Princess Royal, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Princess RoyalWestern Australia |
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 Princess Royal
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1904 |
| Postcode(s) | 6443 |
| Elevation | 291 m (955 ft) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Dundas |
| State electorate(s) | Eyre |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Princess Royal is an abandoned town in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia. It's known as a "ghost town" because no one lives there anymore. The town was named after a gold mine that started everything. That mine got its name from Victoria, Princess Royal, who was the oldest daughter of Queen Victoria. Princess Royal is located very close to Norseman.
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Princess Royal: A Gold Rush Town
Princess Royal was once a busy place, built because of the exciting discovery of gold. Like many towns in Western Australia, its story is tied to the search for valuable minerals. It shows how quickly towns could appear and disappear during the gold rush era.
The Discovery of Gold
In 1895, a group of prospectors named Chester, Peddler, and Flanagan found a rich gold reef in the area. A gold reef is a vein of rock that contains gold. This discovery sparked interest in the region.
Later, in 1900, more gold was found. This time, it was alluvial gold, which means gold found in riverbeds or loose soil. Because of these finds, a townsite was created to house all the miners. The town was officially recognized, or gazetted, in 1904.
Life in the Mining Town
Princess Royal quickly grew into a small community. At one point, there were two main gold mines operating side-by-side: the Princess Royal mine and the Princess Royal Central mine. These mines were the heart of the town.
Life in a gold rush town could be tough but also exciting. A police station was built before 1905 to keep order. The first police officer arrived that same year. By 1906, the town was quite lively, boasting four hotels where miners could relax. There were also many other businesses to support the growing population.
Why Princess Royal Became a Ghost Town
The police station, which had opened in 1905, closed just three years later in 1908. This was a sign that the town was already starting to decline. As the gold became harder to find or ran out, miners moved on to other areas. Without the gold, there was no reason for the town to continue. Princess Royal slowly became abandoned, turning into the ghost town it is today.
