The Folklore of Western Australia

INTRODUCTION -

Western Australia has a rich and varied folklore but if you have read any books on Australian folklore you would barely be aware of it.

Most books written about Australia and Australian history tend to focus on the eastern states and W.A. is invariably forgotten. We are one third of the Australian land mass but in the eyes of 'tothersiders' Australia ends on the eastern side of the W.A. border.

While I read through uncountable numbers of history books looking for information for wanowandthen.com, I quite often find little snippets of information that are funny or interesting but don't quite fit into the usual historical narrative. Few people will ever find them as they are buried deep in thick volumes that hardly anyone reads.

I always felt that it was a shame that nobody would ever hear these stories and that is where I got the idea for this website.

This is an attempt to set the record straight and to put down as much of our folklore as I can collect.

I operate a Facebook page at : West Australian Folklore where you can add to the growing collection and I will then include the story on this website for everyone to share.

Our folklore is a combination of true stories, funny stories and outright leg-pulling. It can include prose and poetic verse but as long as it is about Western Australia then it will find a home here.

Please contribute by adding to the stories we already have and let the eastern states know that W.A. has a folklore history too!

(This website is brought to you by Western Australia Now and Then - www.wanowandthen.com)

WARNING
Some of the stories on this website are particularly gruesome and involve abuse or self-harm. If you are likely to be negatively affected by such material then it would not be wise to keep reading.

The Folklore of Western Australia

If you would like to make a small donation to help us research more stories or just because you enjoyed reading what we already have here, you can do so via the PayPal button below.





CONTROLS -


Start - Go to the first story
Previous - Go to the previous story
Index - Go to the index (this page)
Next - Go to the next story
Last - Go to the last story




WEBSITES WE RECCOMEND -


There are some wonderful websites available for you to read more about our history and the amazing stories that are part of our combined heritage.

The ones we have listed below are some of our absolute favourites. They are the result of huge amounts of time and effort by their creators. If you enjoy the content then please do what you can to support them.


Outback Family History Blog

The Dusty Box

Dodgy Perth

Roebourne Murders

Lost Perth

Also we would like to give a plug for two amazing local publishers without whom, many of these stories would never have been published in the first place.



Hesperian Press

Fremantle Press

Finally a plug for my own work as I have written a number of bush ballads about W.A. and Australia in general.



Bush Ballads and Bulldust





GET YOUR OWN COPY -


If you would like to get a PDF copy of the stories on this website that you can read offline or even print out and turn into your own hard copy book, you can order through PayPal at the link below. All sales of this book help us to gather more information and stories for this site and our main website. It is only $3.99 AUD!




DISCLAIMER : Things on this site may be fake, false, made up, jokes, lies or even, on occasion, facts. Folklore is not meant to be taken seriously or to be a true representation of our histiry. If you choose to do that, then it isn't our problem. Likewise the pictures on this website may, or may not, accurately represent the content of the stories.





This website was created and edited by Marc Glasby (c) 2022

INDEX

Introduction
Resources
Golden road!
Adams & Flinders
Twice lucky
Plane Crash & Glider Club
Marry me! Or Else!
Hoodwinked!
Spirit of the goldfields
Nuclear explosion?
Sophisticated Tom
Suspicious drowning
Horse whipped!
Eye Eye Sir!
Poisoned flour
Dying to be together
Sawn off shop
The ship comes Inn
A tale of two apples
Secret herbs and spices
Down the well
Dodgy damper
Icy cold
Teacher gets a lesson
Bubbly bath
Blood donor
Murder most foul
Red Dog
Baby boom
Tribal feud
Moonlight dip
Old MacDonald
Publican's problem
Town with no beer!
New Chum's luck
Ghost!
A terrible thirst
Industrial sabotage
Not a 'Fair Cop'
'Sleeping' crocs
The story of Darcy
Avon River Monster
Unsolved murder
A load of bull
1st major mining disaster
Pearl Divers & Goldfields
Fear of Finnerty
The exploding toilet
The Mad 8
Ghost on the bridge
The saddest tale of all
Murdered for gold
Pommie John and the Sub
Liquid lunch
All at sea in an esky
Cat uses all nine lives
Irish Rebels escape!
Murder at the town hall
Fremantle Doctor
The Cursed Pearl
Diamond Jack
Seven point kick
Falling Stones
The Alkimos
Drop Bear
Min Min Lights
Hoop Snakes
Sung to death?
The Cockie Farmer
Convict Gold
The Eucla Nymph
Lost Dutch Settlement
Russian Jack
Moondyne Joe
Before the Catalpa
Funniest poem?
North - South rivalry
Secession
No Rationing
Perth station 1926
Gold fever
Misery's Trek
John Aspinall
Beer Strike
Wagon master at ten
Love and murder
Donnybrook slaying
Pretty Boy
Camping out
No fishing
Switching on
The Plane Truth
Tennis in prison
A life-long vigil
Alcohol poisoning
Cacker Alley
Rules for teachers
Hazards of the bush
Not a shining example
Amorous Abdul
Sleazy Sleeveless Shirt Club
Bastard of a place to die
Stories from Whim Creek
Good enough
Working conditions
Alcohol cure all
Joe and the Governess
The winnings ran out
White Divers of Broome
Turning a blind eye
The Old Broome dies
A Pig of a deal
Tasty 'Maggots'
Weird Law
A Letter
Shot in Self Defence
Two Minutes Silence
A Wing and a Prayer
Lang
Merde!
Railway troubles
Fire and Water
Boulder Bombs
Sly Grog Shop
Nannup Tiger
Stud Ram
Back to work
Buried Treasure
Giant Lettered Sheds
Beaten To The Punch
Sinking Feeling
Illiterate Pigs
School Days
Police Prank
Fast First Aid
Happy Workers
The Right Result
Local lothario
Child Abuse
Kangaroo Hunting
Shinplaster
Murder at the Inn
Slippery Slope
The Crow and the Gold
Longest boat chase
Mother of the North
Tribute to Mukinbudin
A Rare Drop
The Last Dance
Accusational Kangaroo
Sunday Service
On The Run
Damper with extras!
More tales of Damper
Taking Charge
Promised Land
Fastest Beer
Live or Die
Rough Ride
The Boss
Townsfolk Never Know
Tin Kettling
Life Savers
Keep It Dark
The Tailor and the Bootmaker
Mock Execution Gone Wrong
Kidnap and Escape
Two Geraldtons
Australia's Oldest Ghost?
Real Ghost Ship
The Londonderry
Almost a duel
Cycle Specials
Pearlers Revenge
Greenbushes Murder
Black Jack the pirate
First and Last Duel
All White Jury
Weird Laws
Booty Laden Boot
Doctored Booze
5KA Finch
A Natural Pilot
Abreast of the situation
False Teeth
Left Hanging
Swaying Tree
Tree Climb
$25,000 Christmas Tree
Writing With Names
The pub, then the hospital
Protection Racket
Opportunity
Morality
A Fair Cop
Two Up & The Cup
A Woman's Lot
The Poor Fisherman
Outback Dunny