Sherman archives - early days in Andamooka

The following series of photographs form a small part of older photographs Opal Academy is digitising and preserving for the Sherman Archives. Graciously provided by Peter Sherman. Some of these photos will have captions and stories, in other photos, some of the details of the people are unknown or lost in history. Opal Academy invites anyone who can provide further identification, information or stories are invited to contact the Opal Academy to discuss and update. We want to record and preserve as much information as can be.

Ernie Sherman outside his dugout in Andamooka Possibly 1932

Another example of a dugout in Andamooka

Sherman’s House - Andamooka - Circa 1946

Opal Camp - Andamooka Albertoni Brothers Opposite the Post Office.

Post Office Andamooka - Miners waiting for the Mail truck

Miners Leaving Andamooka “on the mail truck - Home for Christmas vacation!

Bill Hallion Sharpening tools, Pick’s for Monday mornings work - in Andamooka

Comment - Note the fire wood often carted 20 miles to the camp - Early Andamooka

Miners Camp - Early Andamooka, maybe Alan Treloar in the centre

Miners Camp - Early Andamooka - Note the rope and pillow (foreground) supposed to keep snakes away? whilst sleeping out on summer nights

Absalom’s camp Andamooka EGS comments - A married couples camp - “I’ve bought a considerable amount of opal off the wife (Joyce), dug out by herself!”

Personalities - Minnie Berrington, Author of “Stones of Fire”, seen here in Andamooka with brother Roger, more information to come in the literature section….Curators Note: we are working on presenting more information on Minnie Berrington in a future post on the Opal Academy……….

Ernie Sherman Mining - Early Andamooka - ~1930’s

Hand digging a shaft for opal mining “Dave Smith German Gully Andamooka one of the lucky diggers”~ circa 1930

Miner in Andamooka using a petrol powered York Hoist on “Tea Tree Flat”, Note the drilling rig in the background, Date unknown.

”Automatic tipper” on “the saddle’ Andamooka view looking towards the south-west, the co-op store in the centre left,.

CURATORS NOTE:

If you are reading this post and wondering if there is more information about Andamooka in South Australia, we here at opal Academy are working on more information about Andamooka and the varieties of precious opal mined in Andamooka in later posts.

INFORMATION: If you are reading this historical post on Andamooka on the Opal Academy and have any information of the people in the photographs posted, or other details of historical interest, or comments, please contact the curator. One of the Opal Academy’s charter or vision is to preserve historical information of the Australian and International opal fields where ever possible.

You can visit Andamooka, and make sure that you spend enough time to view Peter Taubers, and Margo’s opal museum at the Post Office in Andamooka as it has an exceptional display of opal and history of the Andamooka opal fields.

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