Frank Larkin spent his working life in the mining fields of the West Coast, having obtained his Diploma in applied chemistry at the Ballarat School of Mines. He arrived on the West Coast in 1922. He was Secretary of the Rosebery Progress Association. There was much pulbic discussion and debate over whether the proposed road from the West Coast to the North West Coast should be via the Rosebery - Guildford route or the Zeehan - Corinna route