Durham-Georgetown Workers' Political Organisation Archive
Durham is a small locality on the Gulf Developmental Road in the Bulloo Shire, about seven kilometres from Georgetown. Georgetown is situated on the Etheridge River in Far North Queensland. The Etheridge River was the site of a gold rush in the 1870s and Georgetown was established on the site of the diggings. The pro-union Durham-Georgetown W.P.O. was set up to protect workers’ rights. The letterbook contains descriptions of Etheridge River mining leases written by J Williamson in the early to mid-1900s. Mines include Betts St George, Three Jacks, Lady Leichardt, Plumbean Mine, Warrior Line, Jubilee, and Cumberland. There is also a loose copy of a memo about the Caledonia [Reef] P.C., Georgetown, for the Under Secretary, Dept of Mines, Brisbane from the Warden’s Office, Chillagoe, 6th November 1930. The rest of the letterbook consists of carbon copies of various correspondences from the Durham-Georgetown Workers’ Political Organisation from 1912. Letters were begun, “Dear Comrade,” signed R. Robertson, Hon Sec, and later G. Doherty, Sec.
Archive Location: 136L
Detailed Listing
DGWPO/1 1912 letterbook and various notes on Georgetown mines.
