Garden Gully Townsite - WA

The Garden Gully Goldfield is approximately 20 kilometres north-west of Meekatharra. It can be found 10 kilometres along the Meekatharra-Mount Clere Road from its intersection with the Great Northern Highway. It borders the east bank of the first creek (Garden Gully) both north and south of the road. It is not signposted, and the sights are largely not visible from the road.

50 metres to the north is some building foundations, equipment relics, a new or re-conditioned shaft, several historic shafts and mullock piles. 100 metres south of the road is a shaft with small headframe. Further south of the road is a historic water pump which was Meekatharra's first water source, and a couple of major groupings of shafts near this, with some equipment relics. The writer was not able to confirm with certainty the locations of individual mines on the field, as the one map found disagreed with an inspection of sites on the ground.

The goldfield had two major periods of activity. The first lease, known as the Old Battery Group (and later Garden Gully Group), was pegged in May 1894. Shortly after a 10 head battery was erected, and this crushed for prospectors on the field, and for mines at Meekatharra in its early years until 1901. Crushings initially were insignificant, until interest in Meekatharra grew in 1899. After 1901, Meekatharra got its own battery. The Crown gold mine was the most significant on the field during this period, producing small yields from January 1895 to 1901.

Renewed interest in the goldfield came with the Kyarra discovery in 1909. In the first few years it was a rich mine, and several prospector leases were pegged and worked during this time. Lower grades, and various other issues saw the Kyarra close down in 1917. Little has happened since apart from minor prospector activity. The area was explored in 2012 by Dourado Resources, with some evidence of this remaining in the northern workings.