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Graves of Pilbara PioneersPrint Page 
The monument commemorates the pioneers of the Pilbara region and was erected on the centenary of Marble Bar.
The establishment of the monument was made possible by Mrs Georgina Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting Ltd. in honour of Lang Hancock who discovered the Pilbara iron ore fields.
Also known as the Lonely Graves Memorial, this Memorial is a result of passionate and extensive research by Len Lever of Marble Bar. Over the years Len Lever worked on the maintenance of the town water supply, serviced the power house and drove earthmoving equipment for road building. It was the latter job that led him to the lone graves. One day he disturbed a lone grave, that of William Breen died 10/7/24. He found from other grader drivers they had had similar experiences. Len was haunted by the isolation and poignancy of the graves and so he set out "recording, photographing and restoring them". This was followed by the building of a Memorial in the Marble Bar townsite in 1993. The Memorial is a tribute to the many pioneers who came to the harsh land of the Pilbara goldfields in search of a new life. The country and climate were very hard and cruel with the consequence that many people died and were buried in unmarked graves or unnamed graves, marked only by a group of rocks or a stick.
Location
| Address: | Francis Street, Marble Bar, 6760 |
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| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -21.172368 Long: 119.745052 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Landscape |
| Sub-Theme: | Settlement |
| Link: | https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/about-in… |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Tuesday 13th July, 1993 |
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Memorial to the graves of the Pilbara pioneers.
This memorial was erected on 13th July, 1993 on the occasion of the Centenary of Marble Bar. The plaques contained on these walls recognise those who pioneered or worked for the development of the Pilbara. The actual graves are located on roadsides, river banks, Homesteads and in many lonely and isolated places throughout the region. The men, women and children named in this memorial are only a small number of those who suffered human hardship and soul destroying conditions in order to open up the riches of the vast Pilbara region.
We honour them and all who toiled with them down through the decades with this Centenary Memorial.
A lifes work nobly done often without reward
Plaque :
Acknowledgment
The research and location of graves represented on this memorial was undertaken by Mr Len Lever of Marble Bar. His determination and generous financial support has assisted greatly toward the completion of the project in the Centenary Year of the town
Plaque :
Acknowledgment
The establishment of this memorial was made possible by the generous support of Mrs Georgina Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd.
In honour of Langley George Hancock
His vision and tenacious energy discovered the Pilbara iron ore fields which are recognised as one of the most signigficant events in the hisotry of the State and Australia.
