Miner's Cottage

Miner's Cottage is a charming and historically significant miner’s cottage that was relocated from Piccadilly Street, near the hospital, to its current home at the Museum of the Goldfields. This quaint home once belonged to Vera Shenan, a well-respected matron at the local hospital who was much loved in the Kalgoorlie community. Vera lived in this house for nearly 50 years, and she passed away just over 20 years ago, nearing 100 years of age.

Like many miner’s cottages of its time, this home started as a simple structure, often built by a single man making do with whatever materials he could find. Floorboards were sometimes made from packing crates, while walls and roofing were fashioned from compressed cyanide tins, reflecting the resourcefulness of early settlers. As life changed—perhaps with marriage or children—the cottage would simply be expanded, with extra rooms added as needed.

The house retains many of its original features, including the outdoor toilet, which would have been a cold inconvenience in winter and stiflingly hot in summer, thanks to its corrugated iron walls. Even today, stepping inside the cottage offers a sense of how warm these small homes could get, especially in Kalgoorlie’s harsh climate. Vera’s Cottage stands as a reminder of the resilience and ingenuity of those who built their lives in the Goldfields, making it a fascinating stop for visitors exploring the history of the region.