Snapshot in Time: How grazing expedition in 1848 led to lead mining and establishment of Geraldton port

An expedition in 1848, led by August Gregory, headed north from the Swan River settlement, primarily searching for good pastures for grazing. Hampered by rough terrain, plans to reach the Gascoyne River were abandoned in favour of the Murchison River. Exploring along the course of the river, they found deposits of galena, which contains a high percentage of lead. This was a promising discovery as the colony was in dire need of commodities for export, and lead was in high demand for lining tea chests and making shot, bullets and pewter. This industry led to the establishment of a port on the coast which was to become the town of Geraldton. In order to promote the Geraldine Mine, two large slabs of pure lead ore were sent by ship to London, where they were displayed in the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Geraldine Mine had ceased operations around 1878 but saw a brief resurgence during World War II due to demand for lead. A sad legacy of lead mining is that little was known about the dangers of lead and many people became what was known as plumb crazy — plumbago being an earlier name for lead. Snapshots is an initiative of the Geraldton Regional Library. For more information, or to donate a historical photo or slide contact 9956 6659 or library@cgg.wa.gov.au