John Connelly (prospector) explained

John Francis Connelly (1860 - 1928) was an Australian prospector and mine owner. Born in Victoria, he prospected and owned mines in New South Wales.^[1]

He discovered a platinum field at Fifield before joining the gold rush to Cossack, Western Australia in 1889.

He discovered the Nannine gold field the following year, and was rewarded by the Government of Western Australia with £500.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Later, he prospected in New Guinea and New Zealand. He died in 1928, and is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia.

Connelly was also an active collector of Australian Aboriginal artefacts. Collections associated with him are held in the Field Museum, Chicago, the Bishop Museum in Hawaii and the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. His papers are held in the State Library of New South Wales.

Notes and References

1. News: Westraliana Fauna Facts Flora John Francis Connelly's Explorations in W.A. . . 64 . 3,668 . Western Australia . 13 October 1949 . 27 August 2022 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
2. News: Westraliana Fauna Facts Flora II. John Francis Connelly's Explorations in W.A. Murchison Gold . . 64 . 3,669 . Western Australia . 20 October 1949 . 27 August 2022 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: Westraliana Fauna Facts Flora . . 64 . 3,670 . Western Australia . 27 October 1949 . 27 August 2022 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: Westraliana Fauna Facts Flora . . 64 . 3,671 . Western Australia . 3 November 1949 . 27 August 2022 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
5. News: Murchison Gold . . 65 . 19,685 . Western Australia . 19 August 1949 . 27 August 2022 . 12 . National Library of Australia.