Kambalda, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Kambalda is a small mining town about 60 kilometres from the mining city of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia
, within the Goldfields. It is split into two townsites 4 kilometres apart, Kambalda East and Kambalda West; and is located on the western edge of a giant salt lake
, Lake Lefroy
. At the 2006 census
, Kambalda had a population of 2,705.
Kambalda was discovered from a huge mining boom which triggered prospectors from all over Western Australia to come flowing into Kambalda. Kambalda's first modern settlement was located at the base of nearby Red Hill in 1897. The original Red Hill settlement owed its existence to Percy Larkin, a prospector who discovered gold in the area. For many years Kambalda was mined for its gold
but soon after nickel
was discovered.
. Kambalda was also known to be within the tribal land of the indigenous Galaagu people. Kambalda's determination to keep as much native flora
as possible separates them from other similar mining towns. Kambalda West is approximately 4 km from Kambalda East and is the location of the tourist bureau and the shire offices.
The original settlement of Kambalda grew up in the area after Percy Larkin discovered gold
in December 1896. The town was officially gazetted on the 10th December 1897 and laid out by the Government surveyor, W. Rowley, who choose the name 'Kambalda' The Red Hill Gold Mine, which began operations in 1897, was relatively short-lived. It was closed by 1907 and the small settlement had become a ghost town
. One memory of the original town is the old well in George Cowcill Street.
New interest in the area occurred in 1954 when George Cowcill took samples of what he thought was uranium
. Later analysis found large deposits of nickel
and by 1966 Western Mining Corporation had established Australia's first nickel mine. It is fair to describe Kambalda East and Kambalda West as Australia's first nickel mining towns. Apart from the Red Hill Lookout, with its views over Lake Lefroy, and the opportunity to drive across the causeway the towns have very little appeal to visitors.
. Other mining companies in the area include Goldfields, Lightning Nickel, and GHB. The town population has more recently been receding, thought to be due to increasing fly-in fly-out operations by mining companies.
Kambalda's Memorial Garden and Miners Memorial Wall are situated behind the Shire office in Kambalda West. The Garden has a shady gazebo surrounded by native plants and scented roses. The Memorial Wall was built to honour those who had lost their lives while working in Kambalda's mines.
Also located within the Kambalda area are the remains of King's Battery. Located on Woolibah station, the King's Battery was employed to process gold-bearing ores from local gold mines. Today all that remains of the original operation is a tower and some brickwork which housed a water paddle wheel. The King's Battery area also provides a venue for bushwalking and picnic activities.
Each year, Kambalda hosts these and many other events:
There are two petrol stations, one within Kambalda West and one near Kambalda East.
Food and entertainment are limited and there are no businesses open at night time.
Flights to and from Kambalda via Perth are operated by Cobham.
The Kambalda Health Centre is open 6 days a week and is staffed by two doctors as well as nursing staff. After hours service is available on an on-call basis. The Centre has emergency resuscitation facilities as well as basic x-ray and pathology services.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, within the Goldfields. It is split into two townsites 4 kilometres apart, Kambalda East and Kambalda West; and is located on the western edge of a giant salt lake
Salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water which has a concentration of salts and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes . In some cases, salt lakes have a higher concentration of salt than sea water, but such lakes would also be termed hypersaline lakes...
, Lake Lefroy
Lake Lefroy
Lake Lefroy is a large salt lake in southern Western Australia. It is north of Lake Cowan and near Boulder. Kambalda is on its western edge.- Overview :...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Kambalda had a population of 2,705.
Kambalda was discovered from a huge mining boom which triggered prospectors from all over Western Australia to come flowing into Kambalda. Kambalda's first modern settlement was located at the base of nearby Red Hill in 1897. The original Red Hill settlement owed its existence to Percy Larkin, a prospector who discovered gold in the area. For many years Kambalda was mined for its gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
but soon after nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
was discovered.
History
Kambalda is a small mining town, in a semi-arid environment, approximately 75 kilometres southeast of Coolgardie and 616 kilometres east of PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Kambalda was also known to be within the tribal land of the indigenous Galaagu people. Kambalda's determination to keep as much native flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
as possible separates them from other similar mining towns. Kambalda West is approximately 4 km from Kambalda East and is the location of the tourist bureau and the shire offices.
The original settlement of Kambalda grew up in the area after Percy Larkin discovered gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in December 1896. The town was officially gazetted on the 10th December 1897 and laid out by the Government surveyor, W. Rowley, who choose the name 'Kambalda' The Red Hill Gold Mine, which began operations in 1897, was relatively short-lived. It was closed by 1907 and the small settlement had become a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. One memory of the original town is the old well in George Cowcill Street.
New interest in the area occurred in 1954 when George Cowcill took samples of what he thought was uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
. Later analysis found large deposits of nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
and by 1966 Western Mining Corporation had established Australia's first nickel mine. It is fair to describe Kambalda East and Kambalda West as Australia's first nickel mining towns. Apart from the Red Hill Lookout, with its views over Lake Lefroy, and the opportunity to drive across the causeway the towns have very little appeal to visitors.
Present day
The first mining company that established the town, Western Mining Corporation (WMC) has been bought and taken over by a larger company that has stations all over the world, BHP BillitonBHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
. Other mining companies in the area include Goldfields, Lightning Nickel, and GHB. The town population has more recently been receding, thought to be due to increasing fly-in fly-out operations by mining companies.
Attractions
Kambalda's best attraction is the Red Hill Lookout, which is accessed by following Gordon Adams Road. Red Hill has a bushwalking trail (Red Hill Walking Trail), and from the top travellers have a bird's eye view of nearby Lake Lefroy, a large 510-square km salt pan which stretches to the horizon and is rarely filled with water.Kambalda's Memorial Garden and Miners Memorial Wall are situated behind the Shire office in Kambalda West. The Garden has a shady gazebo surrounded by native plants and scented roses. The Memorial Wall was built to honour those who had lost their lives while working in Kambalda's mines.
Also located within the Kambalda area are the remains of King's Battery. Located on Woolibah station, the King's Battery was employed to process gold-bearing ores from local gold mines. Today all that remains of the original operation is a tower and some brickwork which housed a water paddle wheel. The King's Battery area also provides a venue for bushwalking and picnic activities.
Each year, Kambalda hosts these and many other events:
- November: Community Trash 'n' Treasure
- December: Community Christmas Tree
Services
The town is well serviced with a medium sized Woolworths grocery store, an ANZ branch, post office, newsagency, public library, recreation centre, Pizza shop, fish and chips and two schools.There are two petrol stations, one within Kambalda West and one near Kambalda East.
Food and entertainment are limited and there are no businesses open at night time.
Flights to and from Kambalda via Perth are operated by Cobham.
The Kambalda Health Centre is open 6 days a week and is staffed by two doctors as well as nursing staff. After hours service is available on an on-call basis. The Centre has emergency resuscitation facilities as well as basic x-ray and pathology services.