Arthur Bayley Print Page

A bookcase commemorates Arthur Bayley (28 March 1865 – 29 October 1896), a prospector who discovered gold at Fly Flat, Western Australia on 17 September 1892, around which the town of Coolgardie grew.

Speaking at a reception yesterday in the Coolgardie Road Board Hall  to Mr L.E.Cutbill (senior partner of the firm of Edward Cutbill & Co., members of the London Stock Exchange), Mr. H. W. Urquhart (technical adviser and engineer to the Anglo -Australian Development, North Kalgurli United, and the Commonwealth Mining and Development companies) Mr. A. T. Wreford and Mr. M. J. Calanchini (Under-Secretary for Mines), who are touring the goldfields of the State, the chairman of the Coolgardie Road Board (Mr. W. Fahan), suggested that there should be a more fitting and substantial monument to the late Mr. Arthur Bayley, who with Mr. John Ford, discovered, the Coolgardie field in 1892, than at present existed. 

Mr. Fahan, who is a pioneer of the district himself, and who has recently returned to Coolgardie after four years absence, said that at present the only monument to Bayley was a bookcase in the road board hall. That certainly was a reminder of Bayley's efforts, but there should be a public monument to commemorate him, for it was the find of Bayley's mine on what was originally known as Fly Flat that the State had been assisted to prosperity and the discoveries on the Golden Mile had been made which established the goldmining industry in Western Australia. There was a monument to Paddy Hannan at Kalgoorlie, and it was only right and fitting that there should be one equally large to Arthur Bayley.
The West Australian, 9th June 1934.

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