(C) Don Copley

NULLAGINE

HEMA Map reference 78/F7

21° 54' 36" S 120° 37' 11" E

Statistics

Caravan Parks

Unknown

Services

Attractions

Skull Springs, Ell Pool, Carawine Gorge, Beaton Gorge, Beaton's Rockhole, Town lookout.

Buildings of note

Unknown

Calendar of events

Unknown

Mining relics

(C) Caroline Brocx

Description

Gold was discovered in the area in the 1890s (some sources quote 1888 and one says N.W. Cooke discovered gold in 1886.) The townsite was gazetted in 1899 (one source says 1895) and derived its name from a nearby river called Ngullagine by local Aborigines. Diamonds were found in the area by gold prospectors in 1895 but they were not in commercial quantities.

The Blue Spec gold mine opened in 1906, its unusual name coming from a race horse. The horse won the Perth cup in 1905 and the Melbourne Cup the following year. The mine was to operate on and off for the next 70 years.

The population peaked at about 3000 during the early gold rush days and the first discovery of diamonds in Australia was made here. A number of other minerals have also been discovered in the area and it is popular with fossickers.

In 1958 John Crowe and his mate Paddy Gear went prospecting in the dry November heat. When their truck caught fire they were left with just a rife and a water bag and were more than 64 kilometres from the nearest help.

After walking 46 kilometres, John Crowe could go no further so Paddy left him the water bag and turned back. (as their maps were lost in the fire they did not know exactly where they were and at the time were only 18 kilometres from the nearest radio.)

Paddy walked the next three days in extreme heat and made it to Balfour Downs. When the rescue truck reached John Crowe he was found dead, most probably from heat exhaustion. John was buried at Nullagine.

The town is located 104 kilometres south of Marble Bar and is well off the beaten track.

On the road to Nullagine.

I am with a survey party in a place that God forgot,
And for White Australia it’s the daddy of the lot,
There ain’t a drop of water anywhere along the line,
And there ain’t no shady places on the road to Nullagine.

I’ve tasted life in no-man’s land, I’ve fed the flies outback,
I’ve tramped with empty tucker bags on Lawson’s lonely track,
I’ve toiled in Northern Queensland where I thought the sun could shine,
But no mistake, it takes the cake, this road to Nullagine.

With a jogger on my shoulder and a waterbag in hand,
I’m tramping through the spinifex and ploughing up the sand,
I’m sopping wet with honest sweat as salty as the brine,
And I’m baked and boiled and roasted on the road to Nullagine.

When I wake up in the morning a swarm of hungry flies,
Are trying to eat out holes in the corner of my eyes,
Prickly heat from head to foot, this poor old frame of mine,
Has had the Dengue fever on the road to Nullagine.

We tumble out at three o’clock and start to work at four,
It’s strip and cut the cadjiput with tomahawk and saw,
And like George Washington this little axe of mine,
Plays havoc with the timber on the road to Nullagine.

With headaches and toothaches and bung eyes in a sling,
With Barcoo rot and God knows what, I can’t eat anything,
I’m all wrapped up in bandages, tied up with bits of twine,
I’m travelling like a leper on the road to Nullagine.

One night I went to Marble Bar, a little after dark,
And all the dogs from miles around came at me with a bark,
I had a drop of amber, a shilling at a time,
There ain’t no pots for sixpence on the road to Nullagine!

It’s public bars and good cigars and let your sugar scoot,
And decorate your wardrobe with a white pearl button suit,
But if you wear old dungarees and hobnails number nine,
They class you as a ‘nigger’ on the road to Nullagine.

I’ve seen some queer places what I thought God had quite forgot,
Out in the never-never where we used to call it hot,
But this little bit of country where old Sol comes out to shine,
Is the nearest place to Hell on Earth, this road to Nullagine!

Ted Gregg (Wallabung)
Nullagine road survey party 1890s

There has obviously been some plagiarism involved with this poem as we found a second version in the book 'Meekatharra End of the Earth' by P.R. Heydon. The second version is presented as being written by 'Nulla Nulla' but no date is given so it is hard to work out who pinched who's work. The two poems are much too similar to have been written independently of each other so someone has been cheating. The second version is presented below:

On the road to Nullagine.

I am with the Police Department in a place that God forgot,
And for White Australia it’s the daddy of the lot;
There ain’t a drop of water anywhere along the line,
And there ain’t no shady places on the Road to Nullagine.

I’ve tasted life in no-man’s land, I’ve fed the flies outback,
I’ve tramped with empty tucker bags on Lawson’s lonely track,
I’ve toiled in Northern Waters where I thought the sun could shine,
But no mistake, it takes the cake, the Road to Nullagine.

With rifle on my shoulder, and a water bag in hand,
I’m tramping through the spinifex, and ploughing up the sand;
My brow is wet with honest sweat as salty as the brine,

But no mistake this takes the cake, the Road to Nullagine.

When I wake up in the morning a swarm of hungry flies,
Are fighting for their breakfast, in the corner of my eyes;
Prickly heat from head to foot, this poor old frame of mine,
Has had the Dengue fever on the Road to Nullagine.

With headaches and toothaches and bungeyes in a sling,
With Barcoo rot and God knows what, I can’t eat anything;
I’m all wrapped up in bandages, tied with bits of twine,
I’m travelling like a leper on the Road to Nullagine.
 

There's Bardeie Pie and Cocky Bob, Tin Dog and Kangaroo

A change of diet once a month, boiled mutton and a stew

I long for pig and poultry when I'm sitting down to dine

But thank the Lord for all I've got on the Road to Nullagine

One day I drank some water it was from a Scalding Well

And very shortly afterwards I felt inclined to yell;

A burning hot sensation ran up and down my spine

I thought I was a gonner on the Road to Nullagine

One night I went to Marble Bar, a little after dark,
And all the Mongs from miles around came at me with a bark,
I had a drop of amber, a shilling at a time,
There ain’t no Pots for sixpence on the  Road to Nullagine!

It’s Public Bars and Good Cigars and let your -sugar scoot,
And decorate your wardrobe with a White Pearl button suit,
But if you wear old khakis and hob-nails number nine,
They class you as a Nigger on the Road to Nullagine.

I’ve been in some queer places that I thought God had forgot,
Out in the "never never" where we used to call it hot;
But this little bit of country, where Old Sol comes out to shine,
Is the nearest place on Earth to Hell; It's name is NULLAGINE.