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Centenary of CoolgardiePrint Page Print this page

19-September-2022
19-September-2022

Photographs supplied by Chris Abbott

The plaque commemorates the centenary of Coolgardie.

Coolgardie was founded in 1892, when gold was discovered in the area. Australia had seen several major gold rushes over the previous three decades, mostly centred on the east coast, but these had mostly been exhausted by the 1890s. With the discovery of a new goldfield, an entire new gold rush began, with thousands flocking to the area.

In late August 1892, at a site known as Fly Flat, prospectors Arthur Bayley and William Ford found more than 500 ounces of gold. Just over two weeks later, on 17 September, Bayley registered his claim in Southern Cross, 187 kilometres away. Worth about $800,000 at today’s values, the find triggered the last great Australian gold rush. It revived Western Australia’s struggling economy and almost quadrupled the State’s population within a decade.

The name Coolgardie is said to be derived from the Aboriginal word "Coolcaby", meaning a mulga tree near a waterhole. Another possibility is "Coorgardie", the Aboriginal name for a large lizard. Over the years, Coolgardie has also been known as Bayley's Find, Fly Flat and The Old Camp.

By 1898, Coolgardie was the third largest town in the colony, with an estimated population of 5,008 (3,151 men and 1,857 women).  At its peak, 700 mining companies based in Coolgardie were registered with the London Stock Exchange. The town also supported a wide variety of businesses and services, including a railway, a swimming pool (first public baths in the state), many hotels and several newspapers.

Location

Address:62 Bayley Street, Coolgardie Visitor Centre, Coolgardie, 6429
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -30.954466
Long: 121.164528
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Settlement

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Thursday 17th September, 1992
Front Inscription

                   Coolgardie
                       1892       1992
                         Centenary

                COOLGARDIE
                   1892 - 1992

This Plaque Unveiled On September 17th, 1992
Commemorates The Centenary Of Coolgardie
And Salutes The Pioneer Men And Women
Who Blazed The Trail To The "Old Camp"
             One Hundred Years Ago.

Their Indomitable Spirit Triumphed Over Adversity
And Created A Golden Era Which Shaped
The Fortunes And Destiny Of This Nation.

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au