Black Flag, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black FlagWestern Australia |
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 Black Flag
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1897 |
| Postcode(s) | 6431 |
| Elevation | 443 m (1,453 ft) |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder |
| State electorate(s) | Electoral district of Kalgoorlie |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Black Flag is an abandoned town in Western Australia. It is about 30 km north west of Kalgoorlie. You can find it on the road that goes from Black Flag to Ora Banda. This area is part of the Goldfields-Esperance region.
Contents
Welcome to Black Flag!
Imagine a town that once buzzed with people, but now stands empty. That's Black Flag! It's a "ghost town" in the vast lands of Western Australia. This town was born because of a big discovery: gold!
A Town Built on Gold
The story of Black Flag began in 1893. A gold seeker, called a prospector, named R.H. Henning found gold here. He marked his claim, and soon, more miners arrived. The gold mine started producing lots of gold in 1894.
As more people came, a town began to grow. In 1897, Black Flag was officially made a town. This means it was "gazetted," or formally recognized by the government.
To help the growing population, a special machine called a condenser was built in 1895. This machine helped turn steam into clean drinking water. Imagine how important water was in a dry goldfields area!
Even important people visited Black Flag. In 1895, John Forrest, who would later become the first Premier of Western Australia, came to see the town. He was on a long trip, about 1600 km (1000 miles), through the goldfields.
Life in a Gold Rush Town
By 1896, Black Flag was a busy place. It had its own police station to keep order. There was even a racecourse where people could watch horse races.
At its busiest time, Black Flag was home to many businesses. There were more than eight hotels! Imagine that many places to stay and eat in one small town. There was also a bakery, a bank, and many other shops.
In 1898, the town had 313 people living there. Most of them were men (260), with 53 women. This was typical for gold rush towns, where many men came to seek their fortune.
Why Black Flag Became a Ghost Town
Sadly, the good times didn't last forever. The two biggest mines in Black Flag were called Black Flag and Ladee Bountiful. Between 1906 and 1907, these mines closed down.
When the mines stopped producing gold, people started to leave. There was no longer work for them. Soon after the mines closed, Black Flag became an abandoned town. It turned into the ghost town we know today.
How Black Flag Got Its Name
The name "Black Flag" is quite interesting! People think it might have come from a flag that was hung up. This flag would have been black and used to show that a store was open for business.
However, there's another idea. A writer named Norman Sligo wrote a book called Mates and Gold. In his book, he suggested the name came from the landscape. He thought it was because the "hills and flats" in the area were covered with "black ironstone wash." This would have made the ground look dark.
Today, the remains of the old town are located within the Credo Station area.
