The name on the lifeboat
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (385621)
Rockingham, Australia
August 5, 2026 8:55pm CST
The West Australian town of Wittenoom is a declared contaminated site due to the blue asbestos mining that took place there during the 40s, 50s and 60s. Of the approximately 20,000 former mine workers and residents of Wittenoom, more than 2,000 have died of asbestos-related diseases.
I knew these basic facts but what I didn’t know was that the name of the town commemorates Frank Wittenoom, whose name can be seen on the lifeboat on the training sailing ship, Leeuwin. He was a prominent pastoralist, explore and businessman and, with his brother, and mining magnate, Lang Hancock, established extensive pastoral stations in the Murchison and Gascoyne regions of the state.
So, after seeing the name of the Frank Wittenoom on the lifeboat, down the rabbit-hole I went.
9 people like this
6 responses
@FourWalls (88225)
• United States
7h
Thanks, I’m down there with you now. Move over. 
I saw that it’s the largest contaminated region in the southern hemisphere. The sad thing that I read is that, now that the area isn’t worth a dang, the government returned it to the native peoples. 
Oh, there’s a song by the band Midnight Oil about the mining and the town.
I saw that it’s the largest contaminated region in the southern hemisphere. The sad thing that I read is that, now that the area isn’t worth a dang, the government returned it to the native peoples.
Oh, there’s a song by the band Midnight Oil about the mining and the town.
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1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (53385)
• Mojave, California
6h
Oh no you did not, do not get me started, I can just float things and do it a punk rock way and they could call MidNight oil by sea. The world has learned some things we can even get wolves to howl, probably not but sounded cool. 
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (49881)
• India
43m
The place would have seen big economic growth due to mining.
However whole population and generations would have suffered due to mining adverse effects.
Paradoxes like this keep on coming up acrosd nations.
Interesting share !
Is it still cold in your place or warming up?
Rains are picking some pace here, although overall El Nino effect means deficient rainfall.
@crossbones27 (53385)
• Mojave, California
8h
How does that work you ask them and they all like we still alive, i get it its a business and trying to survive and they like we just trying to earn a pay check. Its crazy what people have to do just to survive if you not wealthy.
