Gudarra, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GudarraWestern Australia |
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 Gudarra
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1897 |
| Postcode(s) | 6431 |
| Elevation | 381 m (1,250 ft) |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder |
| State electorate(s) | Electoral district of Kalgoorlie |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Gudarra is an abandoned town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It is located between Kalgoorlie and Menzies. You can find it just off the Goldfields Highway. The modern-day Paddington Gold Mine is now near where the old town used to be.
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Discovering Gold in Gudarra
Gold was first found in this area in 1892. At first, the place was called the Sore Foot Rush. This funny name came from the prospectors. They arrived limping because they had rushed to find gold!
How Gudarra Got Its Name
The town was first named Paddington. This name became official on February 4, 1897. Later, in 1911, the government wanted to stop towns from having the same names. So, in 1912, the town was renamed and officially called Gudarra. The name Gudarra comes from an Aboriginal language. Its exact meaning is not known today.
Mining Life in Gudarra
More gold was found deep underground in 1894, 1898, and 1901. Several mines operated in the area. Some of these mines were Paddington Consuls, Mt Corlic, Star of WA, and Pakeha. The Paddington Consuls mine was the biggest. It employed over 400 workers when it was at its busiest. This large mine closed down in 1901.
Gudarra's Own Government
Paddington had its own local government for a short time. It was called the Municipality of Paddington. This government ran the town from 1901 to 1903. Then, it joined with the nearby town of Broad Arrow. They formed the Municipality of Broad Arrow-Paddington. This combined government lasted until 1910.
Town Life and Buildings
In 1898, a church was built in Gudarra. The town also had many hotels. In 1898, there were six hotels! But by 1910, only one hotel was left.
A police station and a court were set up in town in 1899. The police lock-up might have come from Black Flag. The police living quarters were brought from Black Flag in 1900. The stables for the police horses came from Broad Arrow in 1901. The police station closed in 1910. The detective office then moved to Boulder in 1911.
