G’day, history buffs! Grab a cuppa and settle in for a yarn about one of the most audacious adventures to ever hit the Western Australian Wheatbelt. We’re talking about the “Adventurous Quartette”, four cheeky lads who decided that the Red Hill Orphanage in Midland Junction just wasn’t big enough for their grand ambitions.

On a Tuesday in March 1909, these boys pulled a legendary vanishing act, setting their sights on the glitz and glamour of the Eastern Goldfields. Now, they didn’t have a luxury coach or a private car; they did it the hard way, tramping through the rugged WA bush on foot. Along the way, they became pint-sized bushrangers, raiding the camps of unsuspecting settlers to keep their bellies full as they followed the track towards the “rivers in the desert” promised by the Great Goldfields Water Supply Scheme.

Their epic trek took them all the way to Yerbillon, roughly 35 miles down the line from Southern Cross. Today, we know Yerbillon as the site of the mighty No. 6 Pump Station, a vital heartbeat in CY O’Connor’s Golden Pipeline, but back then, it was simply the perfect spot for our weary travellers to “jump” a goods train under the cover of night.

The boys managed to hitch a ride into Southern Cross, but their luck hit a snag when the train guard gave them the boot upon arrival. The guard didn’t actually realise he’d just intercepted Western Australia’s most wanted, and the “quartette” immediately began tramping back towards the goldfields.

Enter the heroes of our story: Sergeant Bishop and his two-wheeled task force. When word reached the station, the Sergeant despatched Constables Jones and Cleary on – wait for it – bicycles! Can you imagine the grit required to pedal through that red dirt in pursuit of justice?

The high-speed (well, 1909-speed) chase reached its climax near the Ghooli siding. While Ghooli would later be known for the impressive No. 7 Pump Station, on that particular Friday, it was the scene of a desperate dash for freedom. The lads tried to bolt when they saw the law approaching on their “iron steeds,” but the cyclists were far too smart for them.

Constable Jones managed to round up three of the boys and escorted them back to Southern Cross via another goods train that afternoon. But one little rebel remained at large! Constable Cleary had to put on his tracking hat and scout the scrub, eventually finding the fourth boy hiding out in the bush about a mile from Ghooli.

The adventure ended with a trip to the police court, where the boys faced charges for their orphanage escape and their “shopping sprees” at the settlers’ camps en route to Yerbillon. It wasn’t exactly the golden ending they’d hoped for, but you’ve got to admire the spirit of these four young explorers who turned the pipeline trail into their own personal adventure playground.

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Sources

Escape from an Orphanage. (1909, March 13). The Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette (Cue, WA : 1894 – 1925), p. 3. Retrieved April 28, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article233454026

National Trust Western Australia (n.d.) The Golden Pipeline. Retrieved 28 April 2026 from https://www.goldenpipeline.com.au/