Widgiemooltha, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WidgiemoolthaWestern Australia |
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Widgiemooltha in 1930
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 Widgiemooltha
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1897 |
| Postcode(s) | 6443 |
| Elevation | 374 m (1,227 ft) |
| Area | [convert: needs a number] |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Coolgardie |
| State electorate(s) | Eyre |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Widgiemooltha is a ghost town in Western Australia. It is about 631 kilometers (392 miles) east of Perth. The town is located between Kambalda and Norseman. It sits near the southern shore of Lake Lefroy. Today, there is not much left of the original town.
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History of Widgiemooltha
How the Town Started
In the 1890s, people found gold in the area. Because of this, the townsite was officially created in 1897. It was first spelled Widgemooltha. The spelling was changed to Widgiemooltha in 1944. In 1898, the town had 112 people living there. Most of them were men.
What the Name Means
The name Widgiemooltha comes from the Aboriginal language. It is believed to be the name of a nearby hill and a rock-hole. Some people think the name is related to the beak of an emu.
The Golden Eagle Nugget
The goldfields around Widgiemooltha are famous for a huge gold nugget. It was called the Golden Eagle nugget. Jim Larcombe found it in 1931. This amazing nugget weighed 1,136 ounces (about 32 kilograms). It was the biggest nugget ever found in the history of Western Australian goldfields.
Finding the Golden Eagle nugget caused a "gold fever." Soon after, about 1,000 men came to the area. They worked hard, digging for more gold. They found other gold reefs and nuggets.
Life in the Town
By 1956, Widgiemooltha had a small number of people. These included families who worked on the railway tracks. There were four families with children. Also, employees from a salt works lived there. The town had a schoolteacher, a shopkeeper, and some hotel staff.
Mining Today
Even now, people continue to mine for gold and nickel in the Widgiemooltha area.
