Kalgoorlie Block was on the Eastern side of Forest Avenue Rostrevor¹. It was built on block 346. One of two blocks granted to Charles W. Stuart, the other being block 294.² It was at that time listed as Stradbroke.

These blocks were then sold to Ross Thompson Reid, and were then known as the “Stradbroke Estate”.

Photos of Ross Thompson Reid & Samuel William Pearce as they appeared in the  
Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931) Saturday 16 January 1915 p 42

Ross Thompson Reid was the builder of “Rostrevor Hall”, now Rostrevor School. See further information on the Rostrevor House.

In 1895 Samuel William Pearce bought the “Stradbroke Estate”. He and his wife Mary, nee Williams, lived in Stradbroke House. The house on block 346, was for his son, and became known as Kalgoorlie Block. Kalgoorlie was the source of the family income. A South Australian syndicate was formed to explore for gold in Western Australia, in June of 1893. The £150 finance was arranged by Sir George Brookman. Samuel Pearce and W.G. Brookman were the other members of the syndicate, and it was these two men who left by sea for Albany, to search for gold. When they arrived in Coolgardie, Western Australia, they found out that a rush had taken place to what is now known as Kalgoorlie. They too joined the gold rush to that area. After digging for a short time only, they struck gold. This discovery was to become the Ivanhoe Mine. W.G. Brookman left almost immediately for Coolgardie; while he was away Samuel Pearce continued his searching. After climbing what is now known as Pearce’s Hill, he discovered more gold, and that was the beginning of the Great Boulder Mine.⁴

To get these mines up and running it took a lot more capital than the syndicate possessed, or could lay their hands on. W.G Brookman sailed to England to raise the money required. Samuel Pearce had been promised a percentage of all the gold mined at the syndicate mines. Somewhere in the effort to obtain working capital in England this promise was forgotten. He did not become poor by any stretch of the imagination, but he himself believed that his share, in the original agreement, would have run into many millions of pounds. In all Samuel William Pearce discovered seventeen gold mines, leading people to say he had the ability to smell gold. One of these mines he called the Lady Mary Mine in honour of his wife. Samuel William Pearce died at the age of 84, in 1932, at the Adelaide Hospital.⁵

In 1905 David Virgo became the new owner of the Kalgoorlie Block which he called 'Luxford Gardens'. David Virgo was a blacksmith from Balaklava, in the mid-north of South Australia. A career change, led David Virgo to become a Stock Agent and Auctioneer. He was also Chairman of the Balaklava District Council from 1881-1884. For 30 years he was Secretary of the Balaklava & Dalkey Agricultural Society, and a trustee and President of the Balaklava Institute. He also served as the Secretary of the local Methodist Church Trust. ⁶ During his time in local Government he was responsible for a new school being built in Balaklava. A new parsonage was also built during the period of his service to the local Methodist congregation. This was apart from being a J.P. a preacher, a Sunday School Superintendent, and Circuit Steward. His home life was as fulfilling as his public life, he and his wife raising twelve children. After moving to Hectorville, because of a heart condition, he became a member of the Campbelltown District Council holding the position of chairman for 12 months. He died aged 67 at Rostrevor (then called Hectorville) in 1911.

Kalgoorlie Estate House, Rostrevor
Heritage Survey of the Campbelltown Council p 275

In 1918 the new owners were Richard Fricker and his wife Clara Emma nee Bristow, also their son in law Herman F. Liebich and daughter Ruby Clair Liebich. Richard Fricker was a shipping agent from Port Adelaide. The Liebich's owned the property, which they called 'Glen Rest', until 1945. After 1945 the property was divided into smaller and smaller lots.

Researched and compiled by Jim Nelson, a volunteer with the Campbelltown Library “Digital Diggers” group.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the information in this local history article, please contact the Local History officer on 8366 9357 or hthiselton@campbelltown.sa.gov.au

References

1. Warburton, Elizabeth, 1986, 'From the river to the hills: Campbelltown, 150 years', Corporation of the City of Campbelltown, Campbelltown South Australia.
2. Leany, John T, 1968, 'Campbelltown 1868-1968', Corporation of the City of Campbelltown, Campbelltown South Australia, P 32.
3. Nelson, Jim 2018, 'Rostrevor House', Corporation of the City of Campbelltown, viewed 16 August 2018
4. trove.nla.gov/Great Southern Leader (Pingelly, WA : 1907 - 1934) Friday 15 January 1932 p 1
5. 1932 'DEATH OF FAMOUS PROSPECTOR', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 2 January, p. 10. , viewed 16 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29883869
6. trove.nla.gov/Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912) Tuesday 12 December 1911 p 4
7. 1911 'The Late Mr. David Virgo, J.P.', The Wooroora Producer (Balaklava, SA : 1909 - 1940), 21 December, p. 3. , viewed 16 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206986378
8. R Fricker and Company, BRG199. 2018 [online] State Library of South Australia. Available at: http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au [Accessed 8 Nov. 2018].

Photographs

Ross Thomson Reid - Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931) Saturday 16 January 1915 p 42

Samuel William Pearce - Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 - 1950) Monday 16 September 1929 p 4

Kalgoorlie Block House Hectorville, Heritage Survey of the Campbelltown Council by Sarah Laurence and Taylor Weidenofer Page 275.