Home-Made Wheelbarrow

This handcrafted wheelbarrow, made from local gimlet wood and found materials, including a sawn-off log wheel, showcases the resourcefulness and adaptability of early miners. Built using whatever materials were available, it was likely used for transporting rocks, dirt, or tools underground, proving essential for day-to-day mining operations.

The wheelbarrow was discovered by Greg Bowden in an old mine drive at the 30-metre level of Shaft 13, near Corsair, about 12 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie. This simple yet effective piece of equipment provides a rare glimpse into the make-do attitude of miners, who often had to construct their own tools and equipment in the remote and demanding conditions of the Goldfields.

Preserved as part of Western Australia’s mining heritage, this artefact was donated by Robert Mundy Drilling in 1991 (H1991.170), ensuring that the ingenuity of past miners is remembered for generations to come.