Mulwarrie, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MulwarrieWestern Australia |
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Established | 1900 |
Postcode(s) | 6436 |
Elevation | 496 m (1,627 ft) |
Location | |
LGA(s) | Shire of Menzies |
State electorate(s) | Kalgoorlie |
Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Mulwarrie is an abandoned town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It's located about 125 kilometers northwest of Kalgoorlie. You can find it between the towns of Davyhurst and Mulline. Today, Mulwarrie is known as a 'ghost town' because no one lives there anymore.
Mulwarrie: A Gold Rush Town
This town was once a busy place, especially during the gold rush days. It's located in a part of Western Australia famous for gold.
How Mulwarrie Started
Mulwarrie was first called Mount Higgins. A person named Paddy Higgins found gold here. He later found gold in another place called Higginsville.
In 1900, local people asked for a town to be officially created. A survey was done that same year. The town was officially named Mulwarrie on September 12, 1900. It was named after the main gold mine in the area.
The name "Mulwarrie" is believed to come from the Aboriginal language. Its exact meaning is not known today. It's possible the mine was named after the Mulwarrie River near Goulburn in New South Wales. That area also had gold fields.
Life in Mulwarrie
Mulwarrie had a main street that stretched for about half a mile. Along this street, you would find houses and different businesses.
A police camp was set up in 1901 to keep order. Later, a proper police station was built. However, it closed down in 1905. A temporary telegraph station was also opened in 1901. This allowed people to send messages quickly. In 1903, the town even had a school with one teacher.
Gold Mining Success
In 1901, the Moonshine mine in Mulwarrie had a great success. They crushed 30 tons of gold ore at the State battery. A "State battery" is a place where ore is crushed to get gold. This process yielded 298 ounces and 10 pennyweights of gold. This was a record amount of gold for a government battery at that time.