Candle spider

Equipment

Safety first

A miner could carry this candle holder, or using the pointed end, spear it into the tunnel wall. Candles were considered an essential part of mining, and all miners had to supply their own candles. Without light, miners could not find their way through their mining pit, or back to the surface. This candle holder, called a candle spider, was donated by L. Ralph.

Available at:

Museum of the Goldfields

Lookout for the bright red headframe

The iconic Ivanhoe Headframe is a Kalgoorlie landmark and sits above the Museum of the Goldfields, offering wonderful views of the town. At the Museum you can learn about how Aboriginal people in the...

Address:

17 Hannan Street
Kalgoorlie WA 6430
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9021 8533

Email:

wamkb@museum.wa.gov.au

Open Hours

Mon to Fri 10am - 3pm; ANZAC Day 1 - 3pm; Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday.

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Eastern Goldfields Operative Bakers Industrial Union of Workers

Workers’ rights

This Trade Union Banner made of canvas with silk edging likely depicts an actual bakery in Kalgoorlie, or Boulder, in 1911. Trade Unions were important to workers in the Goldfields. Migrant workers...

Bicycle home-made c1899

A very bumpy ride

A miner known as ‘Mulga Bill’ owned this bike, made of mulga, old boxes, meat tins and bullock hide. Mulga Bill reputedly rode this bike between Southern Cross and Mount Barker. The bike also featured...