Mertondale Ruins - WA

In 1899 struggling prospector Fred Merton found gold here and became an instant millionaire. He opened up Mertondale and sold 63 plots to other prospectors and eventually sold out a rich man just before the gold run out. All that remains here today is the crumbling ruins of the bakery and the signboard that tells the story. Looking out across the plains however you can see active mining occurs here today.

Approaching Mertondale one cannot but be aware of the history of the area. Spoil dumps from open cut mining operations loom above the scrub, and then, near to the old townsite, the "smoke stacks" from the old gold treatment plant are visible on the horizon. Mine shafts, like giant ant nests, dot the landscape, and one gets a strong sense of all the activity that has taken place around here since Fred Merton's remarkable find back in 1899.

Please note that the area is the subject of active mining leases - and that dangerous old shafts abound. Take extra care if you explore beyond the road verge.