Comet Vale, Western Australia Explained

Type:town
Comet Vale
State:wa
Lga:Shire of Menzies
Coordinates:-29.942°N 121.126°W
Postcode:6438
Est:1916
Elevation:386
Stategov:Electoral district of Kalgoorlie
Fedgov:O'Connor
Dist1:550
Dir1:east
Location1:Perth
Dist2:96
Dir2:north
Location2:Kalgoorlie

Comet Vale is an abandoned town in Western Australia located in the Goldfield region of Western Australia located between Kalgoorlie and Laverton on the Goldfields Highway. It is within the Shire of Menzies.

The town site was named after a comet that could be seen at about the time gold was discovered in the area. By 1895 the town had a population of approximately 500, and by 1897 the townspeople were demanding a post-office. The postmaster general instructed postmasters at Menzies and Googarrie prepare daily mail bags for Comet Vale which were then distributed at one of the stores in town.[1] The Comet Vale Hotel was established some time prior to 1898.[2] The town was gazetted in 1916.

A prospector, Dan Baker is credited with the initial gold discovery. Two mines were in production in 1900 named Lady Margaret and Long tunnel.[3] The Gladsome mine was operating before 1905,[4] and the Moss brothers built a 10-head stamp mill and Coonega at Comet Vale.[5]

Comet Vale was a stop on the Kalgoorlie to Leonora railway line but, while the railway line is still in operation, the town is now longer shown as a stop on contemporary maps.[6] [7] [8]

More mines opened later including Sand Queen and Happy Jack both of which continued to operate after World War I. A police station had been established in the town and was destroyed in 1916. A coach service used to service the town coming from Goongarrie and continuing to the Ularring district.[3]

In 1921 fresh water was found in old shafts not far from town to replace water requirements that had been sent by rail from Kalgoorlie.[9]

Notes and References

  1. News: The wants of Menzies. . 13 . 3,452 . Western Australia . 18 March 1897 . 27 December 2016 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Attack on a Trading Schooner. . . 4 . 956 . Western Australia . 4 January 1898 . 27 December 2016 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  3. Web site: Morowa Historical Society. 2009. 15 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110312060434/http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/ghosttowns/G.pdf. 12 March 2011. dead.
  4. News: Mining and Stocks and Shares . . XXI . 6,029 . Western Australia . 13 July 1905 . 27 December 2016 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Mining and Stocks and Shares . . XXI . 5,975 . Western Australia . 11 May 1905 . 27 December 2016 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  6. Web site: Public Transport Authority: Railway System: April 2019 . Public Transport Authority . 13 August 2024.
  7. Web site: Railway map of Western Australia, 1952 . Trove . 13 August 2024.
  8. Web site: Arc Map Network. 13 August 2024.
  9. News: Comet Vale Water supply . . 26 . 5072 . Western Australia . 18 January 1921 . 27 December 2016 . 13 . National Library of Australia.