Niagara, Western Australia

Niagara
Western Australia
Niagara is located in Western Australia
Niagara
Niagara
Coordinates29°22′24″S 121°26′23″E / 29.373361°S 121.439813°E / -29.373361; 121.439813
Established1896
Postcode(s)6431
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Menzies
State electorate(s)Kalgoorlie
Federal division(s)O'Connor

Niagara is an abandoned town located in the Goldfields-Esperance region in Western Australia, between Kalgoorlie and Leonora, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest of Kookynie.

In January 1895 Charles Northmore and J. Timms were prospecting in the Waterfall or Niagara Falls area. On 4 February they discovered the Port Pirie mine, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of Niagara Falls at what is now named Niagara. Timms died on 14 February, from typhoid.[1][2][3]

Following a rapid growth in population the local progress association requested that a townsite be declared early the following year. The Land Department gazetted the townsite later in 1896.[4] On 6 August 1896 the Kalgoorlie-Niagara telegraph line was completed.[5][6]

Early mines in the area included Challenge, Orion, Emperor, Mikado, Golden Monarch, Lady Betty and Sapphire.[7] Although seven streets in the townsite were gazetted only two, Challenge and Waterfall, were developed. By 1900 over sixty buildings existed within the town and one hundred and fifty stamp head listed on the area. Niagara had a telegraph and post office, mines registrar's office, bank, police station, court house, a number of thriving stores and was unique in Australia in having four hotels, one on each corner, on the crossroads in the centre of the township.[8][9]

After 1900 Kookynie took over as the district centre and by 1903 Niagara was in decline with a population of 75. By 1905 many of the mud brick buildings were derelict and by 1909 the town was abandoned.[10]

  1. ^ "A Miniature Niagara". Coolgardie Miner. 7 May 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  2. ^ "The Niagara". Coolgardie Miner. 3 June 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  3. ^ "News from Niagara". Coolgardie Miner. 12 July 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  4. ^ "History of country town names – N". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Niagara". Coolgardie Miner. 12 August 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Supreme Court Sittings - Canham v. Doolette and others". The West Australian. 19 December 1895. p. 10. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  7. ^ "The Coolgardie Goldfields". The Daily News. Perth, WA. 24 January 1896. p. 7. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  8. ^ "The Premier's Tour - Mining at Niagara". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 30 March 1899. p. 6. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  9. ^ "The Niagara District". Kalgoorlie Miner. 30 October 1935. p. 7. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Morawa District historical society – Ghost towns in WA" (PDF). 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2011.