(C) Don Copley

MENZIES

HEMA Map reference 77/G10

29° 40' 12" S 121° 02' 23" E

Statistics

Caravan Parks

Menzies                 08 9024 2041

Services

Attractions

Goongarrie National Park. Town hall, Railway station, Old police station, Cemetery, Baker’s oven, Old hotel, Old post office.

Buildings of note

Unknown

Calendar of events

Unknown

(C) Caroline Brocx

Lake Ballard

(C) Derek Graham

Description

A mining town, Menzies was first settled in 1894 (and declared a municipality in December 1895) but has declined to just a small settlement.

It was named after Leslie Robert Menzie (Robert Leslie Menzies is sometimes quoted but is incorrect) who went prospecting in the area with John McDonald in 1894. Menzie was an American who spent time looking for gold in America, Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The Lady Shenton mine he opened here with his partners was very successful.

‘The news of the Menzies (gold) discovery speedily attracted people to the spot, but the earlier comers found themselves very soon in difficulties. Food supplies ran out, water was not obtainable in any quantity, and consequently much hardship had to be endured.’

Twentieth Century Impressions of W.A.
1901

The Lady Shenton mine was named after the wife of a major investor (George Shenton) and by 1903 it had produced 132,000 ounces of gold. By 1910 almost all mining had come to a halt as the gold bearing ore ran out.

In 1896 a typhoid outbreak killed 28 people and in the following 10 years it is believed that over 500 people died just from this one cause. The local cemetery is one of the larger ones in the goldfields and reading the inscriptions on the headstones (many of which are actually made of metal not stone) gives an insight into the hardships of the early years.

The local town hall used to have a clock tower with no clock. The original clock was ordered from England but the ship (Orizaba) bringing is across sank near Rottnest, and no replacement was ever ordered. That was until the year 2000 when one was finally put in place in time for the new year celebrations. (I think keeping the clock tower empty would have been a little more interesting.) A sizeable amount of cargo from the S.S. Orizaba was salvaged but the clock was never located. It is just possible that the Menzies clock was sold to another town and has been adorning the clock tower in another part of the state all these years.

At its peak the town had a population of about 10,000, thirteen hotels and two breweries. Although gold ran out quickly the town was able to hold on longer than most in the area as the railway ended here. It became the staging post and supply depot for other smaller centres further out.
 

The arrival of the rains from Cyclone Bobby in 1995 turned the usually dry Lake Ballard (50Km west) into the ideal breeding ground for 10,000 banded stilts. The birds set up house, had their chicks and then one day just flew away never to return. How they knew rains had reached the lake remains one of natures mysteries.

The 'lake' now features 51 metal sculptures created by artist Antony Gormley.

Menzies has what is arguably the most unpleasant climate of any town in W.A. with the lowest of lows and some of the highest highs.
 

(C) Don Copley