Malcolm, Western Australia Explained

Type:town
State:wa
Established:1897
Postcode:6438
Elevation:371
Dist1:852
Dir1:north east
Location1:Perth
Dist2:19
Dir2:east
Location2:Leonora
Lga:Shire of Leonora
Stategov:Kalgoorlie
Fedgov:O'Connor

Malcolm is an abandoned town located between Leonora and Laverton in the Shire of Leonora in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It was also known as Mount Malcolm.[1] [2] Gold was discovered in the area in 1895, and in 1896 the local provisional committee lobbied the government to perform a survey and declare a townsite. The town had six stores, three hotels and two bakeries at this time. The townsite was gazetted in 1897. In 1900 the town was incorporated and had kerosene street lights and a swimming pool. In 1903 over 200 buildings were located in town and the population had reached 450. By 1904 the town had a population of 400 along with six hotels and a brewery.

The town derives its name from a geological feature located just outside the town called Mount Malcolm, which was named by John Forrest while he was exploring in 1869. Forrest had named the feature after his friend and fellow explorer Malcolm Hamersley.

The total area of the town was 10NaN0. The town was also the centre of the Mount Margaret goldfield.[3]

Malcolm was a stop on the Kalgoorlie to Leonora railway line and the junction for the branch line to Laverton.[4] [5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Mount Malcolm. . . LVIII . 3,232 . Western Australia . 24 March 1899 . 13 August 2024 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: The Premier's Tour. . . 15 . 4,084 . Western Australia . 3 April 1899 . 13 August 2024 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  3. Web site: Morowa District Historical Society. 2009. 22 February 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110312060853/http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/ghosttowns/Ma-Mn.pdf. 12 March 2011. dead.
  4. Web site: Public Transport Authority: Railway System: April 2019 . Public Transport Authority . 13 August 2024.
  5. Web site: Railway map of Western Australia, 1952 . Trove . 13 August 2024.
  6. Web site: Arc Map Network. 13 August 2024.