Hatter's Hill Gold Mine, Kondinin Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Hatter's Hill Gold Mine	Mine
Kondinin Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The name creates a vision of miners with fine headwear of ostrich feathers, and a millinery department nearby. We are fairly certain this idea can be discounted as the reason behind the name. These places are often named after the person who first discovered gold here, but probably the most likely explanation is given by H.W. Forrester in explaining old mining terminology:

'A 'hatter' is an old digger who has spent years in the hills, and has become a little unbalanced on the subject of gold. It is a hatter that one meets about small towns in mining districts, a picturesque figure, shaggy, unkept, and bearded. He has interesting specimens to show, and hints of a fabulously rich lode that he only knows the location of. He backs his statements with assay reports from the Mines Department, but further investigations show it was picked stone, and the whole lode is of a low grade.'

Hatter's Hill is 50 kilometres north-east of Lake King. The easiest access is to head south-east from Digger Rocks. Shortly past the mine, heading south, turn left. This track heads east then makes a sharp turn south-east. Hatter's Hill is about 25 kilometres south-east of Digger Rocks. If the turn off is not taken, the traveller will end up at Jackson Rocks, turning west will return him to the wheatbelt.

The first mention of gold being discovered at the location is 1905. Very limited information was found over subsequent years. The field had a 3 head battery from the early days, but appears to have only been the haunt of the occasional prospector.

The gold boom of the 1930's, and Great Depression, encouraged prospectors to take a closer look. In the mid 1930's up to 70 people where living on the field, in canvas and bark huts. The area was remote, with food and water difficult to get hold of. A five head mill was erected, taken from the Flag Mine near Kundip.

One report in 1934 states crushings were Taylor and Coyle P.A. 354 70 tonnes 11 ounces; C.R. Harvey P.A. 340 21 tonnes 9 ounces; Grear and White GML 210 18 tonnes 14 ounces; and A. Green and H. Reynolds P.A. 304 33 tonnes 52 ounces; as an example of crushings on the field. Mining ceased by 1942.

N.H. Beeck and H. Moorhouse of Broomehill are noted on the field in 1951, using modern mining equipment, and taking some crushings out of a 50 foot shaft.

The area has seen modern exploration, and there is a cleared area next to the hill itself, indicating possibly some exploratory minor mining.

The mine is sited at the junction of four shire boundaries. Geologically speaking it is part of a greenstone belt heading north, incorporating other mines initially in the Shire of Kondinin.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References