Boodalyerri gold area, East Pilbara Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Boodalyerri gold area	Mining District
East Pilbara Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Boodalyerri Creek runs in a north-east direction from east of the Elsie workings (listed under Ripon Hills on Mindat) to just above the Carrawine Gorge on the Oakover River. The gorge is the nearest feasible location that is accessible to this remote area.

Gibb-Maitland is probably the most authoritative is this regard stating it is 6 miles east of Elsie.

Brothers William and Angus McPhee, with Arthur E. Clark discovered the site late 1900. They arrived back in town with 160 ounces of alluvial and specimen gold, and claimed several leases. These were the Boodalyerri GML 586 12 acres, Federation GML 597 12 acres, Granite Proprietary GML 598 6 acres, Granite Consols GML 599 6 acres, and Granite View GML 600 6 acres.

A rush set in,and soon two hundred men were on the field. They left shortly after disappointed. Minor alluvial gold was found in a couple of gullies, but little else. The reefs were said to be low grade, and the leases were individually miles apart.

John Martin arrived later in 1901. Martin was a man who was not put off by others claiming a field was barren. Working alone in very remote country he set up his home made, windmill driven battery, and set about exploring the reefs. The lease at this stage was called the Golden Granite. GML 601. Martin from 1901 to 1903 produced 106 tonnes of ore for 827 ounces of gold. Of that, 99 ounces was dollied and specimen stone.

The lease contained an irregular network of very thin quartz leaders, close to a dyke, north-west striking , dipping 65 degrees west. The quartz was found either side of a 'joint', with the surrounding granite altered to a greenish yellow rock. 500 ounces was obtained from the neighbouring gully during the initial rush Gibb-Maitland states. The shaft at the Golden Granite was down to 35 feet, the reef 4 feet wide at the 20 foot depth. Another rich leader was 197 feet to the north-west. He notes Martin's 3 head mill, and a dam had also been constructed.

The Granite Proprietary lease produced 50 ounces of dollied and specimen stone. In addition was the 160 ounces by the original prospectors, and sundry alluvial amounts during the rush, the amount unknown but likely minor according to reports at the time (ignoring Gibb-Maitland who states 500 ounces later, but alluvial gold at this time was never officially reported).

By mid 1904, Martin had moved to another unloved mine, being the Elsie to the west, and was similarly successful for a short time.

Several minor outlying locations were mentioned in passing at the time. Bateman and White's Reward mine was discovered in September 1902, and within six months 110 ounces was obtained. GML 617. Gibb-Maitland states it is north-east of the Golden Granite, abandoned when visited. The reef strikes north-west and dips steeply south. There is a network of reefs and leaders running parallel. 6 tonnes of ore had been extracted.

Owen Connolly applied for GML 619 in 1903, Big Blow, 12 acres, 4 miles south of the Bateman's location.

In 1909, Thomas Moore, James Saul, and Frederick Bensel uncovered a rich reef, 3 miles east of the Bateman's location, 12 miles from the Golden Granite, pegged as GML 701 calling it Boodalyerri East, 6 acres.

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