've got Balla Balla and Whim Creek transcriptions. And 49 lonely grave sites in the Roebourne area.

by janilye on 2011-07-18 23:13:19

Put up there under J Pitsikas
Raata Shi and Thompson R McG [ 2 people not found who drowned during the cyclone.]

by ngairedith on 2011-07-18 23:19:02

wow ... your comment on these 2 cemeteries came through while I was writing a posting on the Whim Creek as Im doing a bit of research into the murder of Thomas Henry Darlington by Joseph Salveno at the Whim Creek hotel in 1911

maybe I can get some info off you about the burials ...

by janilye on 2011-07-18 23:22:01

I don't have the public cemeteries. Just cattle stations, gold mines etc. mainly lone graves in the bush.

by janilye on 2011-07-18 23:25:11

I've got another one in Balla Balla but not with the group he's down by Boocangeru Creek The name on it is Sp Gibbings.

by ngairedith on 2011-07-18 23:27:43

you know, I bet a lot of the old miners are buried all over the 'town' and will never be found

by janilye on 2011-07-18 23:52:52

yes. Well see the post on Coolgardie pioneer cemetery only 6 bodies were identified before they were interred. Gold fever attracted a lot of people from all over and a lot with alias's
I just found 6 more graves from the Norweigan Barque Crown of England buried on Depuch Island with some others from the vessel 'Clara' 16 graves altogether

by ngairedith on 2011-07-19 00:01:39

you going to do a journal on that ??

by janilye on 2011-07-19 00:04:15

Only names no details all Norweigan;

Depuch Island:-
E. FLODIN, K GRON, J.JANSANN,
K J JOHANNSEN, H NEWTON, O SEVALDSEN.

All the other graves about 10 are from the lighter ship 'Clara" no names.
Close by in Flying Foam Passage I have the graves of the people from the schooner 'Anne' when she went down 10 January 1894. when you're interested.

by ngairedith on 2011-07-19 00:05:43

:) you throw a good curve ball

by janilye on 2011-07-19 00:07:11

No, I might do the lonely graves from around there. depends what's left after you get your info. :)

by janilye on 2011-07-19 00:20:57

You're the journal doer I'm the info provider.

A lot of these graves have no names just the gps.
Here's an interesting one at Harding River
Aboriginal elder R Solomon he's by the bank, 80 metres from the aboriginal burial ground. What a shame there's no dates.

I didn't know there was a leprosarium there. On an Island opposite Cossack, called Lazaret Leprosarium: 3 graves. an afghan, an aboriginal and a european. (Wonder how they got on.)

by ngairedith on 2011-07-19 20:47:45

added info

Register or Sign in to comment on this journal.