Jamie - Kalgoorlie gold buyer

Kalgoorlie gold buyer, Jamie Line

Starting his working life as a mill re-liner, driving and drilling in mine pits, Jamie Line’s career took a sharp turn when he studied to become a registered nurse. 

For the next period of his life, he nursed in remote areas, specialising in Aboriginal health, then worked at prisons and detention centres. He became a specialist in forensic nursing and set up a business called Secure Health Management. After several years, Jamie stepped away from nursing, taking time out to build bird cages and hang out at the Prospectors Patch in Guildford. In 2005 he bought the business - “in those days gold prospecting technology was a well-kept secret”.

Jamie first came to Kalgoorlie as a nurse in 1983, and he returned three decades later to start the Kalgoorlie branch of the Prospectors Patch, leaving his son to run the original shop in Guildford. 

I supposed he’d meet some interesting characters in his line of work. He agreed, “I’ve had a gun pointed at me a few times! One time I even came away three grand better off.” Three years ago a couple of blokes came into his shop with a large gold specimen. Jamie weighed it and valued it at $4500. He took a wad of notes from the safe and started to count out the money. He’d got to $1500 when one guy pulled a gun and told the other to grab the cash. His accomplice grabbed the $1500 and they took off, leaving the nugget behind and Jamie $3000 up on the deal!

On another occasion a disgruntled man came in accusing Jamie of having ripped him off - “gold is rife with misinformation”. He showed Jamie a gun inside his jacket, intending to terrify him. Fortunately Jamie was able to turn the situation around, explaining what had actually happened. “I ended up doing some marriage guidance counselling and gave him a big hug when he left!”

Sharing his stories, Jamie reckons “it’s a privilege to be part of the folklore” of the WA Goldfields.