Opal in SA museum from O'Neill Brothers claim on the southern end of the Big Flat Field, 1916 Their opal was purchased at the request of L. Keith Ward of the Mines Department for the State Collection. Later on the opals were sent to the SA Museum. Photos of these opals were made by David Cowen in 2008.
T. C. Wollaston Tullie Cornthwaite Wollaston was Australia's first opal buyer. He created a world market for the stone that had never before been seen in such quantity and quality. Jewellers were initially suspicious of the flashing fire of Australian opals, believing them to be artificial or frauds. Tullie persevered. After a chancy start, he developed partnerships overseas with buyers, cutters and polishers and in Australia with opal miners. He became the acknowledged authority on opal.
James Cheyne enlisted in the A.I.F. in 1916. He fought in France until he was captured by the Germans. He was a prisoner of war in a camp in Poland for the last 19 months of the war. Cheyne came to the Stuart Ranges in 1919 on his return from service with the Australian Infantry in World War I. He was an opal miner, water carter with his brother Arthur and store keeper.
Charlie & Michael Crowder Charlie and Mick and their brothers, Hughie, George and Peter, were renowned bush men. They worked for the government and station holders as stockmen, dam excavators, bore drillers and scrub rollers, mainly on the Eyre Peninsula but further north as well. Scrub rolling consisted of tearing up scrub by dragging a heavy chain between two teams of horses. The vegetation was then piled up for later burning. The Crowder brothers had a dugout, where the Old Timers Mine is now. It was connected to the rest of the town by informal tracks. The area was known as [...]
Charlie Bryant's camels After Charlie was discharged from the Imperial Forces, he returned to Australia,where he appears to have worked north of Port Augusta as a camel driver, station hand and dog fence patroller.
Charles Bryant in World War I uniform 1914 to 1918 Charlie Bryant was born in Port Augusta on 20/2/1889. He enlisted in the army on 27/4/1916. He was accepted as fit by the medical officer in Port Augusta, even though he was missing the thumb and index finger of his left hand, because he still had a good grip. After a year and 5 days of marching in England, though, Charlie reported unfit for duty. He was discharged because his left hand was useless for rifle use.
Charlie Bryant and camels Charlie Bryant was born in Port Augusta on 20/2/1889. He enlisted in the army on 27/4/1916. His occupation at the time was camel driver.