Waihi Gold Mine (Westralia Waihi), Davyhurst, Davyhurst Goldfield, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Waihi Gold Mine (Westralia Waihi)	Mine
Davyhurst	- not defined -
Davyhurst Goldfield	Ore Field
Menzies Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

It was discovered by a party of prospectors in October 1899, consisting of Patrick Glenny, Charles Mace and his young son Miller Mace, and Thomas (Watty) Davys. They found initially three reefs on the first day, and by the second day had pegged the Waihi (36 acres), and adjoining Melrose.

Four major reefs were located with several smaller leaders between, all trending north-south, and dipping slightly west. Two of the reefs were narrow veins, and one a large bulge of stone 20 feet wide by 60 feet long.

Several mines were developed in the area, the location, and former town known as Davyhurst after Thomas Davys. Thomas was originally from New Zealand, and the Waihi is named after a gold mine in New Zealand. Waihi and Westralia Waihi were used interchangeably historically, but in recent times only the Waihi name is used.

Initially the prospectors extracted 138 tonnes for 835 ounces of gold. Glenny went abroad, spent big and returned to Davyhurst broke. Charles Mace died in 1924. Thomas Davys continued prospecting in the Murchison region. Miller Mace was a teenager at the time of the discovery. After leaving when the mine was sold, he appears to have become a semi professional gambler for a time with horse racing in Melbourne and Perth.

Late 1900, the Waihi Gold Mines NL was floated in Adelaide with 80 000 pounds capital. This was promoted by Herman Mandelstamm who had taken an option over the mine, and backed by Coolgardie draper Charlie McKay.

John Lonsdale was appointed mine manager, followed by W.H.(Billy) Collins, 1904 R.B. Lamb, 1905 Watt, 1906 Cleland and 1907 White. A battery was erected.

In 1904, Charles Howie died after being overcome with dynamite fumes underground. Three other miners affected survived.

While initially rich, grades decreased over time and at depth. Shareholders suffered regular calls for more money. The company was under the impression the mine had been exhausted by 1907, and let it on tribute to Warrigal and Clarke (surnames), who discovered new ore, and made 3000 pounds in the space of four months. Tributers continued, until 1909 when the company abandoned the mine, for the Northern Star mine near Norseman. By this stage the mine had produced 26 192 tonnes of ore for 14 964 ounces of gold.

Modern mining saw an open pit developed on the historic workings in 1986 by Western Mining Corporation. Croesus Mining NL conducted more mining here, along with several other deposits in the area around the year 2000. A 2008 JORC report estimated a total amount of ore left at 914 000 tonnes at 2.4 g/t yielding 71 000 ounces of gold.

The mine is just north-west of the former Davyhurst town site, as three irregular shaped, large, almost adjoining pits. All may have subsequently been filled with sludge. While modern sources name the entire site as Waihi, there were before this several named leases at the site with underground workings.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References