Article from "The West Australian- Perth- Sat 28th Aug 1943"
MINING PIONEER.
Mr F. W. P. Cammilleri Dead.
A further link with the early days
of the West Australian goldfields was
severed on August 17 when the death
occurred of Mr Frederick William
Ponsonby Cammilleri, of Busselton.
The late Mr Cammilleri was born in
Canada in 1861, and after spending
nine years at sea, was attracted to
Western Australia in 1886 by the
discovery of gold in the Kimberleys.
He was among the first prospectors
on that field and also prospected
other northern fields.
He was prospecting on the Mur-
chison in 1892 when he heard of the
discovery of gold at Coolgardie by
Bayley. He set out from York on
foot in company with several others,
and arrived at Coolgardie in October,
1892. Mr Cammilleri found and
opened up in 1894, on the Brown
Hill lease (No 165), the chute of
gold which made the Golden Mile
famous. The body of ore was 3,300ft
in length, 150ft wide and about 70ft
deep, and yielded gold to the value
of about £7,000,000. This pipe of
ore was the richest found in West-
ern Australia.
In 1899 he heard that gold had
been found at Donnybrook and
prospected the area, opening up the
first claim there in partnership with
several others. He also took an in-
terest in tin mining at Greenbushes.
In 1895 he married Miss Kate Lay-
man, second daughter of the late
Mr and Mrs Geo Layman, of Won-
nerup, who were among the earliest
pioneers of the Busselton district.
At about that time he settled in Bus-
selton and later acquired farming
interests, but he often went pros-
pecting for a variety of minerals
on many fields throughout the State
until fairly recent years. When
about 80 years of age he went in
search of a sulphur deposit in the
South-West which he had located
many years ago. He took an active
interest in public affairs and was
on the Busselton Municipal Council
for a considerable time, serving four years as Mayor.
Fix this textyears as Mayor.