Two Chinamen Gold Mine (First Hit), Morley's Find, Riverina Station, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Two Chinamen Gold Mine (First Hit)	Mine
Morley's Find	- not defined -
Riverina Station	- not defined -
Menzies Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Jack Carrott left the family farm at Kellerberrin aged 18, employed to help prospector Jim Morley. After they had visited several locations in the Eastern Goldfields without success, they arrived at an area about
8 kilometres north of the present day Riverina Station homestead. Here they discovered gold in 1937, at an old abandoned prospecting lease.

They named the lease pegged the Two Chinamen, even though neither were of Chinese descent. The reason for the name is open to speculation. One possibility is the old mining term 'Chinaman's Chance'. This originated from the Californian goldfields, in particular referring to Chinese who worked on the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. It was in use apparently in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Its meaning is an endeavour which stands little chance of success. At the time it had racist overtones. If so, this mine was mis-named. It was a gold deposit every prospector dreams of discovering.

After initially uncovering 5000 pounds worth of gold, Morley, who
was in poor health, sold his half share for 350 pounds to Jack. In turn Jack gave half the share to his father, Arthur Carrott. Together they worked the mine. Some sensationally rich crushings came from the mine. By 1939, 40 000 pounds worth had been won, a fortune for the time. 362 tonnes had been crushed for 3751 ounces of gold. Jack left the mine in 1940, and had made enough to buy a hotel in Kalgoorlie. His father continued at the mine, eventually achieving 4046 ounces.

Some of the stone contained more gold than quartz. This attracted the Western Mining Corporation to take out an option over the mine in 1939 for 35 000 pounds. After sampling and extracting 5000 tonnes of ore, they abandoned it as too small. The Carrott's were able to process the ore at profit, in addition to the money they had received initially for the option.

The shaft had been sunk to 125 feet, then continued another 25 feet on a 45 degree angle following the shoot. A five head battery had been erected.

A Perth and Kalgoorlie Syndicate, named the Two Chinamen Gold Mining Syndicate, acquired the option over the mine. They also controlled the nearby Paramount mine. Members included engineer Walter Lawton, R. Kyle, Jack Williams and J.L. Dillon.

In the late 1940's, the battery was taken over by Turbitt and Robinson (surnames), who also began crushing for the local prospectors in the area. The existing five head battery was reserved for hard ore, while the new Huntingdon mill treated soft ore.

Paddy or Patrick Robinson was also mining for the syndicate. In 1948, he was 70 feet down the main shaft when a flood engulfed the workings. With the shaft now in a state of disrepair, he sank a new shaft 100 feet to the south, but at 30 feet broke into the old Western Mining workings noted above. He drove south, opposite where Western Mining had gone, and discovered rich ore. The mine continued operations into the 1950s.

Two Chinamen borders the west side of the Riverina-Lake Ballard Road. At some point in recent decades, a large trial pit was dug at the site. There is a tailings heap, building foundations, and two tin buildings, one immediately west and the other south of the pit. The modern mining company has re-named the mine the First Hit. There is also a First Hit mine at Menzies. At the time of writing the area had been gated off, although there is little activity at the site.

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